The last man standing

“The last man standing” mentality seems to be something that is drilled into us from a very young age. It draws strength from conforming to a worldly mind-set and then parents gloat about their kid’s achievements. The pressure is brutal! Everyone trying to outdo the other is a heavy burden where only the strong will survive, let alone be the last man standing. If this be our plight, lets us rather channel our energies correctly, not pleasing the world, but our heavenly Father.

We are to be turn from that way of thinking and put on the mind of Christ; here is the instruction…

"And be not conformed to this world." — Rom_12:2

“If a Christian can by possibility be saved while he conforms to this world, at any rate it must be so as by fire. Such a bare salvation is almost as much to be dreaded as desired. Reader, would you wish to leave this world in the darkness of a desponding death bed, and enter heaven as a shipwrecked mariner climbs the rocks of his native country? then be worldly; be mixed up with Mammonites, and refuse to go without the camp bearing Christ's reproach. But would you have a heaven below as well as a heaven above? Would you comprehend with all saints what are the heights and depths, and know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge? Would you receive an abundant entrance into the joy of your Lord? Then come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing. Would you attain the full assurance of faith? you cannot gain it while you commune with sinners. Would you flame with vehement love? Your love will be damped by the drenchings of godless society. You cannot become a great Christian-you may be a babe in grace, but you never can be a perfect man in Christ Jesus while you yield yourself to the worldly maxims and modes of business of men of the world. It is ill for an heir of heaven to be a great friend with the heirs of hell. It has a bad look when a courtier is too intimate with his king's enemies. Even small inconsistencies are dangerous. Little thorns make great blisters, little moths destroy fine garments, and little frivolities and little rogueries will rob religion of a thousand joys. O professor, too little separated from sinners, you know not what you lose by your conformity to the world. It cuts the tendons of your strength, and makes you creep where you ought to run. Then, for your own comfort's sake, and for the sake of your growth in grace, if you be a Christian, be a Christian, and be a marked and distinct one.” (Charles Spurgeon)

Here Spurgeon gives us great insight to what hat we should be wearing as we conform to the image of Christ, a help to understand the dangers when turning a blind eye to our own lusts. Wanting the certainty of heaven with all its glory and then allowing every carnal whim to be satisfied. The cry went out many years ago and I now echo it; “choose this day whom you will serve” and this is an examination we are to have alone and in our closet. The beauty of Christ’s sacrifice affords the Christian a personal relationship with their God. With constant dialogue throughout the day. It’s not as if we have a set time when we commune with our God, the way religion has impressed its ideology upon the world. Big majestic buildings with their priests as the answer. NO! We have the ability to cry “ABBA FATHER”, Jesus Christ my Lord has accomplished that on my behalf. Aww, how I love Him. And yet my actions tell the story, we cannot escape that truth. The Lord Jesus was very clear with his instruction; “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Luke 16:13)

Although this analogy is very specific as it highlights money and everything that that entails, it’s the principle I wish to drive home, which is Spurgeons point; “Then, for your own comfort's sake, and for the sake of your growth in grace, if you be a Christian, be a Christian, and be a marked and distinct one.”

Signing off

Tyrone

Meditation

Looking to Jesus the finisher of the faith; the alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He was there when the world was created and He will be there when it shall be destroyed. He has paid the ransom for all who will call upon Him. He is the only one with the keys for the escape pod. In fact He is the escape pod, He is the KEY! Without his affirmation on your behalf your end will be tragic. These are the facts as God has ordained it. “For all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved”. (Romans 10:13)

Consider the dietician, what is his purpose? Surely he is to help those willing to listen, to get the best nutrients into their bodies, which in turn would achieve their objective, a healthier lifestyle!

As for the Christian we need a similar practice…

“I will meditate in thy precepts." — Psa_119:15

There are times when solitude is better than society, and silence is wiser than speech. We should be better Christians if we were more alone, waiting upon God, and gathering through meditation on his Word spiritual strength for labour in his service. We ought to muse upon the things of God, because we thus get the real nutriment out of them. Truth is something like the cluster of the vine: if we would have wine from it, we must bruise it; we must press and squeeze it many times. The bruiser's feet must come down joyfully upon the bunches, or else the juice will not flow; and they must well tread the grapes, or else much of the precious liquid will be wasted. So we must, by meditation, tread the clusters of truth, if we would get the wine of consolation therefrom. Our bodies are not supported by merely taking food into the mouth, but the process which really supplies the muscle, and the nerve, and the sinew, and the bone, is the process of digestion. It is by digestion that the outward food becomes assimilated with the inner life. Our souls are not nourished merely by listening awhile to this, and then to that, and then to the other part of divine truth. Hearing, reading, marking, and learning, all require inwardly digesting to complete their usefulness, and the inward digesting of the truth lies for the most part in meditating upon it. Why is it that some Christians, although they hear many sermons, make but slow advances in the divine life? Because they neglect their closets, and do not thoughtfully meditate on God's Word. They love the wheat, but they do not grind it; they would have the corn, but they will not go forth into the fields to gather it; the fruit hangs upon the tree, but they will not pluck it; the water flows at their feet, but they will not stoop to drink it. From such folly deliver us, O Lord, and be this our resolve this morning, "I will meditate in thy precepts." (Charles Spurgeon)

Signing off

Tyrone

Irony

Irony is what I witnessed last night as the world flocks to cheat death. Carte Blanche an awarding winning news channel ran a piece on scientists studying the brain of a worm and making a digital clone of it and then mimicking its exact functions through a Lego Robot. Their goal to clone the human brain making a digital print of it, with the hope of that particular brain living on forever. Immortality from the thoughts of a corrupt and tainted individual. It’s as if every effort is being made with sin looking to live on, which will never happen as God has spoken and condemned it. It will live for a season and then termination will happen. So much wasted energy, if only we would just read the script and understand our role in HIS production.

Why a worn and not a human brain one may ask? They cannot gather all the relevant data as the human brain is far too intricate. Their objective; looking to slow down the process of all sicknesses as the overarching goal. Obviously classifying the aging process as a disease. The smarter people think they are the louder the laugh can be heard from heaven; he who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying…

God has spoken! Put him first and it will be well with our souls, but to try and outsmart Him is a fool’s errand. Eternity is a truth that will are all part of, it’s a slice of God’s design, and for those trying to cheat death, will be taken by it. Not once but twice; “Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:14)  

Look at the history of mankind how their lifespan has been shorten, it’s not because of Global warming or some poor dietary choices that has reduced the years we get to live in our carnal bodies. It simply because of God’s intervention. The creator dictates the outcome of His creation. There is no other hidden clues that we need to be exploring; Honour God, put him first in your lives, seek out his righteousness in and through the finished work of the cross. Acknowledge your sin, all of it, confess it, seek out God’s forgiveness and then call upon the name of Jesus Christ the Lord; believe that God raised him from the dead and then confess him as Lord and your eyes will be opened, enabling you to look into heaven through the eyes of faith. God will open them, He will do the work and you will be able to cry out in full assurance; “I once was blind but now I can see”.

The question we may find ourselves asking, is why? It’s always “why” in one form of another if we not in sync with the voice of God. Our sole objection in this life is to fear God and to seek out his righteousness on a daily basis, we will not always live victoriously, however because Jesus died in my place my sin has been paid for. He has taken the punishment for it and if that doesn’t melt a person’s heart I don’t think anything can. I know who I am and for God to offer me forgiveness is astronomical and beautiful all at the same time, THANK YOU JESUS FOR SAVING MY SOUL!

“The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died.” (Genesis 5:4-5) - Why did God shorten the lifespan of mankind? The answer is a simple one; “Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” (Genesis 6:3)  -That’s when we have the first recorded intervention of God shortening the lifespan of his creation. But we still need to know why? “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5)

The fruits of sin will live on until it won’t.

Reject God, worship the creature above the Creator which is now very obvious to see the world embracing with open arms and this will be your end; “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.” (Revelations 20:11-12) – You will stand naked and ashamed before a holy God for not embracing that wonderful lifeline, the Lord Jesus Christ and receive the just recompense for your own sin. I implore you, call upon the name of Jesus while he can still be found.    

Remember the thought of Gods opinion when it comes to the worldly wise; “Claiming to be wise, they became fools…” (Romans 1:22)

Here is the encouragement I leave for all; “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)

Signing off

Tyrone

Balance

Sometimes the trial of our faith gets us to lose our bearing, not that we are thrown totally off track, but as I have referred to on varying occasion, we need to trim our sails. How do we determine what is of God and what is from us? I mention this as it is the soul duty for the Christian to find and then put on the “mind of Christ” on a daily basis. It’s the balance in our understanding that sometimes throws us off. What is of God and what is of me, I believe if we consider the wise encouragement of our belated brother Charles Spurgeon it will help trim our sails. When we learn to apply this principle with everything we do, I believe peace will flood our souls.

 "The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon." — (Judges 7:20)

“Gideon ordered his men to do two things: covering up a torch in an earthen pitcher, he bade them, at an appointed signal, break the pitcher and let the light shine, and then sound with the trumpet, crying, "The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon! the sword of the Lord, and of Gideon!" This is precisely what all Christians must do. First, you must shine; break the pitcher which conceals your light; throw aside the bushel which has been hiding your candle, and shine. Let your light shine before men; let your good works be such, that when men look upon you, they shall know that you have been with Jesus. Then there must be the sound, the blowing of the trumpet. There must be active exertions for the ingathering of sinners by proclaiming Christ crucified. Take the gospel to them; carry it to their door; put it in their way; do not suffer them to escape it; blow the trumpet right against their ears. Remember that the true war-cry of the Church is Gideon's watchword, "The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon!" God must do it, it is his own work. But we are not to be idle; instrumentality is to be used-"The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon!" If we only cry, "The sword of the Lord!" we shall be guilty of an idle presumption; and if we shout, "The sword of Gideon!" alone, we shall manifest idolatrous reliance on an arm of flesh: we must blend the two in practical harmony, "The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon!" We can do nothing of ourselves, but we can do everything by the help of our God; let us, therefore, in his name determine to go out personally and serve with our flaming torch of holy example, and with our trumpet tones of earnest declaration and testimony, and God shall be with us, and Midian shall be put to confusion, and the Lord of hosts shall reign for ever and ever.” (Charles Spurgeon)

Signing off

Tyrone

Not my will

(Luke 22:42) “…not my will, but yours, be done.” 

It is one thing to be instructed to “put on the mind of Christ” but to find true deep meaningful application to our lives, to live and breathe the will of our glorious heavenly Father on a daily basis seems a little harder to work out. I suppose we all have our crosses to bear and we will all be taken through the paces of our particular excursions to get us there in one way or another. However if we do not learn this lesson well, “not my will but thine be done.” I believe we will remain ineffective and never reach our full potential in Christ. Please do not make the mistake so many make as they view the success of an individual’s life on their wealth and prosperity under the banner of Christianity. That will most certainly pass away, death will make sure of that. It’s our application to the call of God upon our lives and our obedience to His voice that will bring forth fruit, a reward that will last an eternity. Mistakes will be made, thankfully God is gracious, patience, kind and a loving Father and wants what is best for us. How do I know this to be true? I needn’t look far, the scars of my own body is a vivid reminder. Praise God for His mercy! Most, if not all, would have given up on me by now but not my gracious heavenly Father.

    

I can fully comprehend what the will of God implies as the general overarching principal for us, his creation; THE WILL OF GOD, PERIOD! And He will have it play out in accordance with His will, Period! These are the facts and I believe it to be true with every iota of my being. The world, Satan and many others who look to thwart God’s will and His plan will end up tasting HIS WRATH, PERIOD! This is the way it will finish; “And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15) – If your name has been penned into the book of Life, not for a single iota do I believe that the Spirit of God would allow you to turn a blind eye to the “will of God”. There will always be a constant nagging voice in the back of your mind even if you tried to shut Him out and live a life of “your own will”.   

By the grace of God that part of my understanding has been settled as it has been cemented into my consideration, its figuring out how I fit into that plan that’s the most difficult part of my day. There are some obvious truths that must govern our days. Seeking out God’s righteousness”, trusting the Word of God, relying on the finished work of the cross. But to truly know God’s will for my life when the pressure is on, is a heavy burden to bear. In my little world that is. To be privileged to share in Christ’s sufferings is enough.

When a man lacks sustenance and food is scarce, what should he do, does he steel just enough to survive. Does he beg, or does he endlessly beat the drum seeking out work that never seems to arrive? Does he sit and cry out unto Jesus until a bird arrives with food in its mouth? These are the pressing questions of the day. As ridiculous as this may seem to some, it’s only once we make the will of God a priority for our lives that these types of questions press home with a vengeance. So much of our energies have been wasted on the wrong passions, which in turn have meniscal reward in comparison to what will be ours if we are driven by the will of God. If only the penny would finally drop, how differently we would conduct ourselves.  

It really can only ever be about the will of God and the sooner we learn this lesson the better. Now it’s about working out His will for my life which I must and will search out with due diligence.

To my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, if you have it on your heart please pray for me, I would truly enjoy a clear voice with the right doors to open in this area of my life. However, “not my will but thine be done”. The rest is just noise and static looking to interfere with my obedience to Christ.  

Signing off

Tyrone

Abomination

Abomination is a word of great description, it does not leave the hearer guessing and it is a word used rather often throughout the scriptures. Especially under the Law, the First Covenant and then again throughout the rest of the Old Testament. A word used to depict God’s sentiment concerning a particular topic. His view on a matter…

I am beginning to understand and echo King Solomon sentiments as my awareness is deepening concerning the importance of pleasing God. To have a good standing with the judge is imperative for He is the one that will determine an individual’s eternal outcome. As the judge He will adjudicate the sentence, our response to His instruction will be on trial. Of course it’s the Lord Jesus’ sacrifice that will free the saint from eternal damnation. However, what we must pay particular attention too, is how we conduct ourselves with this glorious gracious gift God has given us, the LORD JESUS CHRIST!

The war is fierce, if only God would open our eyes and show us the unseen just for a second. I believe we would all live totally different lives but the probability of that happening is highly unlikely; we have all been called to a walk of faith, a centre piece to God’s script. And “without faith it is impossible to please God.” This is a crucial part to the puzzle that must grip our hearts and where the charlatans have twisted the frail’s understanding on what that truly means. Simple put it’s to learn to apply the Word of God to our lives. It not about self-indulgence, that’s the lie and anything else that revolves around that type of emphasis.  

Death and then the judgment; life and then the sentence or life and then the reward. We will all end up in one of those camps. With eternity fronting our existences. How often do we ever address the truths behind these facts? Have you ever wondered why the masses shy away from this very important topic? It is never discussed. Satan and his combatants look to instil a dearth concerning the topic of eternity, lest some find the answer to life, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and the only true Messiah. There is no other way to find favour from the eternal Judge. Whilst the Lord Jesus walked and talked with the masses some two thousand years ago whilst alive on planet earth he was ask a question; Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” (John 14:5) – Here is the critical response that needs to grip our hearts if we are to eventually find favour from the Creator and Judge of the universe. Ignore the Lord Jesus’ advice at your own peril and the cost of eternal doom and gloom; “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”” (John 14:6)  

  

This life is all about finding a knife sharp enough to make the cut, choose the wrong knife and sadly the consequence will be unbearable. Repent, turn to Jesus and find life, without his covering we will all be bundled into the same sack and eventually cast into the Lake of Fire. Every effort outside of what the Lord Jesus Christ achieved on behalf of the repentant sinner when he paid the price for sin and he took on my punishment as well as the punishment for the sins of the world. Reject his sacrifice on your behalf and regardless of what you attempt to do from an ethical and moral perspective it will only ever remain in the sack of abominations doomed for the Lake of Fire. A very hard pill to swallow if the eyes of your understanding haven’t been opened to this truth. Society has been so hoodwinked by the “strawmen” of our lives it pains me so. If only we would all be shocked into action truly looking out for one another, regardless of the cost, as I can assure you that the so called pleasures of this life will be of no comparison to the bliss the Christian will experience in heaven. However until the penny drops, nothing will ever change in our lives. Our understanding needs to be awakened, I pray that you would be merciful Father God and give us a deeper understanding so that we may live different lives and be pleasing to you in effecting the rescue of those we encounter along the way. It is the goodness of God along that saves, and yet he has chosen the foolishness of preaching to bring salvation to the repentant sinner. We cannot remain silent, speak out as it may just save someone from eternal damnation.

Send this message on to those whom have no yet understood or turned the corner.

Signing off

Tyrone

"Position"

Position! We all have one regardless of the topic and even claiming to be neutral is a position that we cannot claim exemption on. Even if allowance is made for exemptions, that in itself is a position. Even the neutral spot on a car's gearbox has its position, it doesn’t propel the car, but it has its purpose, to keep the car idling.

Why do I highlight the point? When simplified, it’s all about the “Position” on where we will land on the other side of this life. We all have souls and they will be ushered into eternity, a spiritual life without end. Whether we concur or not is irrelevant, for God has so ordained it, period! We are His creation and we do not have the power to reverse the process. Try as we might, it will result in futility!

So many take their stance with this mind-set, “that we are masters of our own destiny!”, and yes that is a “position” which will have its result. Did you know when they crucified the Lord Jesus Christ on the Hill of Golgotha that there were two criminals positioned either side of him facing the same sentence, death by crucifixion. Both guilty of sin. They had transgressed the law, they had taken a “position” to do something that caught them out and found them wanting. They chose to steal something that did not belong to them, caught, and then charged. However, whilst facing imminent death next to my glorious Saviour, they both took a different “position” on what they needed from the Lord Jesus. The one was all about this life, “stealing”, to keep him alive, whilst the other realised his error and was now looking to invest into eternity, seeking out forgiveness for his sins. Praise God he found it; “And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”” (Luke 23:43)


What is your position when it comes to your life before a holy God, how do you stack up? What is your stance? Is it all about the here and now? Or are you looking to invest into your future? Is your priority to find favour from the only true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? If so, then the only way this can ever be accomplished is in and through the Lord Jesus’ forgiveness and it cannot be earned in any other way. All you simply need to do is acknowledge that you have offended God, by not putting Him first in your life and then to admit your sin asking the Spirit of God to expose it for what it actually is, to help your mind understand the gravity of it and finally to ask the Lord Jesus to forgive you.


Having read this you will now take up a position on the instruction, how will you respond? Where does your treasure lie? Are you like the man on the left or the right of the Lord Jesus? Remember to give this some careful consideration, your eternity depends upon it.


Signing off


Tyrone

Power

God has it in his power to speak obedience into to something that is dead, obviously His entire actuality revolves around this truth. God is in the business of bringing forth life. This is the introduction we are given about him, God “said” and it happened. This is such a powerful introduction into the Character of the creator and its design to grip our attention right off the bat. If we have ears to listen, we will understand that nothing exists without God’s permission. It’s when we start to deny God as the creator that we begin to spiral away from Him and into a hurt of pain. It is the greatest of all clues; honour God and HIS creation as it belongs to His curriculum vitae and no one else has the right to make any such claim, if a person lies it makes them a liar, in this case we have an influx of organisations and religions that oppose God as the true creator of the universe confirming that they are liars. God affirms that he cannot lie; “in which it is impossible for God to lie”. God cannot lie, it is outside of his character, sinners lie, those defected by the deceiver. God is perfect and there is no improvement to be made on perfection. “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48

This brings us to the very first point in the “our Father” prayer; “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” It is imperative to give him His due benevolence. What is God’s will for mankind? When we pray it’s normally about our will and our wants, we want our reward and God wants his, to be hallowed and honour as the creator, the one in perfect control. Why is it that we ask so many question? Is it not because we do not have the answers. Therefore it is prudent not to challenge the One who is perfect. Our journey is to teach us the will of God, this is our primary objective. In hindsight as atrocious as my behaviour has been over the years, I am starting to understand the beauty of it all. Not that sin could ever have any beauty attached to it, as it is an abomination before a holy God but the way in which God uses our own folly to bring us to our senses. The timespan for an individual to learn HIS lessons well is our lifetime here on earth. That is it! I pray that you have all already worked this out or at least in the process of understanding. 

What is the first thought on our minds in the morning, is it singing praises to God or is it overrun by the cares of this world? Only the Spirit within can truly answer that question. God knows but so do we. We cannot speak for others but we can certainly speak for ourselves.

The drift and the shift from the voice of God is predominant and the world is falling fast. Even so come quickly Lord Jesus, Amen and Amen! Even our consciences are being challenged from an external entity. The forces of darkness believe that their day is near and the feeding frenzy is close and yet there is much work to be done, the hour of Satan’s reign is just around the corner. Who will stand up and be counted. The Christian needs to put on the mind of Christ, all that really means is to think with his mind-set. We need to trust the Word of God, the Lord Jesus did; even to the point of death. Death will be required from some when that day finally arrives and I wonder if we are to be number amongst those privilege few. God knows! Just a reminder as it boldly presses to the forefront of my mind that “without faith it is impossible to please God”.

Trust and obey is our instruction…

Signing off

Tyrone

The Arrival

Some very favourable reasons why the Christian presses towards the mark of this very high calling from God…

"The city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it." (Revelations 21:23)

“Yonder in the better world, the inhabitants are independent of all creature comforts. They have no need of raiment; their white robes never wear out, neither shall they ever be defiled. They need no medicine to heal diseases, "for the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick." They need no sleep to recruit their frames-they rest not day nor night, but unweariedly praise him in his temple. They need no social relationship to minister comfort, and whatever happiness they may derive from association with their fellows is not essential to their bliss, for their Lord's society is enough for their largest desires. They need no teachers there; they doubtless commune with one another concerning the things of God, but they do not require this by way of instruction; they shall all be taught of the Lord. Ours are the alms at the king's gate, but they feast at the table itself. Here we lean upon the friendly arm, but there they lean upon their Beloved and upon him alone. Here we must have the help of our companions, but there they find all they want in Christ Jesus. Here we look to the meat which perisheth, and to the raiment which decays before the moth, but there they find everything in God. We use the bucket to fetch us water from the well, but there they drink from the fountain head, and put their lips down to the living water. Here the angels bring us blessings, but we shall want no messengers from heaven then. They shall need no Gabriels there to bring their love-notes from God, for there they shall see him face to face. Oh! what a blessed time shall that be when we shall have mounted above every second cause and shall rest upon the bare arm of God! What a glorious hour when God, and not his creatures; the Lord, and not his works, shall be our daily joy! Our souls shall then have attained the perfection of bliss.” (Charles Spurgeon)

I would like to add that amongst the bliss of it all the Christian shall be equivocated as a son of God and that absolutely blows my mind. To hear the Almighty confess and acknowledge me as his son just sends my mind into orbit. It almost seems a stretch to far. However, the brilliance of Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour has made this a reality to all who will bend the knee and endure these earthly hardships that we must face. It is for our benefit. It is the very same individuals that will be amongst that number, where God will acknowledge them as his sons. Mind blowing stuff, wow!

Then there is this truth that could never be fully explored which God has in store for those who love Him; “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) – And yet we know so much about God already because we have His Spirit who leads us into a deeper understanding of our great heavenly Father's persona and what is required from us. Without Him we would be blind as bats searching for mystical sonic booms from the depths of the universe, hoping to make sense of it all, just like the majority of the world’s population. The gift of life has been offered to all and so few embrace it, oh how this world and its trickery has engulfed the massive. It saddens my soul, in fact such an intense burden about this now confronts me. 

What is it that drives you? Look in the mirror and it won’t be long before the truth to your existence will be exposed for what it truly is. My prayer would be that we would all be gripped with the reality of the Word of God and trust it for our lives most certainly depends upon it. We may get away with what we believe to be a life full of bliss as we pursue our worldly dreams, but that day will eventually run its race and then the door to eternity shall peel back and our eyes will see life for what it really is, let us not wait until then to say “if only”!

Signing off

Tyrone

Meditation

Once again I sit at my desk in the early hours of the morning traveling my thoughts under the direction of others who has gone before me. Spurgeon a man amazing gifted by God with so much God given understanding it would be rather imprudent not to pay special attention to his writings. However, it can never only be about the view of others, ultimately it has to be about our journeys and how we are hopefully progressing and not regressing…

Do our lives depict “Jesus in my place” as our centrepiece? Is the Christian continuously looking to weed out the sin that so easily besets? What is your thorn in the flesh? I most certainly know mine and I continually look to Jesus to find victory in these area of my life. It is a very painful process and I pray continuously to have it removed so that I may be freed up from any guilt to honour my heavenly Father.

 It is an incessant struggle with such a long way to go when I bask in my Saviours glorious example; “not my will but thine be done”. I seem to always be beating the same tune, “let this cup pass from me” and when it doesn’t I succumb to the temptation. It is tiring facing certain ongoing trials but I am convinced it is what is needed for me or anyone else who can relate to the voice of God in the lives. I must learn to work out the will of God for my life. In fact there is nothing we face as Christians that isn’t tailor-made for our benefit. And yes, even the loss of a child or a terminal disease must eventually draw us closer to our Heavenly Father. There is nothing too steep for the Christian to climb, so long as our eyes remain fixed upon the finished work of Calvary. Our passage must encapsulate faith in God as the pivot to our lives, if not, life will become unbearable; did you know? “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

It’s only when we lose focus, when our hope fades, once again willing us to walk in unbelief that life becomes unbearable, with sin once again dominating most of our decisions; but thankfully when we are brought back to our senses and God has mercy on us as His Spirit wills us to seek out His forgiveness. These are the moment of “putting on the mind of Christ” and the only way we will find true repentance is to own our actions and then to repent. It not as if we now need to execute the ritual of sacrifice. Our great Saviour has paid that price; "he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption." (Hebrews 9:12)

As a child I remember playing on the merry-go-round, a wheel that spun on its own axis. Always trying my best to get it to spin faster, stay on it long enough and you were bound to feel rather dizzy and nauseous. Nevertheless as a child it was part of the experience but there must come a time in our lives when we learn to put off childish things; “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.” (1Corinthians 13:11) 

Sin seems pleasant at first but too much of the same thing becomes insipid. The sooner we learn to put on the mind of Christ and sincerely cry out “not my will be done but thine be done” the quicker we will complete our journey and have our reunion with our God and Saviour in heaven and see them in all their glory, wow! What a day that will be.  

To work out Gods will, to truly understand what is require from us as individuals and then as a family of gathering saints to live for each other, is high on the agenda for the first leg of our journey. My prayer this morning is “restoration”, whatever that entails for us on an individual level we must forgive others regardless of the imminent and ongoing hurt, we pray, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others”, has the penny dropped or do we believe that Christianity should be a one-sided affair? It’s all about what we can get from God, but very seldom about what we can do for Him. Forgiving those who have offended us is in the circle of God’s will for our lives. We must be captivated by the fact that our journey on earth will eventually end and then the door to eternity will become as apparent as the rising of the sun. Our souls will reap the rewards of our obedience to God’s call upon our lives, nothing will or could ever be more important. God give eyes to see, praise His glorious name now and forever more, Amen and Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone

An Imperative Consideration

“Hating even the garment stained by the flesh.”

Summing up what is needed to arm the Christian when he wipes the sleep from his eyes. A daily practice that should be so ingrained in their routine that when it is not acting out they feel uncomfortably naked when they ort to be fully clothed. At least this is the prayer I have pleaded with my heavenly Father to instil into my soul so that I may act upon it with diligence. To live a life filled with so much rebellion, to be led about by the deceitfulness of the flesh for such a long time in so many differing areas of my life. In hindsight it is rather mind boggling and regretful, but thankfully by the grace of God to be brought to the door of “Hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” And then not only to stand in front of it but to knock crying out to Jesus to excavate my understanding, to take me deeper, to see life’s journey and the manipulation of it for what it essentially is. We all have regrets, however as long as we are brought to a place of understanding and then find the grace to look to Jesus to apply what we have learnt glorify God our heavenly Father, bless His name now and forever more, Amen and Amen!

Here is the provisos and without it we will miss this very important lesson Jude looks to ingrain into our mind-sets; Until we see the destructive landscape of our fallen natures, the sin within looking to steer our rudders away from the will of God, until He steps in and blesses us with His Spirit we will have no clue of the seriousness of our predicament. As wonderful and gracious as this unmerited act of God’s kindness is, never to be diluted, God is merciful and full of love. We need to traverse deeper and it’s the step after this that I wish to explore with serious consider; until we look in the mirror and understand that we are the ones that needs changing, change will elude us.

We must own our own sin, eyeball it and cry out to Jesus with an urgency as our life does depend upon it, until then we will always make excuses for our actions as we seek out justification not only from within but also from others who share our sentiments. I have been gobsmacked over the last months to see how fast the spiralled downfall of mankind is gaining momentum. The Word of God twisted and shredded for the gain of self, sin personified! It is one thing to struggle against the lust of the flesh owning the transgression, but quite another altogether when sin is tarred with the brush of “love”. “Love conquers all” – yes it does! It is what is needed to embrace the gift of God and to find repentance for any action contrary to the Word of God and obviously His will. They are one and the same. God can’t and will never contradict His Word. He is truth and everything which opposes His voice is a liar and from the source which originates from the pit of hell. True faith looks to embrace the Word of God and then to work through whatever is needed for us to live victorious lives in Christ. No one has ultimately arrive, we fight on, but may we never lie about the wickedness of sin. God help us all to see sin for what it really is, the enemy of God. 

Even though our fallen natures have been designed in such a manner that our consciences often point us in the right direction. The way society on a whole is being manipulated and sadly beginning to consider some serious atrocities as acceptable and in some cases commendable, when in fact it is contrary to the WORD OF GOD. The days of comments like, “I’m only human” or “but I am not as bad as the murderer or the rapist” and the like is often used as a “get out of jail card”. It seems to have digressed; it now not my fault I am who I am and therefore not responsible for my own sin. Although this may only ever excuse an individual from their own judgment. It will never exempt them from that eternal sentence that God will inflict on all, the Lake of Fire, if true repentance is not sort out with a sincerity that can only ever come from the Spirit of God.

Until this penny truly drops we will never hate that which is an abomination to our Father, His love compelled Him to be merciful, so much so that He was willing to sacrifice His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, so that we could find rescue. God never promised escape outside of repentance. You cannot expect to be covered by the love of God on your terms. That will never play out favourably. Without true repentance, salvage will elude all, the Christian has been rescued and their names have been scribed into the book of life; without this penned entry the Lake of Fire is a person’s final destiny, period! Please I beg all to give this very serious consideration. God’s love is encapsulated in his Son Jesus Christ, reject Him and you will experience the wrath of God. The Bible is clear on this…

I now appeal to all those who have tasted that the Lord is gracious. So there was a time in your life where true repentance captivated your soul, you repented and confessed Jesus as Lord, believing that God raised Him from the dead. What a glorious day that was and life began. Before that wonderful day it was as if you walked around with blinkers, blind to the truth of it all, and then one moment in time, true enlightenment actualised. Wow! What a day that was and I remember it like yesterday. Now I could cry out “once I was blind but now I can see”. It was a period filled with jubilation, long before life and its challenges looked to press in and rob me of the undeniable joy I wore with glee for the entire world to witness. Anyone and almost everyone heard about my understanding that Jesus Christ the Lord was and is the answer and that He has such a massive heart, willing to save all those that cry out to Him. There has never been anyone else like Him, what a glorious Saviour. In high sight even though He sees our journeys from start to finish and being able to eagle-eye the many blunders I have made, HE was still willing to save me and for this abundant mercy fill with such love I will be forever grateful. We do not know what tomorrow holds but he does he has already seen it unfold, this is why it is so important for us to live one day at a time. Anything more than that will be far to overbearing. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34)  

Then the cares of this life started to present themselves with great inevitability. Do you recall? What now? This then is the real test for the Christian, their journey and how they handles those decisions along the way. But more importantly what they learn from them, applying it to their lives. Everyone across the globe has a similar outlook on life looking to learn and apply. However the Christian has what they don’t; we have the Spirit of God, we have an understanding that eludes them and they are blind to it. Everything that feeds our minds must now come from the source that is full of life, the Spirit of God and how to embrace Him, which has been penned into the Bible, the written Word of God is that glorious river which nourishes the soul. When the Spirit within eliminated that which is written to our understanding, it’s these moments that I wish to address with seriousness. Has our journey brought us to a place of understanding or have we become dull of hearing? Regardless of the knocks you have taken along the way, or the times God had to bring you to the brink of death to wake you up. The answer is a simple one, “to him who overcomes”! A lesson learnt, is a lesson correctly applied.  

Having said that never lie to yourself that our sin will be overlooked as it is very offensive. God hates sin! Yes, you heard me correctly, He hates it, and sin is an abomination to Him as it looks to challenge His character. It is everything He is not. We have been instructed to resist the devil and then we are taught that “he will flee from you”, but as far as the volatility of out flesh goes, we are to flee from it, especially in the weak areas of our lives. We must avoid those traps at all costs, if not we will surely act upon our weakness and sin against God. This is how Spurgeon puts it; “The devil I am to resist and he will flee from me, but the lusts of the flesh, I must flee, or they will surely overcome me.”

   

With these considerations in mind let me take us back to my initial thought. When I wake up what do I want from my understanding? The very first inkling or word out of my mouth must be to praise my heavenly Father, regardless of the topic, praise must be eminent. From there whatever the Spirit within prompts you to consider, meditate upon it and then to find confirmation by the WORD OF GOD (flipping through the Bible) to ensure that you have captivated the correct understanding; that will drive us in the right direction towards the light of God and not from it. The Christian is to never forget that there is an enemy that goes around like a roaring lion seeking to devour the children of God or rather to mislead them, to deceive is one of his greatest weapons. But if God is for us who is really the threat? We must keep our eye fixed upon HIM as we diligently seek the Spirit’s help in changing the way we process information, it must always, or as often as possible be about the will of God for our lives. This is the lesson of life and we must learn to apply it well and the rest we have been taught and conditioned to believe will run its course. Then the doors of eternity will open for all. There will be no more ifs and buts, it will be too late for some. Let’s make sure by the grace of God that we are not amongst that number.

Signing off

Tyrone