Bed of Roses or Not!

Just as a soldier prepares for battle so too must the Christian prepare for combat. To believe, for even a moment, that by putting on our Christian armour that all of life’s challenges will dissipate could not be further from the truth.

How often have I prayed to God Almighty asking Him to take away my burden? More times than I care to count, but when I reason with a similar mindset, all it proved is that I lack understanding. How so one may ask? A gospel message that is sometimes propagated goes something like this; you’ve tried everything else why not try Jesus, as if the work of Calvary and the perfect sacrifice of our great Messiah can be worn like some garment and changed with the trends of fashion.

The truth be told; once an individual is truly saved, when the goodness of God leads a man to repentance and not someone giving Christianity a chance as if it seems like the fashionable thing to do. When the Spirit of God quickens a man’s understanding as he understands his very own plight before God, a hopeless situation doomed for all eternity to an everlasting life of separation from God, vaulted into destruction and all because of our own sin, not the sin of another but our own sin. Only then does our life truly begin as a Christian. Once this is then realized we then are taught very clearly from scripture what God requires from us and why.

We have been called to suffer for righteousness sake just as Christ also suffered leaving us His perfect example. Why one may ask? To silence the gainsayer, or Mr worldly wise; it is by our example that when we hold our peace when wronged for doing the right thing. That then is the requirement; the why is this then is commendable (acceptable) before God. This then is the call for the Christian. We do not have the right to get even but taking revenge, or venting like a child not getting their own way, with the cry, “that is not fair”. All these actions prove is our lack of understanding…

Do I have scripture and verse to back up my reasoning? I most certainly do…

It is the Apostle Peter who brings us this teaching; for those who are not aware of how he died; he was crucified upside down; the reason they crucified him was because he decreed Christianity and it’s message; Jesus Christ the true Messiah and that all who reject Him as the way, the truth and the life will miss out on heaven as their final end. There is no other way to make it to heaven; all must come through the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. No other man lived a perfect life without sin and then paid the price for man’s sin. It is as simple as that!

This then is Peter’s teaching; “For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.” (1Peter 2:19)

“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” (1Peter 2:21)

So then have we been called to a life of clemency or have we as Christians been summoned to a life of suffering? The text leaves no wiggle room…

And just in case we think we are being hard done by, look when Peter takes us; “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” (1Peter 2:22-24)

It is when we find grace to act like our Saviour, when we call on the name of our God trusting Him in the situation we find ourselves, only then does our great heavenly Father look down from heaven with the glint of acceptance across His brow.

That is where the battle takes place and not in the prosperity gospel of the more you give the more you will get type of mentality. It is far harder to turn the other cheek than to retaliate with a blow. Retaliation comes naturally but by turning the other cheek, we need to find grace.

The Christian is compelled to come to the throne room of grace with boldness so that they may obtain grace for such a time. This is the call of the Christian; let no one fool you into thinking that life ort to be a bed of roses with all the barbs removed.

Signing off

Tyrone

    

  

All in All

Every trade has its authorities; the artisan trade has the coded welded; those men and women who are qualified to get their teeth stuck into the difficult jobs; the medical profession has the specialist or surgeon and so on; a specific qualification that meets certain criteria…

If we consider the greatest man in all varying fields we must arrive at one conclusion; the Lord Jesus Christ is His name.

We or those closest to us instinctively seek out the best service when we have a serious need. I remember back in the year 2001, I was close to death, my immune system was nonexistent and the HIV Virus had almost run its course ending up the victor. Some of my family members made it their business to seek out the best HIV Specialists and ensured that they examined me. We want the best, we will not settle for second if our need it that serious. Unless of course we have no means to seek out the best. But where possible, we will plough all our efforts into our survival.

How great is our God? Consider the Lord Jesus, was He not the greatest Physician? We know He was and in fact, is (present tense). David Copperfield the greatest illusionist of our time; was not our great Saviour the greatest miracle worker of all time? When He turned water into wine it was not only seen by the eye but enjoyed by those at the wedding through taste. No illusion but rather a reality. What of the ten lepers or the blind man and the woman with the issue of blood? The Bible has this to say about this man, the Lord Jesus… “Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” (John 21:25)

The world has kings but there is only one King of kings, the world has lords but there is only one Lord or lords. Even at the London Olympics they called a swimming event the “I am” but there is only One great I Am. The Greek alphabet has the symbols alpha and omega; they are independent constants but the Lord Jesus is both the Alpha and the Omega. There are many religions with many niceties attached but there is only one true Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let me then move onto my point; regardless of where we find ourselves this morning, whether we are seated amongst kings or in a hut on the outskirts of town, one thing is for certain, the Lord Jesus has been there. If it is wisdom we seek out, who is the wiser? If we as are weak and sickly, who is the greatest physician? If the concern of the day is financial and we almost beg bread does not the Bible teach a certain order? It most certainly does; “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) – Which are what? What will be added? Clothing, food and shelter will be added to one’s life, and anxiety will dissipate.

This then is the assurance from scripture but we must walk in faith to appropriate these truths into our lives. That is where God begins with his children, repentance and faith towards God. Any other opinionated advice outside of repentance and faith is hot air and will lack any power. It is no good to pursue the one without the other. Many chemicals remain ineffective if they stand alone, but mix the right two together and we see something entirely different; “Pratley’s Putty” a case in point; once mixed the putty turns into a steel adhesive.

Whatever our need, whatever the question, it must always begin with the Lord Jesus and it must then end with Him. That is the lesson we must all learn, if not we will learn how to walk in circles but that is all we will ever achieve…

Signing off

Tyrone           

Knowledge

I would say that “knowledge” must be high on our agendas when it comes to everyday choices. It is not something that the selected few alone are privileged to use. Sure the depth of knowledge varies from person to person. However we all use knowledge as we understand it for survival or to satisfying the itch we need scratched.

Take the beggar; does he not use knowledge when he chooses which traffic light would be best to beg from? Or a young man looking to fill his life with wine, woman and song, he also uses knowledge to uncover the best haunts to frequent. The millionaire or the Stock Market Broker all use knowledge to make money. What then of the criminal, or the rapist even the despicable pedophile do they not all use knowledge to get what they desire? As warped as it may seem in reality as life unfolds we all use knowledge to achieve our goals.

So where did this all begin? It all began with sin; with it came the knowledge of good and evil.

“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." (Genesis 2:17)

The man and the woman disobeyed so death now a reality for both of them. Today we all understand death too well. But with that came the knowledge of both good and evil. This is now what we as individuals have been left with; what will we do with that knowledge, the knowledge of good and evil? I do not make reference to our human intellect but rather God understanding on the subject. Without Christ and His sacrifice the Bible teachers that it is impossible to do the right thing according to God’s holiness but with His covering we are now equipped to find grace in time of need to put off sin and to use our spiritual knowledge to glorify God. Obviously this is a process and we will be left with choices on a daily basis; we will not always make the right choice. However the pattern to our lives should change as time progresses. If we have gone backwards, we will be jolted to seriously examine our lives. It’s at times like these that I understand words like; God is good! Why would he be so long suffering with me; the answer is found in the Lord Jesus, praise His glorious name!

This then is my concern; there is a day coming when we as the human race will be left to face their choices and we will end up being exactly who we are. This may need some explanation; the knowledge we chose to use will eventually either take us to heaven or to hell…

“And he said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy." "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” (Revelation 22:10-15)

What then will we do with the knowledge we receive? The time for pretence is surely over; if it be that there are areas in our lives where we have turned a blind eye. Knowledge then is extremely important but how we use it is crucial.

Signing off

Tyrone

                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Peace of God

(Philippians 4:7)  “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Firstly Let us understand what it means to “understand” and then shall we only move onto the meaning of how to exceed the concept of our understanding.

How often are things said and even received with a nonchalant emphasis placed on what is actually meant? Not enough circumspection is given too much of what should be processed as it is meant. We often listen without actually hearing. I know that I am guilty; you will have to come to your own conclusion on the subject.

“Understanding” has many facets to it; one could say I understand; meaning that although I have not grasp the totality of the subject, I now however have a better understanding than before. Or one could have all knowledge on a subject that nothing could be added as they have fully comprehended every facet on the subject… e.g. “The Pythagorean Theorem: The sum of the areas of the two squares on the legs (a and b) equals the area of the square on the hypotenuse (c).” It is what it is and one either understands it or not, there is no in-between. This then is what I believe is meant in the quoted verse.

How then does one “surpass all understanding”? To surpass means; “to go beyond what was expected or hoped for, usually by being bigger, better, or greater” To think that there is something greater than ones understanding in the realm of “understanding” is an implausible concept; how can something be greater than ones understanding? This is an illogical perception, it goes beyond reasoning.

How then is this awareness obtained? When we first seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness we enter the realm of faith which goes beyond carnal reasoning; “Faith is the substance of things hope for the evidence of things not seen.” Although I am hard pressed and there seems to be very little sunlight in my day, I know that there is a day coming that will be full of absolute joy and that my final destination is heaven. Therefore regardless of the facts that surround me I am able to push beyond the realm of reality through faith, which in turn must “surpass all understanding’, which equips me to embrace this principle. It is not a state full of panic but rather a reassured reality that captivates my mind, body and soul. It then is “the peace of God that is able to surpass all understanding”; fascinating and yet a tangible reality. The peace of God is then something we should all strive for or rather we should seek out His grace as the need presents itself, helping us in reality, to enter this realm, the “peace which surpasses all understand.” For when we live in this glorious place it will guard our hearts and minds. Even the strength of our understanding as it deals with the reality of our surroundings will be no match for God’s provision, “the peace of God”.  

Signing off

Tyrone

Acceptance

One could have many different approaches to this subject; sin and its hold on us…

The Bible puts it like this for the Christian; we are no longer under sin but under grace. So without spending too much time here this is one of Paul’s points; “Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?” (Romans 6:16)  

It would be very unrealistic to except the entire human race to be of the same character and fiber with “sin” as our common denominator. Although we as Christians have been freed from sin, it is quite obvious we do not always live here. There is a day coming in the New Jerusalem that will unfold such beauty, but that day has not yet arrived. Why then do we expect so many who are incapable of walking like the pillars of our faith, men like Job or Daniel, to walk as if it should be expected of them? Not all are Model citizens; some seem to be a lot worthy than others and yet all fall short of the glory of God. But Christ is the express glory of God and His sacrifice was accepted by the only true God, the great I AM, Jehovah God, God almighty. It was a once and for all time sacrifice never to be repeated. Christians now are covered by His sacrifice, His righteousness and this is why we are accepted in the beloved; because of Him and not because of us. There are no ifs and buts in this truth. Christ has paved the way! Nevertheless we are instructed to walk worthy of the call in which we have been called. “What should we say, then? Should we go on sinning so that grace may increase? Of course not! How can we who died as far as sin is concerned go on living in it?” (Romans 6:1-2) 

Why then do so many of us fall far from the mark when it comes to this instruction. Obviously sin and it periods still having their effect on us, although it shouldn’t! We have been bought with a price; the blood of the Lamb! But I know I have failed miserably along the celestial road, throughout my journey as a Christian. The days of pretending have long eluded me, how I would love to have been a Paul, or one of the mighty warriors of old. The truth be told I am but a struggling pilgrim, weaker than most. What is a man to do? “While I have breath I will have hope” and until God says no more, by His grace I will endeavour to dust the dirt from my knees. There is no other option for God’s children…

There is “much to do about nothing” when we consider the psychobabble of the world and its systems and yet with that said not all should be ignored. As a young man having to confront the reality of HIV I most certainly needed to accept the truth before I was able to find a way to live with it. Up until that time where denial played its part in my life I was unable to find peace living with this disease. So too must we look into the mirror when it comes to where we are as Christians and honestly reflect before we can look to God to find forgiveness  and the aptitude to dust the dirt from our knees if need be. Where we can often go wrong is when we look at others and wish we could be like them. Not that we should not aspire to have examples, we must. Remember what the Apostle John had to say; “Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.” (3John 1:11)

Our goal then is to imitate all that is good, to put off all that which is evil and when we stumble and fall to get up and dust the dirt from our knees. God has promised to save all who call upon him, from the greatest to the least and not only the supreme. The truth has been declared; there is only one who was ever worthy of God’s complete requirement for sin, praise the name of Jesus!

When we find out that we are not like other "great specimens, it is not until we except whom we are in Christ that will we be able to be of any worth to fellow Christians and the body of Christ.

My life then has been a journey of much dirt dusting, which often leaves me feeling rather dejected, yet this has been the reality of my life, for me now to live in denial would be detrimental to my walk with the Lord. God help us all too honestly reflect into the mirror of our lives and come to terms with who we are in Him. Never to excuse sin but always looking to Him to find grace in time of need to overcome sin. And yes we maybe in such a hole that it seems like a pointless exercise, but there is nothing too difficult for our God, He is Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end and remember this truth; “For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame."” (Romans 10:11)

Signing off

Tyrone 

Hardship

(2Samuel 23:1) “The sweet psalmist of Israel.”

I love it when wisdom hits the ear…

If we consider one of the very many profound statements that Albert Einstein makes; “two things are infinite in this life, the universe and the stupidity of man and I not totally convinced about the first.” So then when I hear many truths penned by a beloved brother in Christ who lived over a century ago, it often brings a smile to my face or a tear to mine eye. Charles Spurgeon had this to say…

“For a Christian to die, is, according to Scripture, an act of the most natural kind, for it is but to fall asleep.” And therefore his conclusion after deeply considering this true was this; “The more you think this matter over, the more clearly will it appear to you that there cannot be any pain in death; all pain must be connected with life, it is the living who suffer. In death, we forget all pain. That gentle touch, that divine love-pat that, shall end all pain and sorrow, is, the thing which men usually call death, but which the apostle rightly calls sleep. There is nothing to be dreaded in it.”

My thoughts then must consider life and the pain we are called to suffer because of it. David was a man who experience much of that pain thought-out his life and yet God calls him “a man after my own heart.” We or rather I am so often caught up with my own pity-party that I tend to forget there were others who were called to endure a lot more than I will ever have too. However with that said and with that considered it does not relieve the pressure as one would hope. The trials of life remain as real with depression and his friends relentlessly driving their blows home. But it must remind us that we are not alone in our struggle, others have endured the onslaught and victoriously fallen asleep. That now must be my goal and it should also be yours. Yes I still am without a job, with a bank balance lower than I can remember. I am constantly hard-pressed about my son and his next meal. Sin then taking advantage of my weakness causes many bad choices to once again take hold of my life. There is however two key ingredients that we must hold onto as if our life depended upon it, for it certainly does; repentance and faith towards God. Without these two aspects captivating our lives we will die a painful death. One may say, “do you now not contradict yourself”, and I will say, “Oh no sir, for those who die outside of the Lord Jesus will die a painful death, hell will be their final destination. The BIBLE puts it like this; “and will throw them into a blazing furnace. In that place there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 13:50)

What did David then experience? Throughout the history of David we see his experiences not to be matched by another, in part maybe, but certainly not on the whole, except for our beloved king and Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. No man endured what He had to endure! And possibly others, the Apostle Paul, Job, Joseph but I cannot be certain.

David was a boy who grew up without any luxuries, a shepherd boy who spent his time with sheep and all the dangers that came along with it. It has been recorded that he killed both the lion and the bear, with only a staff and a sling for weapons. He then found himself facing a giant who brought terror to the whole of Israel, but not to David, once again, his weapon a slingshot and a pebble bringing down Goliath with a mighty thud. There was another key ingredient that obviously David never took for granted but understood the importance of his faith toward God. He hid in caves like a bandit on the run from King Saul who looked to hunt him down like a wild beast looking to kill him, and all because of his jealousy. He later became king and with that power took another man’s life as well as his wife. A wicked sin and yet after Nathan exposes his heart, repentance was then actively on display for all to witness. He mourned and fasted for his son whom the Lord still took. What heartache he endured through that time, I can only imagine. He found forgives and yet God took His son. For every action there must be a reaction and often we all need to pay the price for our disobedience. Not our sin that price has been paid, praise the name of Jesus. David not only lost his son but a decree was passed upon him because of his rebellion which later on in life haunted him.

"'Therefore the sword will never leave your household, because you have despised me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.' "This is what the LORD says: "'Listen very carefully! "'I'm raising up evil against you right out of your own household. "'I'm going to take your wives away from you right before your eyes. "'Then I'll give them to your neighbor. "'And then he's going to have sex with your wives in broad daylight! "'What you did in secret I'm going to do right in front of all Israel and in broad daylight as well!'" At this point, David told Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan responded to David, "There's one other thing: the LORD has forgiven your sin. You won't die. Nevertheless, because you have despised the LORD's enemies with utter contempt, the son born to you will most certainly die." (2Samjuel 12:10-14)

We see that in the latter part of David’s life that his one son sleeps with one of his wives and another son turns against him as he looks to overthrow his kingdom and yet David mourns when he hears of his son’s death. I wonder could he have remembered the judgement place upon him so many years back. Did he look at his son’s rebellion as his own fault and not his sons? How do we see so many of the trials we now endure because of our own mistakes?

Signing off

Tyrone

      

 

Do not be anxious about anything...

(Philippians 4:6)  “Do not be anxious about anything…”

This then is a clear instruction from the Apostle Paul, yet it is easier said than done!

What is it that causes anxiety? Let me not speak on behalf of others, but for me it is the uncertainty of security… If we now consider that thought, I believe it is Paul’s exact point. Here I have just proved that I am not trusting in God’s Word. I am rather perturbed by the thought of no guarantee future income, forgive me Father!

All anxiety proves is the evidence of someone walking in unbelief. So why do we suffer from anxiety? It is then very obvious; do you remember why the children of Israel could not enter the Promised Land? It had something to do with unbelief; “so we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.” (Hebrews 3:19)

Everything then hinged on this one fact, faith (belief in, devotion to, or trust in somebody or something, especially without logical proof) as opposed to the lack thereof, unbelief (proof often the catalyst required to believe). Yet there is another factor that aids in the process of where we end up on any given day and that is whether we are obedient to God’s voice or not; “And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient?” (Hebrews 3:18)

How often have I liked to quote the men of old, the men of faith as if I stood alongside them flying the flag of faith? To be fair in part there were times in my life where I could have made some claim as a “colour-bearer of faith” as one who lived by faith. But today I am unable to make that claim with any certainty. Yet while we have breath we have hope, the opportunity to once again find that place is at the door.

I think that we often muddled the lines between faith and obedience and yet they are hard to separate. Faith is proved by obedience and yet regardless of obedience faith can still be clearly seen in some. We need look no further than Samson the best/worst example of all. We all have our own perceptions but they hold little very weight if not weighed with God’s scales. Samson never lost his strength though sin in that sense (see Judges 16:1), only when he defied God by negating the only direct command he was required to keep was he rendered powerless; “for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines." (Judges 13:5):- This instruction was given to Samson’s mother and was obviously passed down; there is no written indication that he directly received this instruction from God, which was, never to cut his hair. Either way you think it through, he was very aware of his responsibility and that was to never divulge his secret.

Why then did he flirt with it with such pliancy? Could this “body of death” have had anything to do with it? I believe it most certainly had everything to do with it.

With that thought in mind let me consider my life and the anxiety it now faces…

How often do I pray before a meal thanking God for His provision? On the whole it is part of a daily routine. My prayer even mentions that we do not take this provision for granted. But it is based on tradition rather than a warm felt appreciation. It is only now that I am worried about where my next meal will come from that it somehow puts a different spin on things. How quick am I to denunciate the children in the wilderness and yet I have never experienced the half of what they practiced. Until we are in similar positions to others we will be able to sympathise but never truly understand.

Here is my dilemma; we all have the same make up, we all have this “body of death” and we have all been given the same command; “be anxious for nothing”, but with that comes an instruction, what is needed to combat this emotion; “but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” And once that is part of our lives this then will be the result; “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” This then is the factual truth of faith, anything outside of that is unbelief.

It must be for the Christian when we have a need to allow God to love us and for us to trust in His provision. We have an enemy, “this body of death”, sin likes to keep us in unbelief, it screams, “look at the proof, there isn’t any, you must be a fool to believe things will turn out alright”.

There is much that could be said on this topic, we are new creatures in Christ “old things have passed away and behold all things have become new.” Can I claim that, I should be able to, as Christ has made the way? And yet how often do I not live as if that is true to my life, forgive me Father God; please enable your Spirit to once again stir my soul so that my life may bring glory to you. You Word is true, help me think on those things and not this “body of death” which in turn leaves a man living in sin.

Signing off

Tyrone

      

    

What does it mean to be greatest?

What does it mean to be greater? For one it means to be bigger, more impressive than others of the same kind and when it comes to power it or rather He has the ability to outdo the rest, simple put He is GREATER than all…

When God looked across the heavens for someone greater than Himself he found no one and therefore when making His covenant with Abraham He swore by His own name, no one supersedes His authority and all judgment starts and stops with Him; “For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself.” (Hebrews 6:13) - Therefore it does not really concern me when it comes to the opinions of men, I will have to give an account to the greatest of all - Jehovah God, the great I AM, the Alpha and Omega and so shall we all!

I am not suggesting that when I or any of us sin that we do not hurt others around us, because we do, which in itself is very selfish. That is why when we pray we are taught to ask for forgiveness as we seek to forgive others who have trespassed against us. This is how we begin learning to love as God has loved; "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16-17)

No matter what we are asked to forgive from those who have offended us, the Lord Jesus is the greatest of all, no one could ever supersede what He has forgiven, a prime example of what it means to be the greatest.

When we consider the arch enemy, Satan, the father of lies, the son of perdition or many of the other names he is known by. When we compare him to our great Saviour; the Lord Jesus is greater, He has openly defeated him. There was a time in history when all of mankind were under the rule of Satan’s authority, we all were classed as the sons of Satan; now whether we were aware of it or not, this had no bearing on the actual facts; until the greater put an end to his rule. This is what actually took place; “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” (Colossians 2:13-15)

There was a time when Satan could claim to be the greatest when it came to our slavery to sin as we were slaves to it. But the Lord Jesus has corrected that now once and for all. There is nothing that the Lord Jesus lacks when it comes to His greatness over all, Satan included.

Why then at times do I still walk as a salve and not a freeman? I cannot proclaim to have the exact formula for if I did I would most certainly be a free man and yet I am a freeman. That seems to be a contradiction, well, what makes it so, is unbelief, it is as simple as that. Why did most not enter the Promised Land? “So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.” (Hebrews 3:19)

Is my life filled with unbelief? It is or else I would not be conducting myself as I have been of the last couple of months. I seek God’s forgiveness as well as your forgiveness. My example has been a poor one, I acknowledge my faults as there are many, but one thing I am sure of is there is no one greater than the greatest of all, The Lord Jesus Christ, praise His name now and forever more, Amen!

Wherever we may find ourselves, we may be downcast; the trails of life may have robbed us of our love, our faith may have dwindled some, but one thing is for sure no one can remove hope from the equation; for while we have breath we have hope. We must look to Jesus to find life, Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone

Was heared in that He feared...

(Hebrews 5:7) “…He was heard in that he feared.”

How often, if ever, have you ever felt alone? I know I have in some measure. The Lord Jesus is most definitely familiar with this experience. Although He was alone in the Garden of Gethsemane the cup He needed to drink was His and His alone, even though those closest to Him whom we could call His favorites; Peter, James and John where asleep, when the Lord Jesus needed them more than ever, as He looked to them for comfort. He knew that His greatest trial was now upon him, He no doubt hoped that Peter and the two sons of Zebedee would stand with him and bring Him comfort or at least give Him some support. It was not to be; something’s are ours and ours alone. No one can stand in our place when it comes to our own specific trial that needs to be endured.

Let us look at our Masters great example; “Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I go over there and pray." And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me." And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will." And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, "So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Matthew 26:36-37)

We clearly see no matter how the Lord Jesus looked to position those closest to Him to help in His trial, they fell asleep and He had to face this trial alone. It was mammoth in comparison to the trial anyone one of us have to face, but the trail we face in context to who we are in our own story is colossal as we often also look to others for help. Yet, sometimes we have to come to the same conclusion it is our trail and not theirs. It is something we personally need to find grace for to overcome. These are not pleasant times and who in their right mind would welcome such a trail? And yet the Lord Jesus was given a title because of His victory though His trial in the Garden; He is not only our King but our High Priest. He earned the right, as He is no touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He has personally been there and understands our pain. Therefore cast all you care upon Him is what the scripture teachers. Why then do we battle, or rather why then do I battle so?

We know the answer it is in the text, The Lord Jesus was heard in that He feared the weakness of the flesh; however the voice of Satan like a dripping tap would have nagged away at Him, “you see those closest to you have fallen asleep”. The taunting would have continued as the Lord Jesus initially looks to avoid the trail; it is only when He acknowledges that He is meant to go through it that He finds rest and God sends an angel to minister to Him; it would appear that this angel removed His fear, enabling Him to face the temptation with a calmness that followed; “Then he came to the disciples and said to them, "Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand."” (Matthew 26:45-46)

I suppose until each of us come to the same conclusion we will remain as those who grope in the dark, never learning.

May God give us eyes to see and ear to hear in these the latter times of grace.

Signing off

Tyrone

Seasons!

God’s mercy and grace who can actual fully comprehend it. The grace of God affords the believer what they don’t deserve; in fact the sun rises on both the believer and the unbeliever. The mercy of God then keeps from us what we actually do deserve; separation from God here on earth and then ultimately hell as our final destination. Why? I could never say this enough and if you have heard it from me a thousand times it would nevertheless be worth mentioning a thousand more. The Lord Jesus Christ has made a way, praise His name. If for some reason we ever forget this, remember we are only accepted in the beloved because of what He has achieved and not on our own merit. Without the grace of God (the Lord Jesus) where would we be? You fill in the blanks!

Everything in life has its seasons, why? It is the way God has ordained it. I do not only make reference to the cycle of life pertaining to the weather patterns as we know it, but the seasonal changes for us on a personal level; “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)   

All have their place in our lives, why? They have been instituted to teach us to become more dependent on the finished work of Calvary and obviously to become more like Him in character. Sometime the thought of some of these seasons seem to send us in the opposite direction. We look to the old man and his ability rather than the grace of God, which we never deserved in the first place. This then results in lots of heartache.

As a family we got some unexpected news, my father has been diagnosed with cancer. This in itself with everything else that is going on at this time seems to be a mistake. There are no mistakes with God, He is in perfect control. It is now the time for this season in all our lives. Will we run to Christ for sustenance or will we look for strength in the old man? God help all of us to use this opportunity to unite in the bonds of love in and through the wonderful finished work our Redeemer.

If I look at my struggles of late; may I be soon be reminded of what the Lord Jesus had to go through as a man here on earth and may I learn from His example. To now find strength for my family feeling so weak in myself seems an impossible task. But I am then reminded…

“And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed.”

- Mat_26:39

There are several instructive features in our Saviour’s prayer in his hour of trial. It was lonely prayer. He withdrew even from his three favoured disciples. Believer, be much in solitary prayer, especially in times of trial. Family prayer, social prayer, prayer in the Church, will not suffice, these are very precious, but the best beaten spice will smoke in your censer in your private devotions, where no ear hears but God’s.

It was humble prayer. Luke says he knelt, but another evangelist says he “fell on his face.” Where, then, must be THY place, thou humble servant of the great Master? What dust and ashes should cover thy head! Humility gives us good foot-hold in prayer. There is no hope of prevalence with God unless we abase ourselves that he may exalt us in due time.

It was filial prayer. “Abba, Father.” You will find it a stronghold in the day of trial to plead your adoption. You have no rights as a subject, you have forfeited them by your treason; but nothing can forfeit a child’s right to a father’s protection. Be not afraid to say, “My Father, hear my cry.”

Observe that it was persevering prayer. He prayed three times. Cease not until you prevail. Be as the importunate widow, whose continual coming earned what her first supplication could not win. Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.

Lastly, it was the prayer of resignation. “Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Yield, and God yields. Let it be as God wills, and God will determine for the best. Be thou content to leave thy prayer in his hands, who knows when to give, and how to give, and what to give, and what to withhold. So pleading, earnestly, importunately, yet with humility and resignation, thou shalt surely prevail. (C.H.Spurgeon)

Signing off

Tyrone

What vessels are we?

Some things in life are a lot easier for some than others, which is the way it is. But we all have the tendency and the ability to learn, it is the way God chose to create us. Life is about learning; our existence here on earth has this objective, to learn to be obedient to the will of God. The rest is all just fill-in. As Christians we have had our eyes now opened to this truth. Some find it easier to be obedient with less destruction to their lives while others struggle along. Nevertheless God is building his church and the gates of hell shall not prevail. We must cling onto this hope with all we have; “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)

Yet with that said we must also take into account that the scripture is clear, that there is also another category of apparent believers we need to consider; there are those who say they believe in the finished work of Calvary but their lives tell a different story; “They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.” (Titus 1:16)

It would be unwise for me not to consider this warning; many may needn’t spend too much time here and praise God for their conduct and testimony. However for some of us our lives as Christians have taken many wrong turns along the way and praise God for His forgiveness or else we would be lost. We may be groping in the dark even now, but we are not lost, just battling to find our way again. It is obvious that the map is Christ and no other!

So what then is it that turns us in the opposite direction is, well obviously it is sin, the enemy of the cross. The Lord Jesus Has conquered sin, but now it is up to us as believers to believe in His finished work and to also conquer sin in our lives. The battle rages on! For us to turn a blind eye to our sin whatever it may be would be like an ostrich entombing it face in the sand to avoid a predator. Foolishness personified!  We must consider were we are on any given day, with the knowledge that no matter how many times we may slip and fall that there is forgiveness for the Christian. But we must also remember those in the other camp; “They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.” Yes we may even be number amongst them. If that be the case what is a man to do? I believe the Apostle Paul gives us the answer; “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.” (2Timothy 2:21)   

So it is the easily understood; we must look to our Saviour to put right that which is wrong, to make straight that which is crooked. It will come to pass! Just so long as we do not lie to ourselves and to God.

Father God it is almost unbelievable how forgiving you can be, time and time again you forgive me for the same sin, and there must also be others that feel rather bruised at times, it is for them I pray as I am able to sympathise with their failure. While we have breath we have hope and our hope is in none other than our glorious Saviour, you majestic Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is nevertheless imperative that we look to cleanse ourselves of that which disqualifies. For if this is our sincere will to put on the Lord Jesus, your Word is clear, we will be vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

Unto this end we do pray…

Signing off

Tyrone

  

It is finished...

John 19:30 “It is finished.”

To prosper is a want we all have had in some area of our lives. I believe we all look to prosper in one form of another from day to day. At the moment life is tough regarding income and as a freelance photographer I need to be commissioned in order to make ends meet. I have a want to work and yet it eludes me, times are tough and because of the pressures of life I find that I am uncertain how to react to my current predicament with uncertainty playing its part in my life. Doubt is alive and well and it should have died many years back. So many negative emotions still part of my life and yet when the Lord Jesus hung upon that cruel Roman cross on that hill in Golgotha, He declared which assurance and boldness, “it is finished”. It is this declaration I want us to look at…

After the sin in the garden we (mankind) were all doomed to this one particular fate, we were all born sinners. It was not a choice we were afforded, by default this was our penalty and all because of Adam’s sin. In other words we could do nothing but sin. The Apostle Paul puts it like this; “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” (Romans 7:15): - we needn’t think back very far to understand what is meant by this. The Apostle James speaks about our tongues and how we wield them and this is what he says; “So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.” (James 3:5-6)

When we were born we were all born as sinners and as life progressed we added to that account as sin played it part in all of our lives. All guilty of this one fact, without exception, that we are sinners; “as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one;” (Romans 3:10): - Therefore without exception all deserve hell! Hell a place designed for Lucifer and his angels, all those who opposed God and His rule. Now for mankind, those who do not find forgiveness for their sin in and through the Lord Jesus Christ will end up there. This is the essence of why Christ came to pay the price for sin and free those enslaved by sin and why He was able to declare with boldness; “it is finished”.

I need to find an answer to this question; why then as Christians do we still struggle with sin, if His work is finished?

What is meant by these words; “it is finished”.  The devastating accomplishment that Satan had in the Garden of Eden, where sin found life in the lives of the human race had now been reversed. Sin had been defeated by the death of the Lord Jesus on that cross. The reason He was able to defeat death, sin and the grave was because of His life he lived as a man and yet without sin. This then qualified Him for the atonement for all who would believe on Him. God’s plan accomplished in and through the Lord Jesus Christ, isHHHHis Son, and our Saviour! The shackles of sin broken once and for all; therefore when a sinner (a man or a woman) calls out unto Jesus in sincerity and asks for forgiveness for their own sin, they are forgiven and receive His Spirit and are them numbered amongst Gods elect. No longer Satan as their father but God now accepts them into His kingdom and allows the believer to now address Him as Father.

I realise I am addressing the basic fundamentals of Christianity and we should all understand this. However I am looking to probe the inner circle of our understanding as believers; why do we still wrestle with sin if “it is finished”?

This is what Paul’s gospel has to teach us regarding salvation; “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2Corinthians 5:17): - Why is he able to make this statement? Because Christ declared that, “it is finished”, with His work complete and eternal. If old things have passes away why do they still have such an effect on our lives? “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)   

Satan has not been chained, he goes around like a roaring lion seeking to devour. God has so permitted it; he is actually helping in the sanctification process. Even if we succumb to his lures far more often than we should. I honestly hate having failed so often through this process but I know that it is good for me as God is in control. Not that it is good that I fall but that I realise how much I need the Lord Jesus in my life. He is for all of His Children and He knows what is best for us even if we don’t. Let us rest in Him and the finished work of the cross. The day is coming when we too will be able to enter the New Jerusalem where this warfare would have ceased, but until then may we continue to encourage one another and constantly look for forgiveness as we are often lured away by our own wants as we take our eyes of the Lord Jesus and we forget God’s will for our lives.

Thank you for your patience Father God and I pray that you would cause the wind of zeal to sweep across the paths of all your children so that we may find the vigour to glorify your name, not only with words but by our actions. Praise the name of Jesus now and forever more, Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone    

  

  

Can a man be proud of Grace?

The grace of God in Christ is without measure, it is inexhaustible and available for all who have His Spirit. And yet life with all its challenges seems to want to rob us of this free gift. Grace is what is needed to get through any given day. For me to even again say I shall never fall would be an unwise declaration. Although my wish would be to never fall again, the truth be told if I do not find the grace needed for the particular trial, I will come up short.

Can a man be proud of grace?

“It is a curious fact, that there is such a thing as being proud of grace. A man says, “I have great faith, I shall not fall; poor little faith may, but I never shall.” “I have fervent love,” says another, “I can stand, there is no danger of my going astray.” He who boasts of grace has little grace to boast of. Some who do this imagine that their graces can keep them, knowing not that the stream must flow constantly from the fountain head, or else the brook will soon be dry. If a continuous stream of oil comes not to the lamp, though it burn brightly to-day, it will smoke to-morrow, and noxious will be its scent. Take heed that thou gloriest not in thy graces, but let all thy glorying and confidence be in Christ and his strength, for only so canst thou be kept from falling. Be much more in prayer. Spend longer time in holy adoration. Read the Scriptures more earnestly and constantly. Watch your lives more carefully. Live nearer to God. Take the best examples for your pattern. Let your conversation be redolent of heaven. Let your hearts be perfumed with affection for men’s souls. So live that men may take knowledge of you that you have been with Jesus, and have learned of him; and when that happy day shall come, when he whom you love shall say, “Come up higher,” may it be your happiness to hear him say, “Thou hast fought a good fight, thou hast finished thy course, and henceforth there is laid up for thee a crown of righteousness which fadeth not away.” On, Christian, with care and caution! On, with holy fear and trembling! On, with faith and confidence in Jesus alone, and let your constant petition be, “Uphold me according to thy word.” He is able, and he alone, “To keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.” (C.H.Spurgeon)

Wherever we find ourselves may we be quick to focus all our attentions on the Lord Jesus Christ, our risen Saviour. May all our confidence lie in Him and not our circumstance or our own abilities. Enough of what I am capable of achieving within myself, I have proved time and again that all that brings to my life is destruction. I am a new creature in Him and the time to embrace this truth is at the door, it has been from salvation, but life is there to teach us many lessons about ourselves, sure we can learn from the mistakes of others. I hope I have assisted some with the evident mistakes to my life.

However at the end of the day we will all stand-alone before our Heavenly Father and give an account of what we did with His perfect gift, Jesus Christ the Lord. How we applied His Spirit to our lives. Christianity is a person relationship that we received with no merit of our own, God who is rich in mercy afforded us the opportunity to call upon His name and only because of what Christ achieved on our behalf, redemption from sin. Although we battle with sin we are no longer guilty of sin as Christ has paid the price in full. A phenomenal accomplishment! How can we find sin in our lives and yet be free from its charge? Praise the name of Jesus!

It is now up to us to resolve in Christ to be strong in seeking out His grace. He has buckets of grace in Himself and yet it is not for Himself but for the Christian. The sole purpose of this fountain that flows full of grace from our head, the Lord Jesus, is to provide the Christian with nourishment and the ability to find strength to overcome. We will never overcome if we do not seek out His provision for any given situation.

I suppose we are asked to wrestle for it just like Jacob did, when he encountered the “Angel of the Lord” in the wilderness. That is why we are taught to approach the throne room of grace with boldness (chutzpah). It is far too natural to give in to temptation without fighting for what is right in the Lord.

Once again I will remind myself and all who now read this entry, it is all about what the Lord Jesus achieved on Calvary, may we never forget it, if we are to find grace we must focus on His victory and seek out His strength to overcome. Any other way will be like a house built on the clay and when the storm comes, and it will come, the house will come toppling down and great will be its fall.

Signing off

Tyrone

Restore a right spirit in me...

Romans 8:39 “…nor anything else in all creation…”

What would be the death of a Christian? Well, without over-philosophizing with a play on words, it would be good to keep it simple. We are taught that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God and yet we are left with responsibility as Christians…   “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): - This then would obviously cover our own inability to do the right thing as we have all been tainted by sin, as it clearly stipulates “nor anything else”, which must include even ourselves. However it is also very clear from scripture that we are accountable for our own actions; “So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12)

Both truths will certainly play their part in the life of the Christian. What is my responsibility? I must leave certain truths to the mercy and faithfulness of God, for He is just and will work out His perfect plan to perfection without any impartiality concerning His righteousness. If this was not truth all it would prove is that God is imperfect and we know that is false. He is perfect and everything He does will ultimately prove His perfection. For us then to try and humanize God with our own fickle imaginations would be a serious mistake. How could we the created ever try to teach the creator right from wrong and yet we had a tendency to do it. What mercy, patience, longsuffering, kindness, perseverance and total dedication God has for all who belong to Him. Why? Simply put, Jesus Christ the Lord! Praise His glorious and I mean remarkable name now and forever more, Amen!

Back in time God singled out a people whom He called His own, the Israelites, those born from the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But before long it was evident that sin ran rife amongst His people, no differently to its effect on all of mankind even today. But with God there can be no place for sin as He is sinless and what fellowship can light have with darkness? They cannot co-exist!

God through Moses then introduces the law, the Ten Commandments. I want us to consider the complexities of the law and those who lived under it. It must have been a time of structure with lots of rituals worked into their lives on a daily basis. This was needed so that they could find favour with God. When a sin was committed a sacrifice was required to pardon the offender. An animal needed to lose its life. It would have been a gory time, blood spilt on an on-going basis. Just pause for a moment and try and visualise this type of lifestyle. Even a woman menstruating was considered unclean under her cycle and if someone happened to touch her they too were then considered unclean. They would have been ordered to wash with water and follow a particular ritual before they could be accepted back into the fold.  

Now let us consider it from God’s perspective; He would need to decide whether or not to forgive the offender and the offence. Once a year the high priest would enter the holiest of holies and offer up a sacrifice for the people. And on occasion God would not receive the sacrifice and he would die… Until the glorious work of the cross, yes praise the name of Jesus. It is now not about whether or not to forgive, Christ has paid the price for sin and it is finished! For those found in Him, they have all been sanctified by his blood. There now are no more if’s and but’s!

With that said, how does this affect us in our daily walks? I remember as a new believer walking into a movie house and watching on Hollywood block buster. I remember leaving feeling rather vexed. Some much of what it had to say was in total opposition to who God is. But through time and because of sin once again rearing its head in my life, it is obvious that my conscience has been anesthetised. It no longer responds like it once did. However with that said, everything hinges on the Lord Jesus Christ and the finished work of the cross. There is nothing that will keep a believer from seeking out His face, NOTHING! For those who choose to play the manic–depressive disorder card or those who suffer from addiction or even when I say that people don’t understand me and I am who I am, I can’t help it. It is all a lie! Christ has overcome and our sustenance lies in Him. We must learn to call out to Him in every area of our lives. Is my conscience seared; well my glorious Saviour is capable of heightening it senses once again. Do I suffer from depression? Call upon the name of the Lord, and do not let people, sinners convince you that you are a basket case… “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.” Add to this list if need be because the Lord Jesus has conquered all!

Wherever we find ourselves, it is up to us as believers to seek out God’s face. He has and ear for His children, but the responsibility lies with the child to come and find grace to help in time of need. The lessons of life are there to teach us to become more reliant on the Lord Jesus and less captivated by our own failure. We will always fail in one form or another if our eyes shift from Him onto ourselves.

My prayer today would be “restore a right spirit in me” and I know I am heard because of what Jesus achieved on Calvary, praise His name!

Signing off

Tyrone