Vanity

(Ecclesiastes 12:8) “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.”

The character of man’s heart is full of vanity. He may not realise it or even understand the extent of it, but when we dissect the heart, its drive and it thoughts, then it is clear to understand why all is vanity. Solomon has amazing insight on the subject and it would be good to heed what he has to say. From as far back as I can remember, whether it was making sure I got the last sweet or the best seat in the car as a young boy, it was always about me. If I am honest with myself, has that change much? I can’t say with any certainty that it has, sure I may be looking at times to bless others, but as a rule it is always about me and my needs. I get up and wash, I eat breakfast, I have coffee, I make money so that I can buy food and goodies, and I save money so that I can have my next holiday. I, I and I! Obviously a lot of the things I do are extremely important and commands from God that I need be carried out, I must work or else I do not deserve to eat, etc. However I always err on the side of vanity and this is where I go wrong, it is my perception of life that is off balance and this is what needs adjusting. How different I am to my great Saviour. When I consider Him, I stand in awe when I see how he came to serve; God himself came to lay down His life for mankind. It is almost incomprehensible if I look at my wants against His selfless acts. I am so exposed when I look at His example, I want to crawl into a corner and slit my wrists, not really, but the expression rings true!

Why do I spend so much time with such senseless stuff? I know that it does not bring glory to my heavenly Father when I behave like this. “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.” What does Solomon mean when he makes such a statement?

Through the whole book of Ecclesiastes he unpacks many examples pertaining to life and his achievements. He constantly explores every avenue with this in mind to understand life and our purpose here on earth in relation to God as the Creator with us as His creation. He constantly reminds us that there is very little benefit between those who have abundance and those who are forced to go without. Men gather wealth through much toil so that they can leave it to someone else. Have we ever seen a hearse towing a safe, it has never happened and it never will! Solomon had more wealth than any before him and yet he makes the statement, “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.”

Solomon labour's this point time and time again throughout this book, he sets out to make sure that the readers get his point; to seek for that satisfaction in God only and in their duty to Him which they can never find in the creature. He repeats his text, making sure that good understanding has come through to the reader on the penned wording. But he has built a strong case through many examples to prove his point. Yet he uses examples that are easy for us to articulate, they are very close to home and if we are honest with ourselves and with the text there is no place for us to hide, our hearts are exposed. Having exposed our hearts he now wants to leave us with instructions on how we should live. But firstly let’s see what we shouldn’t do! We should not run after vanity as all is vanity; all things in the world are vain; all creatures are subject to vanity; man in every state whether rich or poor, sick or healthy is altogether vanity: and Solomon affirms this with great confidence, after he had shown that not only childhood and youth are vanity, but even old age; the infirmities, sorrows, and distresses of which he had just exposed, he deals with all issue in death, the last end of man, when his body returns to the earth, and his soul to God the giver of it. We all sleep eat and then die, the evil as well as the righteous and both end up dead (in the flesh).

He concludes that all things under the sun are not only vain, but vanity itself, extremely vain, vain in the superlative degree; I am not sure I believe all Solomon teaches, that does not nullify God’s word but it exposes me, for if I did consider it my life would look very different. But of this truth I am absolutely persuaded, when God declares a truth to us from scripture, firstly it will come to pass and secondly if we align ourselves with His teaching we will end up as benefactors, this is a fact! So I should on a daily basis look to lay down my life for my brethren, but I don’t, I would go without so that others would not, It saddens me when I consider my lifestyle and the lap of luxury I feed off. I hope my perception of this begins to have a drastic change to my life. Scripture is there to rebuke us when needed, not that we should fall into a great depression but rather be provoked to good works. May this lesson of Solomon teach us to view all of life as vanity and help us understand the reality of it; with food and raiment we must be content; (Matthew 6:19-21) “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Solomon eventually wraps the chapter up with these words, in his summation of life and all our responsibility to it he thus concludes; (Ecclesiastes 12:13) “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandment, for this is the whole duty of man.”

This is the lesson Solomon teaches and the Lord confirms it and highlights the point by mentioning Solomon in the above portion of scripture in the book of Matthew.

May I have ears to hear and eyes to see what God is saying to me and then may you also find the mind of Christ in this matter.

May God have mercy on our souls and quicken our understanding in this area of our life, O how we need it!

Signing off

Tyrone

The Feet of Jesus!

(James 4:10) “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”

When I consider life and the beauty of creation I am swept away with memories of some of the exquisite places I have seen in my travels. Islands surrounded by the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the beauty of Cape Town with Table Mountain the backdrop to her splendour, the aridness of the Skeleton Coast and it's salt roads or the ruggedness of the Timbavati with its distinctive terrain and wild animals roaming free with the most amazing sunrise and sunset often on display. The list goes on and on, God is truly magnificent with creation through all the beauty we have the privilege to witness. It often motivates us to look for our next adventure and we put money aside so we can find a dream holiday in order to be one with nature. I even bought a 4x4 to help me with theses dreams. What and where would your dream holiday be? How much would it cost and could the poor afford the same luxury? Think of the families in their tin huts with barely enough food to get them through the week, they may dream of a getaway but without any real hope of ever accomplishing their desires.

But God who is rich in mercy has afforded all his children equal opportunity; both the rich and the poor, how so you may ask? As I was looking through some of God’s Word last night a wonderful realisation of the goodness of God refreshed my soul as I considered creation and all it beauty, my thoughts were then drawn from creation to the Lord Jesus and I began to contemplate some of His glorious attributes and finally a beautiful thought dawned on me and gripped my heart. I am thankful to God the Holy Spirit for moments like these; we should all search them out and cry to Him for continuous revelation about our Saviour.

I can honestly say without fear of any contradiction concludes that my dream holiday would not be a geographical location, what is now more appealing is who would be with me. I no longer have to wait for school holidays or a holiday season to accomplish my vision. Others have understood this lesson, but if we really understood the importance of these messages by the examples of other, through what they have taught us, we would live here. We wouldn’t have to spend so much time hankering after our next beautiful holiday.

So who then are the teachers that speak? The demon possessed man who was now in his right frame of mind, Jairus with his dying daughter, Mary the sister of Martha through the death of her brother Lazarus, Mary and her pound of ointment of pure nard, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary after Jesus had risen and finally what the angel instructed John not to do in the Book of revelation chapter 19:10.

They all understood the importance of the beauty of the feet of Jesus, there is nothing in all of creation that compares with the feet of Jesus. They understood this, they had not only seen Jesus and been with Him but they had the privilege of sitting at His feet and in each account they were all extremely blessed.

The demon possessed man had a legion of demons cast out of him; he no longer had to live in chains. Mary received her brother to life again, she was so thankful that her prize possession that she almost certainly use on her own body, the pound of ointment of nard, very costly, but the death and resurrection of her brother had caused her to give up her most prize possession, and with this she anointed the feet of Jesus, and, as a further token of her reverence for Him at her own expense, she wiped them with her hair, and everyone present were the benefactors as this sweet pleasant aroma filled the house. When we sit at the feet of Jesus others will also find blessing from our encounter. When Mary Magdalene and the same Mary encounter Jesus on their way back to tell the disciples that He was alive and that He no longer lay in the tomb where they had buried Him, His resurrection furnishes them with abundant matter for joy. How they now even more than ever before appreciate the feet of Jesus. How beautiful were the feet of the Lord Jesus to them, it must have taken an age for them to eventually let go, but when they did they found a spring in their step as the urgency must have pressed them hard to reach the disciples and bring them these good tidings. Jesus had risen from the dead, he was alive! We must not however bow down to men or even angels or any other form of idolatry. When the Apostle John was caught up into heaven and he saw the brilliance of an angel he fell to his knees at the feet of the angel, but was quickly instructed by him not to do it as an angel is messenger of God and a fellow servant with us. He directs him to the true and only object of religious worship; namely, God: “Worship God, and him alone.” It is only the Lord Jesus who has earned the right to demand our obedience in this area of our lives. Even creation has its traps, when we find ourselves admiring creation to the exclusion of our creator we enter the realm of idolatry.

May their examples spark within all of us an urgency at every opportune time to sit at the feet of Jesus, whatever your circumstance, wherever you may find yourself along this sometimes difficult journey along the celestial road toward the pearly gates of heaven, might we always remember the blessings to be found at the feet of Jesus. “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”

God the Holy Spirit may you write these truths deep within our hearts, may we resolve from this day forth to live at the feet of Jesus. Father we thank you for every blessing you bestow upon us as your children and all praise and honour belongs to Jesus Christ our saviour for laying down His life so selflessly accomplishing your will in every area of His life so that we may go free. All this we ask and pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and for your glory, Amen

Signing off

Tyrone

The will of the Father

(John 6:38) “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.”

How often have we misplaced or even lost something needful, this seems to be happening to me a lot more of late; my short term memory seems to be even shorter. This I confess does tend to frustrate me, but when I see it as a help and not a burden although it can become burdensome, it forces me to consider the Lord Jesus’ example. Instead of always complaining about something why not look to use your weakness as a tool in bringing you closer to Christ, how you may wonder? I now am forced to pray that God would help my memory; it was not always like that. It is a hindrance to daily living, it does slow me down, I appear far clumsier than ever before, but never has my fellowship been as sweet with Jehovah God in this area of my life. So often we can lose the company of Christ as our companion, we no longer commune with Him continuously throughout the daily, life, through sin or circumstance robs us from sweet fellowship that Christ has won on our behalf. I mean if we neglect so great an opportunity it is at our own peril. We seem to complain and always moan about this or that, stop! Call upon the name of the Lord and you will be saved, yes even saved from your circumstance, this does not only apply to our final destination, heaven! If we call out to Him along the way He will come to our aid. He must for he cares for us as weak and as silly as we get at times our Lord is touched with the feelings of our infirmities, He cares for all those whom His Father has given Him and He will not lose one of them, we will all make it to heaven one day. This is true, I lie not; (John 6:38-39) “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.”

The Lord Jesus assures us, in general that He came from Heaven upon His Father’s business, “not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” He voluntarily came from heaven and descended leaving behind all the glory that was His in heaven, a long journey and step onto earth, a world filled with calamity, we may well ask what moved Him to do this. Why would one take on such an expedition? The text teaches us that He came not to do His own will, but the will of His Father; Not that our Saviour could ever oppose His Father’s will as some from that day suspected. He however without any uncertainty has left us this reality today reassuring us of the hope we have in Him. Christ did not come into this world as a private person, that acts for himself only, but as a public character, to act as an ambassador authorized by a public commission; He came into the world as God’s great agent and the world’s great physician. It was not with His own agenda in mind that He came to earth but rather to settle affairs at His Father’s request.

While Christ was on earth, He did not carry any private design, nor had any separate interest at all. The scope of His whole life was to glorify God and do well to men. He never consulted His own ease, even when heavy trial came against Him. Here is a great example of our Saviour' resolve and determination to please His father;

(Luke 22:41-42) “And he was parted from them (some of his disciples) about a stone's cast; and he kneeled down and prayed, saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” Even thou this experience placed His body under such trauma, in fact He began to sweat drops of blood, He nevertheless never went after His own will as a man, but regardless of the discomfort He now faced, His objective was to do His Father’s will.

When He was to lay down his life, although He had a human nature, He set aside the consideration of that, and resolved His will as man into the will of God: “Not as I will, but as thou wilt.”

We see God giving Him a private instruction that He should save the entire chosen remnant, in other words all those whom God the Father had elected (chosen) from before the foundation of the earth would be given into the hands of the Lord Jesus; this was and is the covenant of redemption between Father and Son. “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.” This is the charge the Father entrusted His son with, “that all He had given me I should lose none.”

This is so reassuring that it should breed such zeal and vigour into our lives, the hope of never being lost, not because we might like the sound of it as a comforting thought, and that it is, but because we are in the hands of a victorious Saviour, he cannot and will not lose any that the Father has given Him. It is impossible! The text is clear and precise on this truth.

Having said that, if you are not finding the joy of the Lord in your life, tell me where you lost the company of Christ? The most likely place you lost Him you will find Him.

“Tell me where you lost the company of a Christ, and I will tell you the most likely place to find him. Have you lost Christ in the closet by restraining prayer? Then it is there you must seek and find him. Did you lose Christ by sin? You will find Christ in no other way but by the giving up of the sin, and seeking by the Holy Spirit to mortify the member in which the lust doth dwell. Did you lose Christ by neglecting the Scriptures? You must find Christ in the Scriptures. It is a true proverb, “Look for a thing where you dropped it, it is there.” So look for Christ where you lost him, for he has not gone away. But it is hard work to go back for Christ. Bunyan tells us, the pilgrim found the piece of the road back to the Arbour of Ease, where he lost his roll (scroll), the hardest he had ever travelled. Twenty miles onward is easier than to go one mile back for the lost evidence.” C.H.Spurgeon

Let us take care then once we have found our master to cling to Him. I say if you are in His embrace then squeeze even tighter, always remembering that all of God’s children are unconstrained to come to the throne of grace with boldness in time of need. I realise that life and all its challenges sometimes take preference in our lives but when we put the Lord first how life and the peace it brings begins to surpass all understanding, come what may! Please be merciful Father, and help all of us who struggle as pilgrims to understand the value of this lesson, I love you My God, all honour, power and glory belongs to you and no other.

Signing off

Tyrone

Christ our Conquerer!

(Matthew 4:10) “Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, "‘you shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'"

Before considering this text, I ponder the importance of self examination! It is one of the most natural things to point a finger at someone else’s imperfection but never that easy or comfortable to highlight our own limitations. Only once God the Holy Spirit, through His mercy begins to expose our blemishes are we forced to look to God’s word with an honest humility and then we find life in those areas we were once dead. It is one thing to highlight another’s faults, and I do not refer to a man's weakness in a particular area of his life, his struggle against sin as he scrupulously struggles to overcome, I dare not even utter a word on that subject as I recall failing with disobedience not only part of my life but the ruler of it. I can however say God is faithful and is slowly beginning to bring an understanding of the importance of obedience to my life, His name be praised!

What am I to do when I am convinced and persuaded on the wording of scripture and I find I have those that oppose my understanding? The temptation to put on gloves and enter the ring with vigour looking for that knockout punch is not going to cut it; it is only the goodness of God that leads a man to repentance. Why now do I think if I become more aggressive that my opponent will hear what I have to say, on the contrary the opposite will be true, he will disregard what I have to say before I have even said anything? Why is it that as brothers in Christ we so often engage in warfare with one another in malice and aggression aiding the devil in his conquest to bring fractions amongst believers? Having said that I am not for one minute suggesting that we do not stand upon the truth of God’s Word, but if we stand upon His Word then let us also take the full council of God and receive all the instruction that His word has to offer. The apostle James has been helpful to me on this subject; (James 3:13-16) “Who is wise and understanding among you? let him show by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter jealousy and faction in your heart, glory not and lie not against the truth. This wisdom is not a wisdom that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed.”

May my great God and heavenly Father equip me to be more like my great Saviour from day to day and might God the Holy Spirit continue to correct all who oppose His wisdom for the sake of our great Saviour even Jesus Christ our Lord.

What a remarkable example and legacy has our Great Saviour left us to admire and follow, it appears an impossible task at first glance but when we remember that He has overcome and defeated the evil one in every area of His life, I find a spark of hope that will be ignited for all who call upon Him. All glory and honour belongs to Him; long live our King, the King of kings.

Wherever we find Satan making inroads into our lives we need to echo the words of our Redeemer, “Be gone Satan! For it is written” ‘you shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'" We must serve Him through fear; not a fear that has a slavish connotation to it as one that is in bondage and always finding the Christian walk a grind with a fear of hell and damnation; but with a liberty in Christ' victory, sure we must remain His bond servant as He has bought us with His precious blood, we no longer belong to ourselves but to Him to do with us what He wills. But we must remember His encouragement to us; (Matthew 11:29) “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Our fear must be a filial (a son father relationship) fear, a reverential affection understanding that God has saved us and brought us out of bondage. We once were blind but now we see! We once were the enemies of God but now we will be saved by our Saviours life! Therefore we should fear the Lord and His goodness and from such a fear serve Him in every part of our worship.

We must earnestly pray that God will give us eyes to see the cunningness of the devils exploits, rebuking him in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, but also remembering that outside of the Lords covering he would squash us like a bug.

The Lord Jesus was lead away to be tempted of the devil but we on the other hand are tempted when we are drawn away by our own lusts; (James 1:14) “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.” The devil takes hold of that handle and uses our own desire against us, but the Lord Jesus had no corrupt nature so when He faced Satan there was no fear or trembling in His heart and like a champion He dominated and the devil fled from Him. May we learn to trust in Him and call upon his name when we face the trials of life always remembering that there is a throne of grace we (Christians) are entitled to draw from in time of need.

Signing off

Tyrone

The Lord is my Helper

(Hebrews 13:6) “So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?"

Our minds, by nature do not love spiritual things. We will attend to any outward do, or any external sacrament: but to bring hearts into subject to our Fathers divine will, to bow the knee to the Most High, to serve the Lord will our mind, heart and soul, the natural man abhors. Yet nothing less will suffice in turning us from our captivity.

When considering what it means to be reliant upon the Lord as our helper. I speak to believers, if by nature I am in opposition to the will of God, there must be some instruction I can take to heart and apply to my life so that I may begin to walk victoriously as a Christian. I need reassurance that God is my helper and therefore I will fear no man, or the opinions of men when they endeavour to overpower the word of God through deceit or vain babblings. I need a reassurance through faith, which is a gift of God to equip me to want to fight the good fight of faith and wade side by side with fellow believers in Christ through the “slough of despond.” It is imperative that we achieve this objective; “So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" It must become a way of life for every true believer and not an afterthought when life and its cares have overthrown me.

Whilst looking to scripture and reading literature from our brothers in the faith who have already run the race and have finished well. I have drawn some helps that I think will aid us with confidence to say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" The writer of Hebrews helps us hang on to the promises of God, and here we have another beautifully rich reassuring verse for us to chew upon with vigour and then once digested it encourages us to believe another promise of God. We must confess our helplessness without God, and honestly mean the confession. The first thing that is required of us is to lament the fact that, by and of ourselves, we can do nothing; even as our Lord said to his disciples, “without me ye can do nothing." The sooner we identify this truth, the better. Our half-doing is our undoing; but when we cease from self, then we make way for God.

“God resists the proud but He gives grace to the humble,” I am aware of the fact that I often make reference to this verse, I realise that pride is always at the door looking to break through and occupy my house. Not that I could ever have much to boast about even if I wanted to; my life has been a very poor example and not one to be mimicked. However because our hearts are desperately wicked by nature, I must have guards that constantly watch every entrance; they all go by the same name and wear the same uniforms with an inscription clear for all to see upon their chest, which reads, “Jesus only!” They constantly remind me; (Ephesians 2:8-9) “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

The Lord is our helper when none else can; He has promised to be the helper of His people; He has laid help for them on Christ, who is mighty; and He has helped by dying on a cruel Roman cross in their stead, that He might help them; He has set up a throne of grace for them to come to, where they may find help; Not a throne of grace that the believer may sheepishly approach and hope that he will find grace in time of need. It is a throne that the Father has sanctioned and said, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Individually, let us come boldly so that by experience it may confirm the truth of this assertion; “we must realise the people of God are of themselves helpless; there is no help for them in man; their help is only in the Lord; who helps them out of the pit of sin and misery; out of the hands of all their enemies; out of all their afflictions, and "out" of all the dangers they are exposed unto by Satan and his temptations, by reason of a body of sin and death, and no account of the world, and the men of it: He helps them "in" the exercise of grace, and in the discharge of duty;”

Let us always consider this promise, “So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?"

Signing off

Tyrone

The Gift of Faith!

(Ephesians 2:8) “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”

Faith is such a wonderful gift, it removes all doubt! It is a loyalty that one has to God and His ability to accomplish all that He has set out to achieve, His will, come what may! “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” Where the interpretation of the gift of faith becomes unstable is where it is not understood correctly! Or it is misapplied into a circumstance of desperation and then the person misapplying it is in danger of entering into the realm of idolatry. One becomes so desperate to achieve ones objective that those entering into such practises would look no different to the prophets of Baal in the days of Elijah. This is why it is so important to understand the will of God! When we align ourselves with His will and His purposes, nothing can overcome us, it is impossible! For God has determined it and it will come to pass! I am beginning to understand the importance of correct teaching more than ever as it will bring about correct living. This is why I use the example of faith to illustrate my point. I accept that I have a rebellious nature and it may have taken me twenty-two years to begin to scratch the surface of this truth.

How then do I submit an application to God and be sure that I will not only be heard but my prayer will be answered? It is simple, I must side myself with His will! Firstly I must be given life from above, I must be born again, if not, I will not be able to even see heaven, let alone the will of God. Salvation is not by the will of man but by the will of God, scripture teaches this with an absolute assurance and it is only a rebellious fortitude that looks to argue this truth! I must confess, I once thought like this until God in His mercy through God the Holy Spirit corrected my understanding by His word.

(2Timothy 3:16) “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” Wherever I may find myself along the Celestial road to heaven, irrespective of how long I have been saved, when the person of God the Holy Spirit by the Word corrects me I must find grace to accept the error of my ways. If not I will continue to walk in circles! Remember the children of Israel; they took forty years to get to the Promised Land when it could have only taken weeks. We are no different to them when we reason with their attitude!

May God have mercy on all His children who oppose His correct teaching in and through His Word! Having made such a bold statement we must also remember to apply the following instruction to our deliberation;

(2Timothy 2:24-25) “And the Lord's servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing, in meekness correcting them that oppose themselves; if peradventure God may give them repentance unto the knowledge of the truth.” Once again it is God who gives repentance unto the knowledge of the truth. It begins with Him and it ends with Him, but I am convinced of this truth that God will resist the proud but give grace to the humble. Father pleases keep me in a state of humility always seeking out your precision for your glory.

Let us look at Abraham’s example and then draw some parallels from his life into ours. He did not weaken in faith when old age was against him;

(Romans 4:19-20) “He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God.” He believed God, why did He believe Him? He simply understood the promise of God! God said that he would have a son and although he was and his wife according to their biological clock could no longer have children that meant nothing to Abraham, he knew that God had resolved it and that it would come to pass. There were no ifs! He was fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised. Joshua and Caleb also understood the gift of faith and understood the validity of the promises of God. Moses sent out twelve spies into the land of Canaan, I will remind you that there was one person from each of the twelve tribes of Israel. But only two of them brought back a good report, saying that God would give them the land, the other ten doubted God’s ability to give it to them. We will find ourselves in one of two camps, the camp of faith or the camp of doubt! When we understand that Caleb and Joshua had a different spirit, they believed God and the others doubted God. Faith must and will always believe God, so as long as God has commissioned something it will come to pass. Do you believe this? If you say you do, then you must always believe His promises. So when Jehovah says, (Hebrews 13:5) “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." That is exactly what He means, you must then believe Him; if not then you walk as the ten that doubted and not like Joshua and Caleb. Faith believes God’s ability to accomplish His purposes, so when I pray for something that is against His plan how then will it ever be blessed by Him, it cannot nor ever will be! So let us forget to hanker after our own wills and let us therefore remember to study Gods Word with a diligence so that we may be accurate with it, so that we may learn to pray in accordance to His will.

When God promises something even if our puny brains have difficulty processing it, be sure it will come to pass!

Signing off

Tyrone

The Promises of God

God has many brilliant and breath-taking attributes, when I take a step back and look as it were from a distance, as a spectator would observe an actor acting out his role. I am so overwhelmed by such a profusion of luminosity that I get lost in translation. It is almost impossible to dismember God’s immeasurable characteristics and look at them independently. He is a light that is unapproachable to man, but how I am learning, through the spirit to discover who God is, even if only in tiny glimpses!

In considering God promises, they were never meant to be thrown away as waste paper; they must be use by the believer, God is glorified when we trade with them, they are not like money of the miser but God’s gold is minted to be traded with! We must embrace them as nothing please the Lord more than to see His pledges put into circulation. When we are told that He will never leave nor forsake us we must believe that with all our hearts and remind one another of this truth. Encouragement is a responsibility that we all have given by God, our God is no hireling but the great shepherd and He who has begun a good work will see it through unto the end. Our faith must be in Him and it is not with ourselves and our resolve to somehow conjure up some manmade faith equipping us to find strength to justify our acceptance in Him. No, we must rely on Him and the finish work of Calvary, and on that alone! Nothing else will get us home! Having said that we must we must also understand that not all will be crowned but only those who run the race according to the rules. (2Timothy 2:4) “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.” How often I get caught up with the filth of life and all its snares, it ort not to be so! We must put off the old and put on the new, yes I often fail in my endeavours, but with God’s help this will change! My focus must shift from my inabilities to God’s promises. When God told Moses He would deliver His people from the bondage of slavery in Egypt and give them their own land, the Promised Land, was that conditional or a promise? You may say it was a promise and we understand that God cannot lie, but it was yet conditional as they all did not enter into the Promised Land. Well said! (Hebrews 3:19) “So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.”

They doubted God’s ability to get them to the Promised Land! They did not believe His promise! They moaned and rebelled being unthankful, for the provision that God had already given them. I believe this is what Paul was teaching us in the book of Romans when he makes reference to walking in the spirit. We must believe God and His promises, come what may! When I reason with an attitude that I may not make it, when He has promised to get me home, that is when I walk in unbelief. It is reliant upon His ability and His promise, not on my own man centred aptitude and will! This is why Paul endure hardship; (2Timothy 2:10) “Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” We are therefore instructed to mimic Paul as much as he imitates Christ! We glorify God when we plead His promises, do you think He will be any less poorer for giving us the guarantee He has promised?

“He has said “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Faith lays hold upon the promise of pardon, and it does not delay, saying, “This is a precious promise, I wonder if it be true?” but it goes straight to the throne with it, and pleads, “Lord, here is the promise, ‘Do as thou hast said.’” Our Lord replies, “Be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” When a Christian grasps a promise, if he does not take it to God, he dishonours him; but when he hastens to the throne of grace, and cries, “Lord, I have nothing to recommend me but this, ‘Thou hast said it;’“then his desire shall be granted.” C.H.Spurgeon

Let us hold on to every word that comes forth from the mouth of God, let us run this race believing our God with total assurance, let us put off what hinders and lets us Glorify our Father as He is willing and able to get us home!

Signing off

Tyrone

Mighty to Save!

(Isaiah 63:1) "It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save."

This morning I will leave the Arminian/Calvin debate alone, I have said enough on the topic, you have all made up your own minds by now on where you stand on this debate!

What I will look at is our great Jehovah’s ability to save! “He is mighty to save.” I have presented my case on election and yet many still do not agree with me. But when God chooses to save who can resist his will? Not only is He is mighty to save, He is able to make men repent. Saul on the road to Damascus was obstinate in his will to defy God by persecuting the early church. Yet God forced His hand and struck him with blindness and got Saul to cry out, “who are you Lord?” Jesus then informed him that he was persecuting Jehovah’s Son, the Lord Jesus. Saul was then stricken with blindness for three day where he neither ate nor drank. But soon after that encounter he no longer persecuted the church but became one of their leaders. “He is mighty to save!”

Samson toyed with His call that God placed upon His life, he ended up like an ox to the slaughter, his weakness woman, and it cost him his eyes! Everybody had written him off until his hair began to grow again. Samson killed more people with his death than he did with his life. Remember that he killed 1000 philistines with the jawbone of a donkey. “He is mighty to save!”

God is mighty to give men new hearts and to work faith in them. He is mighty to make the man who hates holiness love it, and to constrain the despiser of his name to bend the knee before him. A man who once blasphemed and had a foul mouth who was a king pin in the slave trade then goes on to write the hymn we still sing today; John Newton’s Amazing Grace! “He is mighty to save!”

Christ does not through might save someone and then leaves him to shift for himself; but He who begins the good work carries it on; He who imparts the first germ of life in the dead soul, prolongs the divine existence, and strengthens it until we will be perfected in glory. Believer, here is encouragement. Art thou praying for a loved one? Do not lose hope, as it is still day and we can still pray for God to have mercy on our siblings that have not yet bent the knee in repentance, pray I say, for the prayer of a righteous man avails much! “He is mighty to save!” You are powerless to reclaim the rebel, but “He is mighty to save.” Lay hold on that mighty arm, lean upon His arm and whisper in His ear, “He is mighty to save.” Does your own case trouble you? Fear not, for his strength is sufficient for you. Remember the heart of your Father, is it not full of grace and mercy, yes it is! How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

So whether the Lord will begin with others, or decide to carry on the working in you, Jesus is “mighty to save;” the best proof of His ability to save is the fact that he has saved you.

(Isaiah 63:1) "It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save."

Signing off

Tyrone

My last stand

(John 13:38) “Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me?”

Why have so many in time past deliberated the point with such vigour. Calvinism opposed to Arminian. If it is like my brother says to confuse brothers in Christ and to win an argument then this point is futile and I have totally missed achieving my objective... This was never my intention! I have one concern and I will spell it out in my last attempt to wear my heart on my sleeve for all to see and understand why I stress eternal security (perseverance of the believer) for all whom God have saved. Life is so full of deception and traps that are set without as well as within church organisations. The church should be a safe haven for all who believe, to achieve unity of the faith should be the leader’s goal, obviously without compromising truth (sound doctrine), and it must always be done with a spirit of gentleness and in love. This will take a great effort in working it out and possibly a lifetime, but it must be what motivates every true believer, we must lay our live down for one another, anything short of that is pride and God will resist the proud! When our country prepares for war and we stand shoulder to shoulder with each other in agreement, all those prepared to enlist; once they have signed the document then they are regarded as a soldier in that army. They are afforded every privilege available to them but they must be willing to lay down their lives for their country. They all receive a uniform that identifies them as having enlisted. There is no doubt or confusion, if they themselves have signed on the dotted line. I agree that much of scripture encourages us not only to run but to finish the race, only those who finish will receive a crown. That is the message Paul preached and that is the message we must preach to one another, and even more so now as the screws start to tighten as God begins to shake the earth.

As a rule in today’s day and age I am sure you will agree with me that a cheap gospel is preach. Emphasis is placed on blessing and not repentance, the gospel is offered as a vogue that one should at least try out and then make up their mind. Money is what drives today’s gospel in many apparent church organisations. We are not surprised as we have been warned that this will happen! (Romans 16:18) “For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent.” This is a trap that is out there that we must avoid and because we have been warned by our loving Father in and through His Word we must take note an act accordingly. Who must been warned? All of God’s children must be cautioned. Just like everyone enlisted in the countries army must be warned if an attack is in the offing.

I accept and agree with you that on a daily basis we as children of God must make a choice; (Joshua 24:15) “And if it seem evil unto you to serve Jehovah, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve Jehovah.” Lot’s wife was saved out of Sodom but her heart was still with Sodom, she had not truly pledged an allegiance to Jehovah God. She was coming along for the ride, do you see the difference. I hope so! That is why she looked back and turned into a pillar of salt.

Where I think it I would like to emphasis my concern would be that because of the weak gospel message that is preached today and the methods used to convince people that they are saved, by repeating words etc and without witnessing true repentance in a new converts life, leaders of churches then tell them they are saved, or because they utter some words that they have been coaxed to say and then are told that they have received the Holy Ghost, they may well have received the gift but maybe not! Time will tell! When in fact they have a form of godliness but do not have the spirit of Christ, they are not born again; they are still dead in their trespasses and sins. Yet they think that they are save, nothing in their life changes, but they are told that all will be alright when in fact it won’t be until true repentance is given to them by God. They join the church and never really get involved; there is no fruit of repentance and yet they are told that they will be saved because they put their hand up in a meeting. This is when we will be guilty before God in making false converts and when they fall away we then say you see you can lose your salvation if you once were saved. But they were never saved in the first place so they do not count as saved in God’s reckoning, because they never were born again. That is why I stress that both sheep and goats feed together in the same pastures, but only the sheep will get protection from the Great Shepherd. He is the great shepherd and not a hireling; (John 10:13) “He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.” But God! (John 10:14) “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,” Therefore the relationship between every born again child of God knows their Saviour the Lord Jesus also knows them, this is on a personal level!

The individual must be persuaded by the Spirit of God that they are in God’s army. He will have a witness, not from men but from God. Now it is not our place to go around like some hero doing the work of the Holy Spirit, God forbid we even entertain that mindset, determining who is and who isn’t saved, and who will or won’t be saved, that is God’s domain, all we are told is that we will know a tree by its fruit. If and when we make mistakes what will our response be to our mistakes? Will we be proud or humble, will we look to be justified or will we seek forgiveness. That in itself is a fruit that we can judge.

Now because I have failed so often as a Christian, maybe that is why I have a burden for all the saints that struggle so! My concern is for the bruised reeds and the smoking flax’s. There are those who always seem to be lagging as they do not have the strength of the fitter Christians. I am convinced that God will never give up on them; He tells me this through His word. (Isaiah 42:3) “A bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.” My heart is for the weak my brother Malcolm; we may make the mistake of writing off a weak brother or sister just because they never seem to be able to cut it. If God has called them and given them His spirit and we leave them by the wayside then we are just like the hireling and not like the good Shepherd. May God give us the wisdom and the strength to carry all in need of assistance? We may be battered in the rescue operation, so be it as long as they may find a rejuvenated spirit to press on toward the mark of the HIGH CALLING which is in Christ Jesus. Not only will the strong make it, but all whom God has called and chosen will make it and not one will be left behind. This will glorify of Father and His abundant brilliance. May we be willing to be used in rescuing the weak as God loves them and has had mercy upon them as he has had mercy upon us?

The strong can take care of themselves its the weak that need help! If you are part of God’s kingdom today, then tomorrow you will not be a stranger, you cannot be a son today and a bastard tomorrow. You can however be a son walking in disobedience, which in itself is a completely different subject.

(Jude 1:22-25) “And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”

In other words let us not be quick in writing off believers who may have strayed from the faith and yet it was clearly evident that sometime in their life the Lord meant everything to them, they are bruised and the evil one seeks their soul but may God use us to snatch them out of the fire, but be sure if God would use you to hate the garments stained by the flesh.

Signing off

Tyrone

Other Input

Let me glean from others this morning, so that I may be sure that I am not a man who would cling to a particular subject by constantly beating out its tune so that it no longer sweet to ones ear but rather an irritation. The Word of God must be sweet to the ear of the believer! It will admonish, teach and correct when needed, but it will always bring forth life. Death is where we once were but now we live because of God’s mercy and Christ’s sacrifice.

“Ye are Christ’s.”

- 1Corinthians 3:23

“Ye are Christ’s.” You are his by donation, for the Father gave you to the Son; his by his bloody purchase, for he counted down the price for your redemption; his by dedication, for you have consecrated yourself to him; his by relation, for you are named by his name, and made one of his brethren and joint-heirs. Labour practically to show the world that you are the servant, the friend, the bride of Jesus. When tempted to sin, reply, “I cannot do this great wickedness, for I am Christ’s.” Immortal principles forbid the friend of Christ to sin. When wealth is before you to be won by sin, say that you are Christ’s, and touch it not. Are you exposed to difficulties and dangers? Stand fast in the evil day, remembering that you are Christ’s. Are you placed where others are sitting down idly, doing nothing? Rise to the work with all your powers; and when the sweat stands upon your brow, and you are tempted to loiter, cry, “No, I cannot stop, for I am Christ’s. If I were not purchased by blood, I might be like Issachar, crouching between two burdens; but I am Christ’s, and cannot loiter.” When the siren song of pleasure would tempt you from the path of right, reply, “Thy music cannot charm me; I am Christ’s.” When the cause of God invites thee, give thy goods and thyself away, for thou art Christ’s. Never belie thy profession. Be thou ever one of those whose manners are Christian, whose speech is like the Nazarene, whose conduct and conversation are so redolent of heaven, that all who see you may know that you are the Saviour’s, recognizing in you his features of love and his countenance of holiness. “I am a Roman!” was of old a reason for integrity; far more, then, let it be your argument for holiness, “I am Christ’s!”

C.H.Spurgeon

Just in case there was any confusing points with regard to the responsibility of someone God has elected (chosen), because mercy has found us out that more is required from us. We will be corrected along the way if we take the call lightly, remember Paul, he lost his sight for days, remember Samson His was blinded by the Philistines and so and so on but because of God’s faithfulness in spite of Samson’s disobedience he nevertheless made it home to heaven.

May we be persuaded to lay down our lives for Christ as He laid down His life for us, remembering that we have been bought with a price far greater than gold and silver, we no longer belong to ourselves but to God for Him to do with us according to His good pleasure. We need much grace to accomplish and this requirement is only our reasonable service. Give us Grace we pray our heavenly Father, Amen

Signing off

Tyrone

Paul's Example!

(Matthew 22:14) “For many are called, but few are chosen."

This morning I would like to draw our attention to the Apostle Paul who God used mostly through written doctrine to teach the church how to conduct itself. He corrected Peter and although he was not married, yet he taught on marriage. But where did it all begin for him? He was chosen by God to be the Apostle to the gentiles (you and me, those born outside of the house of Israel). I trust that we will be able to see and understand the difference between the one who is called and the one who is chosen!

Firstly let us consider who would be the called? If we consider the parable that precedes this clear statement, it is obvious that the invitation to the wedding feast goes out to all in the nearby vicinity. No one is left out, rich and poor, old and young alike; the appeal goes out to all. (Matthew 22:9) “Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.” But the greatest call of all is not a parable but rather an open public call! (John 3:16) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Just like the wedding call the Lord Jesus as recorded in the gospel of John makes an appeal by inviting the whosoever to seek repentance and find forgiveness though His act on Calvary. The call has then gone out to everyone, and it is our responsibility as believers to preach the gospel to every creature hoping that God may save some. God must give them life before they can respond in repentance. A dead man cannot respond until He has life. Once he has received life, then he will with his mouth make confession unto salvation. (Romans 10:10) “For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” So we choose and make decisions once we are able see, once we have been born again (make alive in the spirit), we can make no choice prior to God’s intervention, because we are dead, He must firstly give us life. This depicts the fullness of the grace of God and Paul teachers that while we were yet sinners and enemies that He sent His son to die in our stead. This is an amazing privilege for all of us who believe and have received the spirit of God. To ever even think that we had the power as dead sinner to believe prior to God’s intervention is beyond me. I am rather simple and I do not have any doctorate, but even if when reasoning this point through with simple common sense, how can a dead person do anything? I remember seeing my late father in an open coffer and when we were alone I reach over to hug him, he was cold and unresponsive, as much as I wanted him to somehow acknowledge my attendance it was never going to happen as he was dead!

The called then is to the world and all that live in it, regardless of colour religion or creed. “Many are called”, yet what keeps the many from responding to this glorious message? The text in John 3 tells us; (John 3:19) “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” Would God reject any that call upon Him? No! (Romans 10:13) “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Therefore the called we have dealt with, but what of the chosen, and when are they chosen. The chosen have all clearly be chosen before creation. Let us now consider the Apostle Paul and his ministry and hopefully draw some truth from it to help us understand this apparent difficult text.

(Galatians 1:1) “Paul, an apostle--not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—“This verse confirms that man had nothing to do with Pauls call to the ministry.

(Colossians 1:1) “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,” this verse then confirms that Paul was an apostle by the will of God and it was not his own choice.

(Ephesians 1:4) “Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.” It is clear that God chose him before the foundation of the world. I think were we get caught up with not understanding the truth of this doctrine, which is not the originally the doctrine of Calvin but the doctrine of Paul’s teachings. We are blinded by a superstition!

Now let us look at his life; as a man he went about persecuting the Christians, in fact to such an extent that those that he caught were put to death, we know that he was present at Stephen stoning. (Acts 7:58) “Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.” (Acts 8:1) “And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” It didn’t stop there with Saul (who later became Paul) he was so fixated on the Jewish plight in his blindness that he continued with a vengeance; (Act 8:3) “But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.” He must have heard that Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, but because he was dead in his trespass and sin he could not see it, so he did what he did and killed and imprisoned Christians. I want us to remember that God had chosen him before birth and yet as a man he persecuted God’s elect. God knew that in His foreknowledge and yet He still chose Paul to be used greatly as an Apostle. I trust that is clear for all to see! Saul was on a road to Damascus when God made a guest appearance unto him, and “suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.” He couldn’t see heaven or the Lord prior to this encounter, but now he could, it is exactly the same for us until God flashes His light into our lives we will remain blind!

It is interesting the words the Lord chose to use when calling from heaven, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" Saul then response and asks, “Who are you Lord?” and the Lord answers, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.” Bingo the lights go on, Saul become Paul and He then is persecuted for the Gospels sake, and he was to suffer like no other! Look at the turn around; (2Co 11:23-28) “Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one--I am talking like a madman--with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.”Paul was not only called but he was chosen, all the chosen will make it to heaven I am persuaded of this. (John 10:27-29) “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.”

May we hold tightly onto our hope whatever difficulty we may face, if you doubt you calling, then fall to your knees call upon the name of the Lord and you shall be saved!

In His service

Signing off

Tyrone