Examine yourselves...

(2Corinthians 13:5)  “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”

Here we have an instruction and it asks us to gaze into the mirror and to be brutally honest with ourselves about ourselves. It is a reflection test and must be stripped of any aids; make-up will not help but only hinder our advances in working out our own standings before a Holy God. This inspection calls for brutal honesty and any application of base will hinder our assessment. Who I am, and how I am perceived by others must be part of the evaluation, however the pressing issue is to test myself in the light of “faith” and how I stand in that regard with my commitment towards God. Do I serve Him, or pretend to serve Him so that I may benefit today for today or am I driven by something far deeper, which is the laying down of my life for the sake of my Christian family? Because if we have the Spirit of Christ, if Jesus is in us we must now learn to behave differently in every area of our lives; hence the test! Rebellion to that call must begin to dissipate into an afterthought of the Oldman’s conduct.

Prior to arriving at this understanding we all lived in a very rebellious state towards God but thankfully the mercies of God covered me even back then and it was often the rod that was used to drive folly from me. I was an aggressive, unfaltering, self-centered individual and one who shunned authority at all costs. It was all part of my sinful character which God patiently allowed to play out in order to teach me how desperately I needed Him, bless His brilliance. He is ever wise even when others only see destruction, He adequately works miracles into any given situation and graciously saves individuals from themselves; this is my testimony; it took me 22 years to come to that understanding and the need to find forgiveness for my sins. And although many of those unwanted traits of my old character miraculously seemed to disappear without any effort on my part. After a while those hindering traits would look to rear their head and dominate any given situation when challenged. Nothing more than rebellion!

I have noticed through my experiences and encounters with other Christians that many deep rooted traits from the old man, our old lives prior to salvation sadly often never leave us, which can be very damaging not only for ourselves but for those who witness our appalling behaviour. This however does not excuse us in the light of being covered by the grace of God. Sure we find repentance for our actions from day to day in and through the finished work of Calvary; this is commonly known as part of our ongoing daily sanctification. Our lives must be filled with a measure of self-reflection as we have been commanded to put on the mind of Christ. In other words we must change the way we once conducted ourselves and apply ourselves to that change not with a carnal understanding, which at times may even seem as if we are doing the right thing on a moral level, if it is contrary to the mind of Christ it will only ever ensnare us deeper into our rebellion of self.

It is easier to pick out a fruit that is marred on its outer shell than one that is filled with worms which are hidden and feed off the inside of the produce. And yet both are equally undesirable. Let us not be fooled into excusing certain types of behaviours while picking on the more obvious easy targets. Our minds must now become obsessed with the “mind of Christ” and we must make every possible effort to understand what that looks like. Forget everything you thought you once knew, because some of what you may believe to be kosher may in fact be the very thing which hinders you from going onto maturity. It is God who hinders or accelerates a Christians progression; “Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits.” (Hebrews 6:1-3)

As a Christian, there is a process we must get to grips with no differently to a newborn baby familiarising themselves with their new surroundings, from the womb into the world and for the Christian; from the Oldman’s reckonings to the mind of Christ. If we resist this transformation we will sadly not be allowed to go onto maturity. Who in their right mind would want to be an adult with an infant’s understanding, how long would that individual last amongst the wolves of this world? Now before I am misunderstood; all of salvation is subject to the grace of God, however we must pay careful attention to the Spirit’s direction. The apostle Paul gives us this instruction and it would be extremely beneficial to examine ourselves in light of the tutoring; “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith.” We must test ourselves and our conduct compared to the mind of Christ. We are new creatures in Christ, if in fact we have His Spirit in us, if not we kid ourselves and try to kid those around us that we belong to Him, when in fact we have a form of religion but it carries no power in our deliberations. We will eventually be found wanting, driven by our old characters where sin dominates our lives. There is nothing hidden from God, therefore we must examine ourselves; we must be honest with ourselves so that the necessary steps may be realised and then appropriate action through repentance in the finished work of Calvary can be taken. This is a very important facet of what it means to put on the mind of Christ…

Signing off

Tyrone

    

Emotion

The elation of victory is a wonderful emotion and the greater the win the fuller the joy. Life is all about conquering differing obstacles as and when they present themselves, regardless of our upbringing or background we all have the hurdles of life to conquer. And one needn’t look very far to find someone worse-off than ourselves. But regardless of our standings within society, whether we are first in the class or last we will only ever be in one of two factions that will carry eternal consequences; the Camp of Life or the Camp of Death! Whether a person ends up being a king or a pauper we will eventually all be divided as the Bible expresses it into one of two camps; Life or Death; Heaven or Hell! This is what mankind has generally overlooked from the beginning. Life is a treasure hunt and the greatest treasure of all is the Lord Jesus Christ and yet only some will find Him; whilst others chase mammon or something they value as their ultimate goal which drives them to be the persons they are. However the offer to find Christ through repentance has gone out to all. Eventually this truth will become apparent to all and yet sadly it will be too late for so many.     

Obviously we will all die and return to the dust but our soul survives death and lives on, either serving God in plain sight or it will continue to die in darkness and torment, absent from the presences of God for eternity; there is life after death! There will be no end to eternity and we will all be privy to that law which God has established. This truth eludes so many of us because we have been blinded by sin. Sadly the distractions of life keeps our minds busy with less important issues; education, sport, power, awards, money, lust, relationships and the like. Death will eventually knock for all and then what?

Imagine the doom and gloom of death knocking at the door, a man lies on his sickbed knowing that death is eminent, the fear of the unknown looming; that is a reality which in tow carries a heavy burden and an emotion filled with dread. Ifs and buts raging rampant in the man’s mind if he remains oblivious to the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ. He has heard the message in some form, we all have, but he has rejected the grace of God throughout his life. What a dilemma!  How many actually find true repentance on their death beds? Some, but not many! God is full of grace and how many opportunities has He afforded mankind to find salvation in Him? Time will reveal it all!

Here is a parable we can use to stress the point…

There was a man who had achieved success and he was esteemed by his peers, a man dressed in purple and someone who feasted on the finest of what life had to offer. Each day on his way to work he looked down on a beggar disregarding him as a failure. A thought of annoyance having to see this man every day frustrated him and with that thought he felt a sense of self-worth about his own achievements. And then it happened death knocked and called his name. His eyes were opened to the reality of eternity and he was surrounded by flames of fire with all his facilities in tacked. How do we know this to be true? Here is his reality; "There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.” (Luke 16:19-25) – Lazarus (the beggar) was a man in need and yet He relied upon the grace of God to see him through life on earth, he was poor and destitute or so it seemed. Whilst on the other hand the rich seemed to suffer no lack. Until death knocked! He ignored the grace of God while he lived. A story which will apply to all whom live; you see that there is far more to live for than surface tripe and it is imperative that we understand the deeper meanings of life. God has offered all the chance to find Him.

Sadly it was too late for the rich man and this was his retort about his condition; “And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house-- for I have five brothers--so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'" (Luke 16:27-30)

This is the truth about life after death therefore be sure to find the grace of God whilst you still have breath. The offer has gone out to all…

Signing off

Tyrone    

  

  

Let's be sure...

Man-made religion is full of understandable snares that look to entice the carnally minded individual. But in order to safely navigate the traps along life’s journey we must put on the “mind of Christ”. This is crucial for our existence here on earth as well as what God has for us beyond the grave.

Why does religion play such a massive part in the world today? We are inquisitive beings and we have been designed with enquiring minds which leaves us permanently looking for answers. We are driven towards knowledge in one form or another. Let me use a very simple example to prove the point; I like boiled eggs prepared with the center soft but not runny. In order for me to achieve the perfect results I needed to test my gas stove with a specific pot and then the timing of the cook is crucial. I needed to test varying criteria to eventually arrive at my desired result. I required the theoretical knowledge I had learnt to then be worked out practically for me to achieve my goal. Without the specifics put into place, it would always end up as guess work to whether my eggs would be hard or soft. And when I get it wrong I know it’s because I never used the knowledge that I had already worked out over time. It was ignored! It is impossible to take the same eggs and to start again. New eggs are needed!

We get one crack at this life so it is crucial that we get it right. If we miss out there will be no second chance. Do not believe the liars with their hocus-pocus fairy tails about reincarnation, it is devilish and comes from the pit of hell. There will never be a second chance for us to right our wrongs, the Bible is very clear on this point; “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27)

Our soul drives us to find answers beyond the grave, no differently to our hunger pangs driving us towards our next meal. It is part of our design. Even though sin has blinded us from certain truths about the knowledge of God, somehow there is a gnawing voice in the back of people’s minds about life after death. God has graciously equipped mankind with an inquisitive mind that needs answers. I understand that the Bible is clear on the point that unless we are “born again” (born of the Spirit) we cannot see heaven with all its beauty and yet there is an unseen driving force that keeps people wanting to stay alive. The curse of aging is what we all look to avoid. The Makeup Industry is a multibillion dollar industry that is thriving and will remain to live as long as it has breath. How much of your salary goes towards makeup and antiaging cream that may keep a wrinkle away? Strip it down and we will all eventually end up in the same place; “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return."” (Genesis 3:19) – We will all eventually take our last breath on this planet, which is the cold hard truth to our existence. There are no ifs and buts to that equation.

This is our truth but we have not been left without an alternative. Jesus Christ the Lord has already conquered the grave and in Him alone will we find salvation for eternity. There is no other alternative that will end well. However there are many voices that proclaim marginal solutions, they are nothing but lies. The true Christian has fully understood this but for the sake of those that may still be on the fringe of salvation let me break it down for you. Why is there no other way that will end favourably? The Bible has made it clear that God hates sin, rebellion to His existence is what drives our sinful natures and because we are all under the same curse we need a substitute to re-establish a rightful standing with the only true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Someone had to pay the price for our sin, hence the Lord Jesus dying in our place. Will everyone escape God’s judgement? NO! Only those who turn to Him through repentance will escape that judgement. How will this be achieved? It is simpler than you think, confess your sins before God; acknowledge your responsibility in them, seeking out God’s forgiveness for them through the Lord Jesus Christ and it will end well for you. The Bible has made this very clear; “For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:11-13) - However ignore the warning at your own peril. There will be no second chances.”   

How important is it for us to get it right? Considering eternity and because of our carnal natures it is sometimes hard to wrap our minds around the thought. This might help; let’s say a bird needs to sharpen it’s beak and it uses the rock face of Table Mountain to do that. How long would it take for the mountain to eventually wear away and disappear? Well if that was possible over the process of time, eternity would have only just started. Eternity cannot be measures as it lives beyond the bounds of time and yet it never ends, wow! Therefore it is imperative for us to make the right choice while we still have breath as it will affect our eternal existences. I trust you get the point. There will be no second chances!

For those who have found life and who can sing the song, “Jesus in my place” it is nevertheless needful to understand that we must change our mind-sets. Each and every morning we must endeavour to put on the “mind of Christ”. We are under a new set of laws; we must no longer be governed by our old traits. Faith must drive us towards the instructions found in the Word of God. Here is one of them that should anchor our thought process from here on in; “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” (Romans 8:5-9)

In conclusion we need the Spirit of Christ to help arm us with the mind of Christ and if His Spirit is absent, we simple do not belong to Him.

We must all face our own realities and ask ourselves the question does the Spirit of God dwell in us? Man-made religion gives those enslaved to it a vaccination, which in turn quenches their enquiring minds, feeding them with lies and keeps them from the truth. I too was once enslaved to a church that was dead.

I ask again, does the Spirit of God dwell in you? If not you do not belong to the only true God and you will not escape the judgement of God. The Bible is very clear on this. However if you are alive you can turn to God through repentance and seek out His forgiveness for your sins. Today is the day of salvation, call upon the name of the Lord and you shall be heard, but call you must!

Signing off

Tyrone    

   

 

      

A Warning...

(1Timothy 4:1) “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some …”

Here is a prophecy (a prediction of what will happen in the future) written by the Apostle Paul for Timothy his son in the Lord, to be on the lookout for and to warn Christians to also be vigilant concerning his stern warning, which was and is this; firstly pay careful attention to who it is that is giving the warning, “the Spirit”, God the Holy Spirit commands the stage and expresses a warning by the hand of Paul. He makes a statement and to highlight the point Paul says that He expressly (deliberately or unambiguously) speaks so that we may pay careful attention to what is said. There will come a time, which is already playing out that some will depart from the faith, which is a terrible reality; traitors turning their backs on the wonderful mercies of God. What will cause this to materialize? I suppose the love of our own lives to the exclusion of God’s will for our lives; it is as simple as that!

Some will have a hindered understanding when it comes to God’s brilliance and therefore leave them clutching at what this life has to offer as their highest goal. Unbelief will shadow them. However the faithful will pursue God’s will for their lives and yes it may result in death but who cares. Eternity is far more valuable than a mere seventy years. God will follow through with His plans and it is imperative that we understand who we are dealing with. We have an enemy that moves around the globe trying to hoodwink the masses and sadly many will fall privy to his deceitful plights. The question we need to ask ourselves is where do we fit in? As for me and my family, we know in whom we believe. Praise the glorious name of our risen King, the Lord Jesus Christ, for although we are caught up in a dying world He has already defeated the devil and his followers. We will by the grace of God place our trust in Him. Blessed be the name of Jesus now and forever more, Amen and Amen!

It is up to each of you to decide where you fit in with God’s master plan, will you run with the masses or will you suffer loss if need be flying the flag of our great King, regardless of the cost? If God is for us who can be against us? I will echo the sentiments of Paul the Apostle; “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39) - Will you?

It is time for the heated battle to present itself and those on the fence will fall by the wayside. My prayer is that our great God and Father will give all of His children the resolve to stand up and make a difference. Remember that you are not alone; there are millions of God’s children across the world that will need to make a stand. But stand we must! It will be worth it all! How do I know what I say is true? God has so declared it and we all know from where we have been saved and the struggles we have had along our journey and none of us can claim plain sailing. Therefore let us remember to stand with one another. Here are some encouraging words from the book of Jude; “keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 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.”

Signing off

Tyrone

  

               

Seasons

Patterns tell a story and yet they are open to interpretation. As a child did you ever sit with friends or siblings and gaze up into the sky as you searched out varying figurine formations as the clouds moved and changed shape? It was a game filled with a stretch of imaginations. Then you have patterns on a canvas that are valued at astronomical sums of money, depending upon the artists value,  with the posh side of society visiting museums placing their own independent interpretation to the masterpiece, I suppose it leaves them rather gratified and with a sense of self-worth. Place a simple man under the breadline fighting for his daily bread in the same room and you would leave clutching at straws if he was asked to interpret a Van Gogh masterpiece. I am not suggesting that he would not have an opinion about the painting but it would be a very bland interpretation allowing the social climber to undermine the individual as pride’s gapping arm pats his own ego. Now to be fair to the art lover, I have not personally singled out those in the know, but rather used it to illustrate a point. Psychologists get a child to draw a picture to help them understand what they sense the child’s perceptions are. Patterns, pictures and habits all tell their own story. We must learn to read between the lines…

It’s one thing to get to grips with an individual but quite another to get to grips with what God is telling us through His signs and we need to pay attention to His warnings if it is to end well for us. God has given us seasons to prepare us for varying elements, in summer we wear T-Shirts whilst in winter we wear jackets and jerseys. King Solomon, king David’s son penned this truth for us; “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)     

 If and when God decides that there is value to pen what is written in the Holy Bible we better understand that it is there for a reason and it would be wise of us to explore the explanations for it. For He reveals his Character in and through the written words found inscribed in the Bible. When God saved His people out of the land of Egypt from their slavery led by Moses, He called a meeting with Moses on Mount Sinai and used his finger to inscribe the Ten Commandments onto tablets of stone. He chose words to help his people understand what was needed from them to keep them in line. They failed dismally, will we?

However God being merciful is patient with us all but there will come a day where His judgements will play out as it is written. He has given us varying accounts to show us that He is a God of His word.

Mercy then judgement; warnings then a sentence, and so on, although we are now in the season of mercy the day will soon arrive when His wrath will materialize. He will soon judge both the living and the dead; “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-15) – What then is the lesson? Whilst we still have breath we most certainly have hope. But this hope will not remain open forever, therefore it is imperative that we make the most of the time we have left. Call upon the name of the Lord Jesus whilst there is still time for us to be heard, this must now become of utmost importance to all of us that still breathe  and who remain alive and well. For we will eventually run out of time and no one knows the final hour of our existence except God!

It is the season for us to sit up and to take note of our lives and to ponder our futures in eternity, the time for games is soon to end, let us therefore be serious and seek out God’s grace for our lives whilst it is still day.

My prayer is for God to give us an urgency to be serious about His call upon our lives.

Signing off

Tyrone        

      

Let's get serious...

What do humans long for? I suppose that would depend upon who is answering the question; they say “one man’s meat is another man’s poison”. Some may be given to hunting whilst others would despise the thought resenting the hunter and yet a large portion of their diet would in fact be meat. A Christian may favour a beer whilst the other would refrain. Charles Spurgeon a preacher that lived in the 1800’s, a man that God no doubt honoured as we see much to do about him and his teaching throughout the globe in the 21^st century, he was a man mightily used by God and was convinced that there was no problem smoking cigars. He smoked cigars and was often found posing with one. But I’ve noticed that some have taken it upon themselves to remove the cigar from his hand and replace it with a walking stick in a portrait they display on their website. I can understand the reason behind it, but Spurgeon stood firm on his laurels in that regard, so who has the right to change a person’s perception without his consent? But these types of concerns are not the pressing ones we need to take to heart. There are far more pressing issues that we need to consider. We have been given direct instruction to issues pertaining to life and death. These are the truths we need to search out if it is to end well for us. Whether a man drinks a beer or smokes is neither here nor there in bigger scheme of things, but what is of utmost importance is what we do with God’s free grace offer found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Will we accept Him as a propitiation for our sins? Simply put, will we cry out to Him and ask Him to forgive us for our sins? It is as simple as that! Every other voice that proclaims a different way will be found wanting on the Day of Judgment.

The next hurdle we need to then overcome is the habitual sin in our lives that has somehow enslaved us to certain sinful patterns that we have had no victory over up until now. We are now new creatures in Christ; “So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"” (Romans 8:12-15) – We now need to find grace to change the way we once lived, I am however aware that some sinful habits take a lifetime to conquer. But we must continue to seek grace to find victory in those areas of our lives.

I do not make reference to the opinions of men but rather the instructions we receive from the Word of God. It’s not about eating and drinking, per say but rather about our conduct as Christians. Thankfully we have been afforded the opportunity to daily find forgiveness for our sins. Repentance must become a way of life for the Christian. Although we have been sanctified by the blood of the Lamb and made worthy, there must still be a resolve from each and every one of us to find daily sanctification. In other words we must make every effort to pursue holiness in our lives. Some areas in our lives will now be effortless whilst others will still need much sweat and tears.

Thankfully we have been given the Word of God, the Bible, to work this out in our lives. Let’s say I have a tendency as a man to sexually be attracted to other men, I cannot continue to live here, regardless of the lying voices throughout the world. Or if I am continually drunk and drink to the extent of escaping through alcohol, neither can I continue to live there. If lying has become a way of life for me I must seek grace to stop lying and so on. These are the pressing issues that we need to look to conquer. How do I know that this is important for the Christian? God has given us clear direction through His Word.

It couldn’t be plainer than this; “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21) – The question I now need to ask myself, am I clear in every one of these areas in my life? My answer would be no! What now? Well I cannot condone the failures that still rob me of my victory in Christ; I must continue to find forgiveness in those areas of my life. Repentance must become a lifestyle that continues to live as part of my daily character until the victory needed becomes my reality; until the next hurdle that needs to be cleared and so on.

There will come a day when the race will be over and for all those who endure until the end we will receive a crown of glory. This is our hope and every Christian places that reality in the forefront of their minds, if not we need to change our mind-sets and cry out unto our God. But cry we must! For it will eventually be worth it all.

Let us all learn to have the heart of David and to plead with God to “renew a right spirit within us”.

In conclusion, let us not spend so much time on the strawmen (deceptions) in our lives but rather place serious thought on the real issues that keep us from a right relationship with our God.

Signing off

Tyrone      

         

       

A work in progress...

Have you ever walked into a mechanics workshop and seen an old vintage car stacked away in one corner? I know I have and on questioning them about it, I am always told that it is a work in progress, a personal project that they have in mind to one day complete. But for that to happen much is needed; parts, time, resources and the like has to be carefully worked into the equation if it is to end well.  

Similarly I like working and shaping Bonsai trees, but it takes years for the desired results to finally arrive. It is not a hobby that comes with instant results, patience is required but the reward is certainly well worth the wait. Although I have some idea of what I want the tree to look like, it is never quite precise. I suppose the intrigue to how it will eventually turn out is part of the excitement. However when the tree is worthy of display it is very gratifying.

We too are a work in progress; God is patiently molding us into the image of His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. With a crucial key ingredient that will help all of His children with their transformation, GRACE! Without it none of us would ever arrive. But grace cannot work alone it needs a catalyst to drive it, which is faith, not faith in faith but faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Which in turn has nothing to do with our abilities but it is a work of God. Here are two verses which prove this thought; “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.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

When the bible is specific with its instruction, I am learning that our carnal nature instinctively looks to push us in an opposite direction. Our carnal nature resists the instruction… Therefore it is imperative to heed the instruction without interference. And yet, although salvation with all the mechanics attached is obviously initiated by God. It would be premature for me to conclude that it is a one sided affair. Life itself teaches us that those types of relationships never quite cut it. The verses above are very well constructed and it leaves no wiggle room if unpacked correctly; “For by grace you have been saved through faith” – Grace is the vehicle used to save an individual. Grace means unmerited favour “or capacities to tolerate, accommodate, or forgive…” it’s not as if grace finds a particular type of individual and then latches onto that person because of their characters. But rather grace is highlighted and puts on the greatest of displays in spite of the individual’s character; in fact the viler the person the grander the show. The hymn “Amazing Grace” is probably where I will leave it to illustrate my point. John Newton wrote that Hymn; a slave trader who lived in the 1700’s and God took pity on Him; why? Is a question I am not willing to answer, what do I know, can I understand the mechanics of the only true and almighty God? But this I will say, it was God’s grace that saved Him. Resulting with a man compelled to pen the words to that amazing Hymn which he so aptly gave the title “Amazing Grace”.

“Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.”

He understood the Apostles point. Have we? If and when we start looking to justify our behavioural patterns outside of our covering in Christ’s accomplishments we have begun a journey down the wrong road and it will not end well for that individual. Every true Christian I have ever encountered regardless of their persuasion on varying doctrinal truths understands this in principle, but when it comes to a practical application behind this truth I know many of us fall short. We love to justify the reasoning for why we are favoured. It is prevalent within relationships; if you do this I will then do that and so on. That type of mentality is the opposite of grace and acts in accordance with merit. We always conclude when pressed that we can never earn salvation and yet we often look to earn it. Wow!

I think many make this mistake when they equate the reasons for our acceptance before a Holy God. I know my mind looks to do it all the time, and it comes to the fore especially when I look to be financially blessed by God. A mastery of mathematics combined with the laws of physics merging in my puny little brain as I search out vary winning formula’s. If I do it like this it may just work, and then I realise that it doesn’t so I try something else and so on, which is very tiring and unrewarding.

I think we muddle the lines between our responsibilities within our relationship with our God and Father and we keep reverting back to our carnal understanding. We must be on guard against these enticing traps. Sin and life has so instilled these types of mind-sets that we find it hard to separate our carnality from our Spirituality. Did you know that these two actualities will always be at enmity; “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:7-8)

We were taught these truths and they are instilled into us by the Word of God soon after salvation and yet sadly we continually need to be reminded of them, we need to constantly trim our sails in this area of our lives, thank God for His life changing WORDS and His patience with us

In conclusion it is obvious that we had nothing to do with our own salvation, it was God’s work and our born again experience had nothing to do with us, never forget this! If we skew this truth we allow pride to live and God will always resist a proud heart. But now that God has done the work in our hearts we have very particular instructions to follow and the Bible is full of them. Life now teaches us to test our actions in accordance with His instructions. This will take a lifetime. But the sooner we find them governing our lives the sooner we will embrace maturity. It’s that simple to understand and yet without faith impossible to accomplish. Faith is not only the catalyst used to save us but is needed on a daily basis if we are to arrive. It is no different to a car that needs gasoline for it to run. We need faith alive and healthy within us to feed our hope. And yet we have many enemies that look to rob us of this reality. The cares of this life is a vicious enemy. God help us to realise this. Our carnal effort will never feed our faith; we must learn to trust in the finished work of our Lord and Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. When God establishes a truth in His Word we must believe it to be so and it must become our certainty. Regardless of the other voices that press in on our thoughts. You may have often heard the phrase that “God helps those who help themselves”. NO! God helps those who put their faith in Him and in His instructions through His Word, the Bible!

God cannot lie and He will reward those who diligently seek Him.

Signing off

Tyrone  

 

Chose this day whom you will serve

Chose this day whom you will serve

Society teaches us that to get ahead we need to be focused and for us to set goals is a must. Just as an avalanche begins to gain momentum when the snow gathers on the mountain tops unable to hold its weight and then shifts, it then begins its downward spiral gathering speed collecting volume whilst engulfing all in its way, so too will this world with all its lies begin to follow suite. It has begun to shift like I have not seen and before long it will be full steam ahead looking to bury all of its unsuspecting victims. Therefore it is imperative that we as Christians begin to understand the signs of the times, which our Lord and Saviour warned us to be on the lookout for. This is a drum that has been played for millenniums now, but in my opinion we are now entering a steady drum roll and before long those sleeping will be caught off guard.

Today is a day for reckoning, it is a day for us to all trim our sails and to pull out our compasses and to make sure we are on the right path without any interference hoodwinking us into believing the world’s opinions and their lies. It is time for us to stand up as men and to be counted. Regardless of the cost! Yes we shall be persecuted for our faith and the wolves will look to attach and confer they shall, so be it! We know in whom we believe, our Saviour has cried that victorious war cry, “it is finished”! He has conquered hell, death and the grave. We know in whom we believe and that it will end well for all who are faithful even unto death if that is required. Our goal is an eternal one and we must not be swayed by any other voice.

As I watched Carte Blanche last night I was saddened to see how this world is so hoodwinked with apparent worthy causes that will lead them astray. In fact I was tearful thinking about how severe it really is. So much energy for God’s creation and the efforts people place upon serving the creature and yet not giving due benevolence to their creator. This is where the initial downward spiral all began way back when; “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” (Romans 1:21-25) - It is imperative for us as Christians to stand upon the truth of God’s Word and declare our allegiance to Him. We must not accommodate any wiggle room when it comes to His rightful place in this universe, we must all make our voices clearly heard in this dying and perverse generation. God will never share His glory with another and why would He? There is no one greater than Him, “He is a jealous God”! And He is jealous for us and He has proved His loyalty to all who profess Him as their god and Father by sending His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to die in our stead. Praise His name now and forever more.

The time is short for us all but I can promise you on the authority of God’s Word that it will end well for all the faithful; “But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"—“ (1Corinthians 2:9) – We must wrestle to find a resolve like never before to find wisdom and keep her close as we see that day approaching. If we have erred from the truth and the call that God has placed upon our lives let us repent and ask, no, rather plead with our God and Father to restore a right spirit within us. He will respond to our cries.

You see judgement must begin with the household of God: “For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And "If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.” (1Peter 4:17-19)

With these thoughts now captivating our souls let us run our race with patience.

Signing off

Tyrone

Eternity

“Much to do about nothing” was a catchphrase used to depict the emptiness of life and then some in a movie not so long ago. No different throughout the history of time. Everyone has been occupied with their lives and then some. That is the one side of the coin that we all take care of and play out the hands we are dealt; we end up where we end up; some with money, others without, some with multiple marriages, others faithful to one, and some with children and others without; some with terminal diseases whilst others live to a ripe old age and so on… This is a reality that affects both the heathen and the believer (Christian) and it all comes with a measure of anxiety, sin with the cares of life has taken care of that. To be more accurate the sin of one and his punishment has affected us all.  

However the cares of this life, as real as it may be for all in one way or another will hold a very insignificant bearing on the reality of our own eternity. Needless to say that sadly this is often the blinding blow that trips up those weak in the faith. The cares of this life press in so hard that it strips away our vision on what really counts, ETERNITY! Without financial security it becomes almost unbearable. And yet with it we have no need to focus on eternity because everything seems to be cool for now. But should either one of these realities captivate so much of our attention, how does that help us? Well it doesn’t! We have been commanded not be become anxious about the cares of this life. I am suggesting we must place exactly the same emphasis and not to find security in money as many of us do.

How often do professing Christians see their loved ones in agony and suffering immensely and yet are always praying for God to heal them and keep them around? Why! The truth of it all is that heaven with God ruling perfectly is our final destination and this is certainly the authenticity of our faith driven hope. As I ponder this thought in depth, I arrive at one conclusion, how many really believe like the saints of old. I come to the same conclusion no matter how I unpack it, many of us lack the faith of old, and may God help us. And I know He shall bring us around, because His works are perfect. But we must lend an ear unto His voice, the time for lukewarmness is nearing its end. The words of Joshua ring loud and clear; “choose this day whom you will serve”! Our attention needs now to focus on eternity whilst the cares of this life must become secondary to our existence. It has to become part of who we are.

How then do we practically achieve this goal? It is rather simple, one step at a time. God will get us home, He has so promised.

The next question I have considered is what delays the second coming of the Lord? Here is my conclusion, God is merciful and He is kind and full of love, although so many in this world pays Him very little attention, He deals outside the realm of time and because of that He patiently prolongs the return of His Son so that some may come to repentance. With that said a day will arrive when He calls it and then it will be too late for those left behind. It is therefore imperative not only for our sakes but the sake of those still of the fringes of repentance to live our lives sold out for Him.

Who will make it to heaven? It will not only be the those who have had model lives as Christians but rather those who in spite of their mistakes have learnt to depend upon the Lord because of their mistakes and have learnt from them and found repentance in the only One who has the power to forgive, the Lord Jesus Christ, bless His name now and forever more. Life on earth is a schoolmaster to teach us to live by faith and to find repentance when we err from God. It is an ongoing process.

There is a day just over the horizon when the trumpet of God will sound and this will become the Christians reality; “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1Corinthians 15:51-58)

We have a glorious hope that is driven by faith and it will eventually arrive, of this I am totally persuaded. Therefore let us not be side-tracked by money or the cares of this life for they will soon be forgotten and that day will arrive where our God and Father will wipe away every tear; we will be His sons and He will be our God, WOW! With that in the forefront of our minds let us make every effort to fight for this exactness.

Signing off

Tyrone  

     

The Spoken Word...

Why does the Christian place such emphasis on the Word of God? Why is it so important to our existence? The answer is rather an obvious one, but we often get lost in translation when the cares of this life press in. Circumstances of life seem to overshadow the most important fundamentals to a person’s life, which is the Word of God. You see creation began with God speaking it into existence, it’s the Word of God that created all things, and He alone has it in His power to create from His spoken Word. God alone has the power to create from a simple Word, phenomenal! But unfortunately not all believe it to be so, and this will be to their own detriment. Here then are the facts; “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Mark 13:3) – The Lord Jesus has proclaimed to the world that heaven and earth as we know it will end, “it will pass away”. Regardless of mankind’s efforts to preserve the earth as we know it, it will eventually run its course and be done away with. How do I know this to be true, God has so declared it! Now whether we believe this to be true or not, it will never change the reality of this truth. God has spoken!

It is therefore essential that we all get in line with God’s reality if it is to end well for us. There is an offer that has been extended to all of mankind and that is to find repentance for our sin in and through the finished work of Calvary. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who has it in His power to forgive us for our rebellion against the Word of God. When God preordains something to happen it always come to pass. Do you know that it is impossible (not able to happen any other way) for God to lie, how do I know this to be true? Once again the Word of God has so affirmed it; “… in which it is impossible for God to lie…” (Hebrews 6:18) - Whatever God has preordained will happen, nothing in existence will ever change the facts and this is the reality of God’s sovereignty and the sooner we get in line with His plans the better-off we will all be. This is not rocket science, so then why do so few align themselves with God’s production and take up their roles as they should? Again the answer is an obvious one; sin has blinded us to the overarching plans that God has preordained from before the foundations of the worlds. Men and women have been hoodwinked to believe a lie! We will only ever find ourselves in one of two camps, the encampment of lies or the faction of truth. Where do you fit in? As for me and my family we will seek out forgiveness for our sins and be thankful to the One who has afforded us this opportunity, our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ has freed us from sin, death and the tricks of Satan. Therefore if we find grace to see it through until we all breathe our last breath I know that it will end well. Of this I am persuaded!

Jesus Christ has paid the price for my sins and for all those who find true repentance in and through Him. These are the fact pertaining to God’s offer for all of mankind. How do I know this to be true? God has so declared it in and through His Word, the Bible. For those who are fortunate to be reading this you all have a choice to make, life or death now knocks at your door. Do not take what has been penned lightly, or leave the decision until tomorrow, today may well be your last, take action repent and believe on the finished work of Calvary. You may be asking yourselves on what authority am I able to claim such authority? I can assure you that I do not claim any right of my own, but what I have declared unto you is from the Word of God and it is His lifeline, His instruction I have inscribed and not my own opinion, for if it was it would hold very little weight, but now because He has spoken it has the power to change a person completely. My prayer is that regardless of what you think you know that these two pages of captured words would cause you to act in accordance with God’s Word and that you would find true freedom in Him, to serve Him with a clear conscience. Only then will you be able to cry, “I was blind but now I see”.

Thank you Lord Jesus for making a way of escape for mankind in and through your finished work of Calvary, Thank you for dying in the place of sinners so that we can find forgiveness for our sins; there is nothing else a person could do to earn this favour and yet we have been liberated from ourselves when we find true repentance in you. God is good! Thank you Father God for sending your Son, the One who was without sin to pay the price for my sins and the sins of all who find repentance in Him. All honour, praise and glory belongs to our God now and forever more, Amen and Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone     

  

    

The rewards of true faith...

Rewards often drive people to a deeper commitment to the required task at hand, and it can become a powerful tool to assist in any investigation. Some are taken up by the reward at the expense of others around them, whilst others may commit on the basis that it may be a worthy cause that fits into their persona and commitment to life. Some will save whales but punt evolution as their underlying belief values, honouring God’s creation and yet not giving God the due benevolence for His Creation. You see the danger of any skewed perception to what is TRUE? Twist it slightly and people will find themselves chasing shadows instead of God’s reality towards the reward. Heaven as opposed to hell, the ultimate sentences.

What is a crucial truth we need to implement in our lives if we are to benefit under God’s rule for this life and the life to come? We have to put Him first in every one of our decisions, if not we will always end up chasing the shadows of destruction, of this I am convinced. We must walk by faith and with sound doctrine dictating the steps of our lives. In other words we must place God’s Word above our own understandings. The voices in this world will only ever take us down the wrong road. This is the lesson we all have to learn and it will take us a lifetime to absorb. Thankfully God is patient with all of His children. However the sooner we learn to trust our God and Father the happy we will be. The sooner we learn to rest in the Lord Jesus’ finished work the more content life will become.

What then should be our commitment when we search our God’s deep truths if we continually seem to be hitting the wall, when our prayers seem to bounce off the stockades, what are we to do? Do you remember the man who was sick with the palsy in the book of Mark chapter 2? The entrances to the house that the Lord Jesus occupied was jammed packed to the brim and those who carried that man on his sick bed could not get to the Lord, but they we so determined to see a miracle unfold for their friend that they went to extremes to make it happen. They climbed the roof and began to remove the tiles in order to make an opening whereby they could eventually lower him down through the gable. This was true commitment, accurate faith personified. Faith is full of inventions and we must do our utmost to be a part of that crowd in order to be blessed of God. We are taught in the book of Hebrews that we must approach the throne of grace with confidence, we cannot assume that we will receive anything from God our Father and we must be committed to His cause, the basis of faith must become central to the way of life for all of us.

If the world is full of solutions whereby it teaches it’s population to invent in order to succeed, why then can we not become inventors with our commitment to God’s call upon our lives as we search out the deeper truth to our existence. Jacob also teaches us a valuable lesson, when he was in the wilderness and he saw an angel and he wrestled with him all night to receive a blessing. It cost him dearly, the angel pleaded with him to let him go, but he would not. Eventually the angel dislocated his hip socket. Nevertheless Jacob received his blessing. This is the resolve we must seek out for our lives, as it will bring with it God’s blessings. I do not wish to be misread as some would like to emphasise that if we are children of God we should be prosperous in this life that is a misrepresentation upon the call God has placed upon a believer’s life. God may very well bless us financially but that is entirely up to Him. The point I would like to stress is that we will have peace with God. The fruits of the Spirit will become a way of life for all who learn to appropriate true faith into our daily routine. Which is; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. This is what we wrestle for as Christians.

Let us plead with our God and Father to equip us with a resolve to fight for these values with all our might. So that His name may be glorified amongst the heathen and so that other believing Christians will also be encouraged by our examples of faith. To God be the glory now and forever more, Amen and Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone   

       

The trial of our faith

(Job 6:13) Have I any help in me, when resource is driven from me?

This is a reality that hits home all too often and yet I know that I am exactly where I need to be through these trying times, God is stripping the rot from my character and teaching me to trust and obey Him along the way. It is such an unnatural mind-set that I know that without faith it would be impossible to implement if God had not given me His Spirit. The mercy of God on display in my life, many would look at an apparent struggling man and condemn him as damned if he is viewed on a carnal level. But when we peel away at the outer layers of the shell we soon see many examples in scripture where others also had to bear the brunt of their rebellion. Nevertheless if God has begun the work in a believer’s life, He will see it through until completion, of that I am convinced. Why? Because God is perfect and it is impossible for Him to fail, perfection will never accommodate failure that would be impossible. It is simple mathematics; ask yourselves this question, is God perfect? If you agree then you must conclude that nothing can be added to His perfection, for if we could add to it all that would prove is that He was never perfect to begin with, which would be ludicrous.

Our faith must be rooted upon a foundation of perfection. If we can arrive at that conclusion with all our hearts then we will always be able to face whatever the day throws at us. This does not mean, we welcome calamity, but it does mean that we understand it’s purpose, which would be to arm our minds with an understanding that the One who is perfect is in control and not our circumstance. Our situation must never swallow us up to the extent of unbelief, for that only proves that we walk in the flesh, which is destructive and full of sin. The cushier our lives may become the less we will rely on God’s provision to see us home. Independence opposed to dependency upon our God and Father in and through the finished work of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. As we feed off our helper, God the Holy Spirit, who leads us into all truth.

It is a mentality foreign to this world and its systems. They say they are blessed when they are able to compete with the Jones’ but we say that we are truly blessed when we have peace with God. Wherever we find ourselves today let us remember that our perfect God and Father is at work with our unbelief and teaching us to walk by faith; “If God is for us who can be against us”? Therefore let all who confess Jesus as Lord squeeze a little tighter on the hope that is ours in Him. We needn’t look far to see another brother with greater trials in their life who have also has been called to walk by faith. Our measures may vary in accordance to God’s calling upon our lives but the same spiritual weapons are available to every true Christian and we must learn to use them when needed.

In conclusion, I am not undermining the pain that we may feel when the screws are tightened in our lives and God teaches us many valuable lessons through our pilgrimage here on earth. If it wasn’t needful, it wouldn’t be part of our lives, of that I am sure. In our watered down day of lukewarm Christianity discipline in our lives is often due to our own folly, but either way God is graciously conforming us into the image of His Son. Let us therefore rest in His ability to get us home come what may. To God be the glory now and forever more, Amen and Amen!

There is a day coming where every tear will be dried up, where there will be no more pain, a time where we will hear our Saviour confess our names before His Father and where our Father and God will utter these marvellous words; “The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” (Revelation 21:7) – How I long for that day, but until then let us encourage each other with the hope that is ours in Christ. Even so come quickly Lord Jesus!  

Signing off

Tyrone

Trimming the sail

Throughout our lives it is never easy to face death as it is a constant reminder of our volatility. Growing up I never liked the thought of it, especially when it was someone close to home. But as life rolled on and I had now understood something far deeper than our carnal deaths as eternal life had now become the pressing issue, heaven or hell was the question I now faced, with that realized, could I have done more with the gospel message prior to that person's death? Sadly the answer is yes, I was found wanting…

I should have spoken out to my father, Nonna (grandmother) and others at a particular given time, but I didn’t! Here today and gone tomorrow; there are many accounts of regret with this reality alive and well. I am sure I am not alone with these types of thoughts…

Death attached to the reality of that person’s future existence had now become an overarching burden that would vex my soul. Whether I was walking obediently or in rebellion to the call that God had placed on my life, somehow I felt responsible. Have you ever had a burning desire to share the gospel with someone but for some reason held your peace? Has circumstance which is often attached to sin kept you silent? On reflection I do have regrets with the way I once behaved under the banner of Christianity, shame on me is the conclusion. But by the grace of God I will no longer live under the power of that death, for my Saviour has conquered death; “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” (Hebrews 2:14-15)

If you have similar thoughts it may just be time for you to forgive yourself and let your mistakes go for God is thankfully in the process of restoration in so many areas of my life; I will always be indebted to Him and yet never be able to pay Him back. “Jesus in my place”! How thankful I am to my God, Father, the precious love of my life, my hero, the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who bled and died for me, giving me eyes to see, what a privileged man I am and all of this in spite of me, WOW! We serve a great God! God is love personified, God laid down His life for me, once an enemy of the cross and yet now I am a confederate with ability to sing praise to my God and Father, bless His name! ALL HAIL KING JESUS!

Within the bounds of life it is important to trim our sails from time to time. To sit back and examine our lives and the paths we are on, have we even veered off course; if by one degree today how far gone will we be a year from now if our rudder is not corrected? We have been given a guarantee, God the Holy Spirit is our compass who will keep us on track and teach us along the way. We have the Spirit of God, we have His Word, the Bible and we have our brothers and sisters in Christ. All of these are interwoven helps that we need to pay very careful attention to. Today may just be the time to be still and to listen, waiting with eager anticipation to hear the still voice of God as He speaks to us through His Son, our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, through the penned words of scripture. The Bible is our reference and that must never change. We must cling to it for our lives do depend upon SOUND DOCTRINE. There are many false messages being bandied around Christian circles but they will eventually all end in ruin. God will not tolerate lies especially when it involves Him and His perfection. He will never tolerated misrepresentation, if you doubt what I say; read the book of Job and this will soon become evident.

What about me, my commitment and the lack of it in so many areas of my life? I suppose we all have our weaknesses that always looks to rob us of our victory in Christ, the cares of this life press hard on all of us as they look to drive us towards unbelief, however I will trust in my God for I know the end result for God has shown it to me. Heaven is just around the corner, a place of tranquility, where hope will be a distant memory. There is a day coming where all of God’s children will take up their places in heaven and "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” Faith will no longer be required for we shall see Him as He is, Wow! Hope will no longer be needed for we shall have arrived, but love will endure forever when we understand the magnitude of God’s commitment to sinful man who by the grace of God has found repentance as a way of life.

What I find very interesting is the understanding that Paul the Apostle had with God’s patience towards his children. It is obvious that Paul was a man that was totally committed to the call that God had placed on his life, he most certainly led from the front and yet he still pens these words; it would be good to commit this lesson to our lives and to follow suite when dealing with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Here is the instruction; “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” (1Thessolonians 5:14)

Signing off

Tyrone

     

  

Speaking in parables

(Matthew 13:33) “He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened."”

Leaven does its work without noise; it works speedily, powerfully, effectively and eventually works its way through the body of the flour affecting all of it.

There are two ways of looking at the effectiveness of leaven, or yeast like fermenting agent if you prefer. Its proficiency can be used to draw analogies by highlighting many truths within an individual’s life and the Lord Jesus often spoke in parables teaching some very valuable lessons to those who had been given ears to understand. Not everyone will understand the lessons behind the allegory but that was always God’s intention. The gainsayer and the manipulator or the one seeking out God’s blessings for their bellies sakes will always misinterpret the intended message.

The gainsayer will twist the parable into a doctrine of devils and use it as a manipulation tool to feed his own selfish wants, But God will have the last Word, that is guaranteed.

However yeast if used correctly within its correct application to bring about change in the body of dough often results with a bakers masterpiece enjoyed by many. Faith will have a similar effect if applied correctly in any given circumstance; “the just shall live by faith”! We must learn to put our anxiety aside and in faith commit our causes to God, trusting Him, for God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. It is never natural to lay our independence aside as we learn to depend upon God’s provision, but it is most certainly extremely needful if we are to make progress with our Christian plight.

We can often end up toiling to no avail; here is a wonderful example that teaches us so much if and when we pay careful attention to the lesson…

“On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.” (Luke 5:1-6)

Let me break this down; there was a crowd pressing in to hear the master teach and only after the Lord Jesus had spoken life to the hearers and once he had their attention did He offer up a miracle. We must first hear the voice of our God speak clearly to us placing all of our dependence upon him before we will reap the true benefits of Christianity. The Bible is full of these types of examples, but how will we ever know the voice of God if we do not read the Bible? Reading with intent to study and learn must be in the forefront of our minds if we are to be instructed by the voice of God. God the Holy Spirit will teach us right from wrong. We must show respect to what is being taught and we must learn from the intent of this crowd that they were bullish when it came to receiving from Christ, which can be forgiven even though they wrestle amongst one another and “pressed hard upon him”. We have in like manner been commanded to approach the throne of grace with boldness; confidence must be evident in us when we seek our God’s face. We are not to be timid and approach God hedging our bets allowing unbelief to dictate. God is well pleased when we learn to apply faith to every one of our predicaments. The Apostle Peter had fished all day without any return but He had understood that it was God who had commanded Him to cast out the nets in spite of his situation; he had heard the voice of God speak! Often our efforts bring no return, but if God is for us who can be against us? The result was phenomenal, at God’s word Peter cast out the nets and the impossible then happened, the nets were filled to bursting, praise God!

God will always use an opportune time to teach us to rely on Him, but how can that ever happen if we do not understand the magnitude of these types of miracles in our lives? We must be prepared in order to comprehend the full measure of the lesson. The brilliance of God is rather phenomenal when realised. We have so much in us that always looks to drive us in the opposite direction, our independence must diminish and the sooner this is learnt the happier we will be. Our total dependence is in God’s provision and nothing else will hack it. This is why we often have to find ourselves in a position of want before the lesson can be learnt. Therefore let us not run from our dependency toward God but let us learn to appreciate what it can teach us, Amen and Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone

         

       

A vital lesson...

There are so many fundamentals we need to continuously monitor as Christians. It is so easy to become complacent and before long we will start to sink into the “slough of despond”. But what really presses home this morning is how often I make bad choices that lead me to the edge of the miry swamp that get me to feed off unbelief…

It’s not as if I am being persecuted per say and been physically stoned for my faith, as others were. That would be suffering for the sake of righteousness and with these types of acts God is well pleased. When I suffer because of my own stupidity then who is to blame? I have thrashed this particular drum for a long time now, and thankfully over time, because we have the Spirit of Christ in us we will learn to see our errors the way we should. It will take a lifetime, but God is rich in mercy and long-suffering towards His children, blessed be His name! His investment in those whom He has called and those whom He has chosen to fly the Christian flag will bring Him glory once the process has run its course and of this I am sure. The Lord Jesus Christ has completed the work, blessed be His name now and forever more!

On reflection at this stage of my Christian walk I am still aware of how volatile I can be at times and yet I see the merciful work of God in my life as He exposes the rot and shows me Christ. I have a responsibility to my Christian family to expose my mistakes so that you do not have to make the same mistakes over and over again. It is fruitless and brings with it a lot of hurt.

What is God teaching me?  

God works in the realm of the unseen, hence the just shall live by faith. We all have the written Word, the Bible to guide us along the way. We also have the Spirit of God in us that pricks our conscience and drives us towards His righteousness. But we still house all this beauty in an earthen vessel; our carnal minds drive us from God and not toward Him. Here is the Apostle Paul’s take on the subject; “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:5-8) – Therefore when I or any of us try to juggle the flesh and its passions whilst walking in the Spirit, it will always have the same result. Zero growth and idolatry dictating the way we live. Our priorities will become clearly evident to all those around us, this is what is meant by the Lords quote concerning our commitment, “You shall know a tree by its fruit”. 

If I am staring to learn correctly, then I must live by faith. I cannot claim to live by faith and then chase money as if there’s no tomorrow. It is a very simple lesson to understand but quite another to implement. But apply it we must if we are to live life peacefully before our God and Father. Put anything above God and we are living hostilely toward Him. Idolatry has then become a way of life and when we get it wrong it will result in misery. God will never share His glory with another, for there is no one like Him in perfection and we must learn to trust Him.

Take the snippet from Carte Blanc the other night with that slaughter of the Pilot whales. It caused uproar but there was no mention of God the creator, mankind worshipping the creature (God’s creation) at the expense of giving God homage. Do you see the error, just like a magician with sleight of hand misleading people? Obvious Idolatry at play and yet it seems to be such a worthy cause. Now there are many idols that captivate our energy throughout any given day. Money is first on that list, we understand that without money we will never survive and therefore we drive hard trying to build bigger barns. It is impossible to divide our energies whilst we determine to go to church and even serve in the church if we are driven by money. We must confess our error and seek out God’s forgiveness. We must be consumed with the God of our salvation, He is so worthy of that commitment, God help us to be consumed with this idea. We must be totally committed to Him. This is the ultimate lesson for all the Christians throughout the world. God first in every area of our lives, and this is easy to test. What is the first thing you do in the morning, take that thought into every minute of every day and then what do we end the day doing before we go to bed?

I am not for one minute suggesting that I have this worked out, but this changes me and not the truth. We must learn to walk the way our forefathers walked and that is to live by faith in every area of our lives.

Do not be deceived into thinking that God will condone our unbelief. I understand that He is patient with us and that He is willing to teach us this valuable lesson over a lifetime but the sooner this becomes our reality the happy we shall be with peace an overarching phenomenon in our lives.

Thank you Father for your patience with me, but please renew a right spirit in me so that my life will become a living testament of your grace and mercy.

Signing off

Tyrone