That nagging question

I am not sure how many of you would remember a hit by Steve Winwood, “Higher Love”, it was a song I listen to in my teens. But I want us to focus on the message behind the voice…

Things look so bad everywhere
in this whole world, what is fair?
We walk blind and we try to see
Falling behind in what could be

Bring me a higher love
Bring me a higher love (oh oh)
Bring me a higher love
Where's that higher love I keep thinking of?

Mr Winwood, his name is Jesus Christ the Lord and He has been offered to all, which was motivated by the LOVE of God. “For God so LOVED the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever would believe in HIM would not perish but inherit eternal life.” So that is the “higher love you keep thinking of”. Jesus Christ the sacrificial Lamb of God, the provision of finding that higher love you keep thinking of. Our inner voice gnawing away at our conscience, a probing to find the answer to life, that continuous silent conversation we have with ourselves, but only until the penny finally drops and everything aligns itself and we are set free, we now know who we are thinking of, praise the name of Jesus, Amen!

Think about the love of God for just a moment. That deep seated passion at the centre of the heart of the Creator of all things. The overwhelming drive of love moves God into action, sacrificing His Son to save millions doomed to hell. The children of those whom their forefathers once knew, a people so self-centred and motivated by ego at the expense of God an obvious conclusion. Rebellious to our core with no thought for the will of God, and yet, for God so LOVED, Wow! Reject God’s provision, the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God will forever elude you, it’s as simple as that. There he is Steve; “Where's that higher love I keep thinking of?” An invitation has gone out to all, it does not discriminate against colour or creed, however you must come as you are, acknowledging your sin and then confessing it before a holy God, seeking forgiveness for it and just like that, that nagging inward voice is silenced and tears will flood your soul, well that was my experience at least. The Love of God who can fathom it? The day I realised that my sin was forgiven, but not that I had only been forgiven, someone else had to pay the price for my sin, the LOVE of God! “Jesus in my place”.

Did you know love can be measured? It can be weighed in the balance of action. There are references referring to this; the Lord Jesus asks Simon Bar-Jonah, “Do you love me”? There is irritation evident in Peter response, it’s almost as if he is asking himself, why the question, Lord you know all things, surely that is an obvious realisation, of course I love you; the Lord doesn’t disagree with Peters reply, he just simple stresses the idea, then “feed my sheep”. Implying love can be measured by commitment, your action proves the argument. Love is most certainly linked to sacrifice. The Lord Jesus died on a cross, the love of God personified.  

If you love me you will keep my commandments is another instruction the Lord gives us, and this is not meant to look like the work of a yo-yo and how many of us would describe ourselves like that. How easy is the default switch triggered, where the door for the old man is allowed to surface, when a trigger allows us to lose our tempter and instead of a gentle word we lash out? The list is endless.  

“As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.” (John 15:9-10)  

Simply summed up, we are called to lay down our lives for our friends, we are to place the needs of others before our own, and we are to do it with a willing heart. The evidence is then evident, and the doubt surrounding any leading questions of our love for God abated.

HE SO LOVED it’s now our turn to respond. An impossible task without the aid of the Spirit of God, but we have His help, we now need to resolve to walk in a way worthy of our calling and find the grace to overcome.

Thank you Father God for so loving me, help me I pray love you in return in a way which pleases you, Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone

Grace and Faith

The Christian has been afforded the privilege of tapping into heavens bank. Yes bank! Did you know heaven has a bank? The storeroom of Grace is filled with an unlimited supply of what we need to get through each day. There is no need for the pensioners’ mentality, we needn’t save for tomorrow, and the supply will never run dry, so long as we approach it with boldness, in faith and driven by heaps of hope. This is a hard lesson to learn seeing that most of us have been conditioned to store up reserves for our pensions. We have been conditioned to take care of tomorrow, which is the opposite of faith. “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof”, and we know who taught us that truth. True Christianity must bring about a change in our thinking. Thank God for the instant shift, however once we move through that phase it’s all about conditioning and so our beloved brother Paul appeals to us; “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2) 

  

It’s frightening how carnally minded we are, but who can blame us? It’s the way of the world. And yet we are at fault, its no point passing the blame, we need to get on with it. True faith demands that we play by a different set of rules; it depends on God’s promises and not our ability. Faith is distributed amongst individuals within the body of Christ (the Church) according To the will of God. He gives us a measure of faith, it’s a gift from God. We can’t fabricate something we haven’t been given, that’s what the pretender does. But once we receive our spiritual gifts it's ours to use at will. We now play our part, like a cog in a wheel, we need to BELIEVE! Believe God at His Word and I am persuaded that it will be well with our souls. Once God give us a gift we take ownership and I think this is where the lines get muddled. It’s up to the individual to believe and then once we commit we need to let go and let God. It the opposite extreme of independence. “But without faith it is impossible to please God.” Faith takes us far deeper than looking to have our carnal needs taken care of, that is but a microscopic part of it. A faith that believes God when it seems impossible, is the realm we must all shoot for. We must learn from our father Abraham. This can only truly have its origin in the spiritual world. An unseen dimension that is as real as the seen, and it is guided by the WORD OF GOD. Faith defies carnal logic. It’s Christ in us the hope of Glory that must dictate. Our attitude needs to switch, the trial of life is a daily occurrences and we are to tackle each day as it happens, a hundred percent committed to the finished work of Calvary. It’s the realisation of who we are and what power we wield in HIM that we need to objectify. Do we believe that our Heavenly Father is in control? Then just maybe it’s time to start living as if we truly believe it. But do we believe it when it comes to our lives, or do we hedge our bets just in case? That is the opposite of faith which believes in the unseen, and the hope that drives our faith is also unseen but must be as real as the rising of the sun if we are to embrace the gifts of God. Triggering them has a totally different set of rules and its testing’s that figures us out, it adds so much to our makeups in Christ, praise God for His wisdom. Faith, hope and love is all beautifully intertwined, I do not see how they are to be separated if we are to truly please our heavenly Father.

What was the very first instruction given to the disciples, prior to them being sent out to share the gospel? This in itself speaks volumes if only we would see the importance of the instruction; “He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts.” Why? It’s not as if bread would fall from the sky to feed them, but rather people along the way would come to their aid without any coaxing on their behalf. The evidence of faith unfolding before their very eyes. God’s brilliance is wonderful to behold even if like Moses we only get glimpses of his “back”. Our sister Faith guides us through life presenting us with opportunities to depend on our God.

Signing off

Tyrone

Beloved sisters

Why is the order of God so important? Apart from the obvious, God is God and His will stands, period! That’s the way it is and the sooner we align our thinking along those lines the freer we become in loving Him. The Apostle Paul put it like this, “who are you o man to question God”. The power always resided with the potter and not the clay. Freewill clouds our judgement and until we understand that it’s God, our creator, who designed us with the ability to choose. Sure it is confined to certain parameters, but that is another topic for another day. Choice stands and that's why the cry went out so many years ago; “choose this day whom you will serve but as for me and my household we will serve the Lord.”

Our God is brilliant and there is nothing random about his plans. I believe everything has been meticulously plotted out even when those involve are oblivious to it all. The day will arrive for all to bow the knee and understand the brilliance of my heavenly Father and we daren’t miss the opportunities afforded on a daily basis to do our tiny part in bringing him glory. My prayer goes out for my beloved sisters in Christ, the pressure is on and just like in was in the garden you are the target; Hollywood and the like are driving the idea of woman rule. It’s not that the brilliance of woman isn’t am obvious quality to recognize, the order of God is being challenged. Defiance looking for any opportunity to conquer. This skirmish will be won by the enemy, just as Satan deceived Eve and enticed her to eat the forbidden fruit. What is the phrase he used? He said, “Did God actually say”. The truth of the matter is, it doesn’t matter what we think about any topic if it opposes the will of God. Our opinion is irrelevant, we only ever please our Father if and when we work out His will in our lives, that must be our motivation and we need to stand on the truth whenever the opportunity arrives; “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2) - Why am I not hearing a cry go out from the pulpits, do those in power not care for the sheep? Surely our sisters are very dear to us and we must arm them with the correct information. 

Sisters finding God’s order is the perfect will of God and people are resisting that just like it was resisted way back in the beginning, “did God actually say?” the answer is the Word of God is true and we need to hang on to it with all we have. We must look to please our God and bring Him glory. We have to stand out and be ridiculed if and when necessary as it doesn’t go unnoticed, God is well please when we in faith make a declaration and stand upon His truth. So here it is; “But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.” (1Corinthians 11:3) - There is a lot more on the topic. The prayer for all who stand upon the finished work of Calvary is to “defend with the shield of faith” whilst wearing the “breastplate of righteousness”. The resistance against the voice of our Heavenly Father is fierce and will become deafening as time progresses. The roles are reversing and the order of God is being laughed at as woman look to dominate.    

  

The Apostle Paul stresses the importance of God’s order and it would be good for all to sit up and play careful attention to the instruction. Look carefully, think about it and then decide if you are wiser than God and then act upon your decision. I have made up my mind, to the best of my ability I will align my resolve to His will and instruction whatever that may entail. And as that thought crosses my mind I realise how volatile I am. Everyone loves the downhill rides in life, those time when we sit back and relax as the wind blows through our hair without any effort. However those bursts seems to be diminutive and short lived. The older I get the harder it becomes. Nevertheless there can only ever be one option for mankind that will have everlasting rewards, which is, to find the will of God in our lives on a daily basis, nothing else really counts. We easily admire others who have endured hardships for Christ, but throw our lives into the mix and it’s another ball game altogether. Some areas of my life remain a little foggy, but I am working them out as I find direction in the Word of God and then look for grace to find victory. That’s what I like to believe, but how much do I actually give? Father God help me give more I pray, as it is only a fraction of my self-centeredness, forgive me.  

Whenever we put our hands up to be counted, how do we fair? Right! This then must be my conclusion, through the grind of life and the continuous dusting off of one's knees let the truth be told; Jesus the One who died in our place has paid the price for our sins, and let us cling to the WORD OF GOD with all we have, bless His name now and forevermore. Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone

The war must rage on

The grace of God is not there to hide our sin but rather to destroy it and until we settle upon this truth we will always be looking for a way to mask it. God is omnipresent, he is ever-present and regardless of all the feeble attempts we may have made through our lifetimes looking to cover the darkness that separates us from true fellowship with our heavenly Father, that annoying voice condemning our actions and the other, thankful that no one else is privy to our behaviour, or so we would like to believe.

However there is only one way forward for a Christian soldier and that is to confront the darkness head-on, it’s time to face our fears and seek out the grace needed to overcome. We needn’t stand on our strength that would be an impossible task, we stand upon the finished work of Calvary. But we also do not act as if all is well, if in fact that is far from the truth. Yes a Christian will always have his sins covered, past, present and future. The Lord Jesus Christ our beloved brother has taken care of that. But where the fox looks to destroy the vine in our minds is the sin that so easily besets.

I have witnessed the reaction we have to this chink in our armour; we look for justification to continue, a justification to excuse our behaviour, normally looking to pass the buck. A hot-headed European man would say, it’s not my fault I was born Italian, I can’t help it that I lose my temper. Wrong! A Christian is a new creature in Christ, we have armour to push on through the clash, but unless we dress for battle we will always fall. Shoot a bullet at a man’s chest and what happens? He will probably die. But slip on a bulletproof vest and he will live. We have been commissioned to put on the breastplate of righteousness. It’s only the born again Christian that has this arsenal in his closet. But we all have it, whether we wear it or not is up to us. A masochist loves pain, the drug addict loves the high, an alcoholic loves the escape, a sex addict loves the chase, a madman loves to vent, and a rich man loves the power. The list is endless, but these actions are linked to darkness and are fruits of the flesh, initiated by sin. The very thing that caused a cruel death for our beloved Saviour. How then can we as Christians continue down this path as if it is our right, God forbid! For such a long time I could never get my head around this truth, but God who is rich in mercy is able to bring his children around, praise His name, Amen! He is not only able, He will bring you around.

The next question that springs to mind would be why do I struggle so? Although we are righteous because of what Jesus has done we will never be perfect while we are in our earthen vessels. Yes we have been justified, but the war rages on. It’s how we view the war that is critical. A good soldiers must not entangle themselves with the sin that so easily besets. But to pretend that it isn’t real would be a mistake. What now? We must confront our sin, whatever they may be, although there be many, we press on to the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus our Lord. Although we will continuously slip and fall is some area of our lives, we never excuse our actions but are quick to confess our faults and to seek our forgiveness. This is the day in the life of a Christian. However when we get to heaven this will all change and we will be like our glorious Saviour. We will receive a body like His. But until then the warfare must rage and it will persist until we breathe our last.

“If a person were free from all tendency to sin, he would not be liable to temptation any longer. He would not need to guard against it. There is an evil inside us that makes us exclaim from day to day, “O wretched man that I am who will deliver me from this body of death?”” Romans 7; 24.  (Charles Spurgeon)

To those who believe and stand upon the doctrine that this verse refers to us prior to salvation I echo Charles Spurgeon’s sentiment, which is; “If a person were free from all tendency to sin. He would not need to guard against it.” Does an unbeliever guard against sin as the Christian does? The answer is an obvious one, No! How could he? He does not have God the Holy Spirit living within him.

What are we to do with this information on a practical level? We are to use the grace of God available to every believer, to squash any sin that looks to rob us of the peace of God that is our privilege to enjoy. We will never be totally free from this conflict until we are changed, the day we receive our new bodies, but fight we must and we know what is expected of us, so we are without excuse. To God be the glory now and forever more.

I am convinced that God will bring all those around who has not yet made this their own, He is capable, able and He will do it. His desire for all His children is for us to find a liberty to serve Him without distraction. This is where the His brilliance comes into play, the trial of life working together for the good of all those called according to His plan and purposes. Without it we would never learn much.   

It’s all about understanding a truth and them making it our own. “For whenever we encounter truth, it is both our duty and our privilege to lay hold of it.” (Spurgeon) 

Signing off

Tyrone

My Light

“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” David could claim this with utmost assurance, can we? It’s one thing to say something but quite another altogether to stand when tested. David stood toe to toe with Goliath and therefore has earned the right to wear the T-shirt; “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?”

Stop what you are doing and think about where we stand, then wrestle and toil with the notion of it all and before long you should understand. Deception may look to conquer but I trust the mirror will win. Faith towards God and the finished work of Calvary is the invisible tattoo the child of God has engraved on his chest and just like ultraviolet light brings hidden matter into the light so too does the trial of life achieve the same result. We have been commissioned to strap on the breastplate of righteousness. He is the great shepherd who rules by the force of love and his shoulders bare the marks of commitment where he has carried our burdens. A God who is always for his people and never against them. It’s the love of discipline that sometimes muddies the waters of our understanding. It’s the lack of knowledge that confuses. The wandering sheep is never left to their own devices, it is part of the flock and at times a shepherd would go as far as breaking a leg so that the lamb would be unable to wonder beyond the borders of his protection. Even through this act of tough love, when it was time to move, the lamb would find a resting place upon the shoulders of the great shepherd, the safest place to be. The love of God who can fathom it?

Ask yourself this question, what is my ultimate goal? I know we have been instructed to walk and live one day at a time, but why? The answer should always revolve around heaven and all its glory. A single days struggle is hard enough and we often place so much energy on the anticipated cares of tomorrow that never arrives. All that worry for nought. Today is the day for change, the day to stand up and be counted, make haste, the trumpet in near, how much wasted time has been a part of our lives. The rule of sin over us has played its part and it still looks for any gap it can find, but the truth be told Jesus has conquered sin and we stand upon his finished work. We need to be aware of who we are in Christ. Not who we are in ourselves, as people look to pass their judgments based upon our worldly standings and success. Sure, there are many benefits for the wealthy in this life, and then what? The judgment of God is coming and how thankful I am for it. We, the Christian has already been judged and our great Saviour has paid the price in full for our sin, it cost him his life, it’s time we starting talking our responsibilities seriously. It is impossible to gain muscle mass without the correct diet and intense training. Although the one takes care of the carnal, without spiritual commitment to the Spirit of God that lives within the Christian, spiritual training if you like, we will stagnate and become ineffective in a dying world. Although we cannot mix oil and water, just like that which is flesh remains carnal and that which is of the spirit remains spiritual, the principle for both world applies. We need to sit at the feet of Jesus, and yes make time in the mornings to make it happen. Get up earlier if need be, it will be beneficial, not only for yourselves but those around you.

We all have our crosses to bare and it's time we started welcoming them instead of begrudging our lot in life. They have been designed to conform us into the image of Christ, and who doesn’t want to be more like HIM? But unless we walk in the Spirit how will this ever be our reality? It may just be time to truly shift our attention onto the ONE who has the power to save. Do not be fooled for there is great power beyond the realised, behind the curtain of the natural that influence so many of us. In fact it is far worse, we depend upon it. The time for repentance is at hand. It’s time to stand upon the Rock of Ages who has been cleft for me, WOW! “Jesus in my place” at salvation and no differently when death knocks. But what about the in-between? Why do we drop the ball here? Mostly because of the sin that so easily besets and the weightiness of the cares of life.

It is time to dress for battle, yesterday has gone, in fact what has passed has passed and the only voice that needs to ring true is the voice of our God for HE is our sword and shield and he has a path mapped out for us, we need to listen for his voice as we sit at the feet of Jesus and with our ears unfabled with the clutter of this world, to then move when called upon.  

Signing off

Tyrone

War

One of the biggest question we ever need to ask ourselves is do we plead merit of ask for God’s mercy in time of need? For in us there will never be any merit that will find favour from God, sin has taken care of that. It’s only in Christ that we find justification before a holy God. The work of election was established before time began, God choose certain individuals to love Him so that through process they would learn to glorify Him and not out of obligation but all because of His love. The brilliance of my God and Father humbly boggles my mind, wow! Just to get these tiny snippets of His brilliance is rejuvenation to ones soul. The honour we have to represent has taken on a new dimension and I am forever grateful to be amongst that number. In spite of my many blunders, which plagues my mind continuously, I know that I have been forgiven, bless the name of Jesus. But now all I ask is to be like Jesus. There comes a time when we need to put off childish things, were we need to stand up and be counted. Leaving that which is behind us, all of it and seeking out the will of God for our lives with an honest integrity. 

The battle is fierce and the front lines is where the reality of Christianity is evident, not that the lessons of life do not play their part, of course they do. However it’s when we come face to face with the enemy, it is here that our spiritual senses are quickened and our mind shifts a gear heightening our dependence upon the finished work of Calvary. How small we actually are outside of HIM! I Love my Saviour with all my heart and yet I know that I have so much more to give.

It’s in this context that Paul gives us insight; “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 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. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:10-18) 

Anything that looks to disrupt a believer’s progress is the objective of Satan and his followers. We are aware of what the Word of God teaches us and every Christian applies what they are taught is some form and their minds are renewed. God the Holy Spirit plays a massive role here. But it is only when we come face to face, or more accurately voice to voice with the enemy and see them at work that we are gripped with the reality of the evil forces at play. Theory tested practically. This is where the armour of God becomes a critical part of our attire. Without it we are vulnerable and can be left somewhat confused when confrontation happens. Have you ever seen an army scout sent out to the frontlines without the appropriate gear? Dressed correctly we can stand firm; the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, shoes fitted with a readiness to bring the gospel of peace wherever needed, the shield of faith firmly strapped into place as we defend all the fiery darts fired by the evil forces who oppose our God’s rule, with the helmet of salvation lacked in position, with our swords in our hand, not the glinting metal of Excalibur but rather the WORD OF GOD as we remember the power it yields. God speaks and it happens! With continuous prayer throughout the day as we converse with our heavenly Father gaining intelligence on what is needed to get us and others throughout the day. It is to this end that we need to be alert and of service to our God and Father. Remembering our fellow workers in Christ.

God has an army and we have our part to play, God give us eyes to see the seriousness of the call place upon us all.

Remembering that as we dress for battle all the attire we are commissioned to wear is Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour; it’s all because of His accomplishments that we are of use to our heavenly Father, we are never to forget Gethsemane, lest we become puffed up within ourselves. Jesus is alive and because HE lives I live, praise HIS name now and forever more, Amen and Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone

Perspective

The journey of life is there to bring us to the place of understanding that we have been tainted by sin, we are sinners and that there is only ONE true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and that through discovery salvation is available to all in the person of Jesus Christ. The rest of our lives is but fill in, somewhat irrelevant in the greater scheme of things. We live to find the will of God for our lives, firstly as individuals and then on a collective level whereby we may be of use too others as we also help them find their way. The end game, the Celestial City, heaven with all its glory.

This morning the mercy of God has taken me to a consideration that is rather simple but we daren’t miss it. God gave certain men the platform to pen their experiences in the greatest of all books, the BIBLE. What has come to me afresh this morning is that it is imperative to have ears to hear where the Spirit of God directs. These appointed individuals give us insight into a very wonderful and precious relationship, theirs with God which in turn must effect our bond with our heavenly Father. It was always the trial of life that brought about the best growth, those particular times of hardship that honed their relationships. David possibly grew the most after acknowledging his sin, but not before sending a loyal servant to his death in order to hide it. Unfortunately for the flesh there is no other way for sin to be squashed, outside of suffering. The only question we need ask ourselves is this; am I willing to go Gods way whatever the cost? The beauty of a favourable retort to that question is that I relinquish my will and I am willing to hand it over to God. The sooner we arrive the better, for we know that heaven is waiting. 

At the end of the day who doesn’t want to hear the words “well done my good and faithful servant, enter into your rest”? Therefore whatever will aid in achieving our objective needs to be done, period! And yet there is so much clutter that always looks to get in the way, Why is that? We have been tainted by sin, but let us not overlook the mercies of God, the grace that abounds towards the believer, we are new creatures in Christ and we need to be continuously reminded. We will never be justified by what we do, we are only ever justified by what Christ achieved for us. And yet we have be summoned to walk in the light and to avoid the darkness if we are to please our heavenly Father. Who does not have this objective at the top of their “bucket list” to please God? If that is not one of our priorities, well then, sadly we have been duped into believing a lie, or even worse we are bastards and not sons and we will never make it to heaven.

Intertwined with all of the instruction to the Christian is an overarching truth that should never be missed and yet I see it glanced over as if it carries very little weight amongst believers of today; “without faith it is impossible to please God”. Faith takes God at His Word, don’t mistake magic as faith, magic is filled with deceit and there are many under the Christian banner that claim to be gifted when in fact they are nothing but liars. It’s all about filthy coinage that drives them, it’s not about pleasing God. They are not ministers of the light. Faith believes the truth of an unseen God at his Word, we study the bible in context and when we hear the voice of our God we believe and find grace in time of need to follow through with its instruction and if we fall short we seek out forgiveness, this is the life of a Christian. However combatants of the darkness look to garble the message, interference with the unadulterated message of the gospel is their main objective. They are the enemy who look to destroy, those who have fallen from grace. Whose journeys started in heaven with God, no longer friends but foe and the mêlée is fierce. It’s time we realised the severity of the battle, time to grow up and to be number amongst the saints, regardless of the cost.

Signing off

Tyrone

Confronting HIV

The depths and the measure of the love of God who can truly understand it. All I know is that I will be forever grateful.

This is my story or a few chapters of it at least...

Defiance

“Defiance” is a term that packs a punch and in the case of the masses it is a great noun which depicts a rebellion against God. It literally means; open resistance; bold disobedience. A word that could be easily interchangeable in today’s society would be “modern”. Model Family a TV program that shouts defiance with all it represents. Modern in place of obedience. Do not be fooled into believing that random exists, that would be a lie. We are either for God or against Him, period!

Defiance! It’s not as if it is a new phenomenon, from the beginning it’s a word factored into many equations resisting the will of God. Lucifer and one third of heaven's angels and then Eve in the garden followed by Adam. From there a downward spiral as we head towards the culmination of the flood. A time when the thoughts of men were consistently evil. God put on the backburner so that mankind could entertain their lusts. After the purge where only eight souls survived the earth was once again replenished, it didn’t take long for sin to once again spiral out of control. Its greatest masquerade is to appear as light when in fact it is darkness. It’s a popular thing to be cool, we are told to get with the program, get on the bus, or move out of the way because we are still leaving in the dark ages. The definition of darkness is the absences of light. God is light! In other words sin has nothing to do with the ways of God, it lives on the opposite extreme. We are fallen creatures by nature and all because of the influence of sin and the way it dictates. Exemption is unheard of, no matter how sneaky an individual may be, deep down we are governed by the power of sin. However, the Christian is now a new creature in Christ and have so many aids at our disposal, the storerooms of the grace of God, the ability to run toward the light, we have a Shepherd that has conquered sin and all its hidden snares, the Lord Jesus Christ has conquered Satan and all of sins warriors. He overcame in a body like ours, flesh and blood was his home for 33 years. He was tempted like us all yet without yielding to sin. The Christian must latch onto His victory and not focus so much on our failures and then resolve to live in the light where there is no darkness. How privileged we all are and all because of the goodness of God. A God who so loved those trapped by sin, has freed us in Christ, but let us never forget what it cost him to purchases our freedom, his life!

Defiance is what lives in plain sight and no one is willing to speak out, “hate speech” is now high on the agenda of all in power. But what of the haters of God? There day is coming and they will stand before his judgment seat.

God has preordain a plan for creation, and it will play out in accordance with His will, regardless of the opposition faced. Of this I am convinced. But how has “defiance” now looked to soften the blow of God’s will for the believer. It is the believer I address, beware of the darkness that parades as light. This is what I see as clear as day; “Christian communities” looking in defiance to contradict the Word of God. It’s one thing when the open haters come at us that is to be expected. However when the “church” begins to buckle under the pressure of sins defiance, then we are in serious trouble. We need to remain faithful unto the end, period! God is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow, so too is his Word immovable, it remains constant. 

Evolution or the big bang theory has its origin from darkness. And those inclined to lean towards that theory have already been handed over in a sense. The evidence is obvious, read Romans 1. There is only one truth that we must latch onto and that is the finished work of Calvary, which is anchored by the WORD OF GOD! There is so much paraphernalia surrounding the Christian that operates behind an unseen realm, the war behind the curtain which our carnal senses aren’t privy to, however we are instructed to walk by faith and that needs to be fuel by the Word of God, that which we can see.

Signing off

Tyrone

Sanctification

Sanctification is the means whereby we through process please our heavenly Father, it begins at salvation without the Spirit of God intervening in our lives sanctification would elude us all. Let’s say we regrettably sin and do something we know displeases our God, as a Christian what is our response to that action. It has to be repentance and if not we are literally playing with fire. Because it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Sin will always look to rob us of our standing before a righteous God. However our failure in falling prey to it can never condemn us to the point of death, because Christ has overcome. Past, present and future sins have been taken care of concerning judgment. Christ was judged on our behalf. The Christian sands guiltless before a Holy God. By far the greatest of all miracles. The beauty of the gospels power, who can truly fathom it, get their head around it and allow the brain to settle? And this is where faith plays a mammoth role in our lives; “now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” If we had to rely on our own efforts to get to heaven we know that we would never arrive. Christ was victorious, praise his name now and forever more, amen and Amen!

However the way we conduct ourselves reflects our understanding of sanctification. It’s the truth of God’s Word that brings us to a place of knowledge, accurate theology will bring with it a correct application to our lifestyles. This is the work of the Spirit of God. We must be sanctified in truth. If we miss this gem behind our journey on earth, so much time will be wasted. How many indulge an error in judgment and habitually continue down the same road? We need to understand the truth and then clinch to it with all we have, this is when we will be sanctified by the Spirit. Do not expect sanctification in our lives if we cling to error as if it where certainty. Matters of opinion do not excuse us if it contradicts the truth.

It’s not the trial of life that defines us but rather our response to it. Is sanctification evident in our lives? It’s not about what others perceive, although that is important, but rather what we know to be true.

Father God I pray please continue to sanctify me in truth and forgive me for my sins, help me understand the gravity behind it all. Make me more like my beloved Saviour.

“The Spirit of God brings to our minds the precepts and doctrines of truth, and applies them with power. These are heard in the ear, and being received in the heart, they work in us to will and to do of God's good pleasure. The truth is the sanctifier, and if we do not hear or read the truth, we shall not grow in sanctification. We only progress in sound living as we progress in sound understanding.” (Charles Spurgeon)

Signing off

Tyrone

            

Faith and Repentance

If it's the goodness of God that leads a man unto repentance, which it is! Then how does repentance work in an individual’s life, what should it look like?

Both the saved and unsaved man have a built in barometer that drives them to places of regret and eventually once they come to their senses seek out forgiveness for their folly. Let’s face it any form of sin springs from irrationality, an action contrary to God’s character who is perfect and full of light. We have a built in conscience that measures our actions and I suppose we all have a differing tolerance line for it and if we blow past that the fruit of regret germinates.

Who is it that brings a man to his senses? Well, surely that is the work of God the Holy Spirit.

Understanding the need to repent and then acting in accordance with the will of God in that area of one’s life is an ongoing daily activity, or at least it should be. Are we seeing the same grow spurt with our faith and repentance, or is the one being left way behind? We have been called to a more excellent way, the art of bonsaiing is not the way of the Christian or at least it shouldn’t be. A seed germinates and then grows in accordance with nutrients within the soil and the watering thereafter; “repentance grows as faith grows. Do not make any mistake about it; repentance is not a thing of days and weeks, a temporary penance to be got over as fast as possible! No; it is the grace of a lifetime, like faith itself.” (Charles Spurgeon)

Let these words germinate deep within the recesses of the soul, because once it has settled we can get on with the task at hand and we will stop living in the “why” and get on with the “now” with the “endgame” in sight. Repentance and faith has locked hands and they have purposed to run their course, it’s only when we breathe our last breath that their work will end. Evolution has nothing to do with the purpose of God, whatever He wills comes to pass, and this is the power He possesses. Its time we swept out the cobwebs of humanism and got on with the task at hand. We must constantly be looking in the mirror with an honest stare, confessing our sin before a holy God with our faith anchoring the process. The work is complete, it is finished we have been forgiven, Jesus has overcome, it is over! So why the need for the struggle in our lives? I believe it’s to prove our commitment to our heavenly Father, that in spite of the struggle, we will still be grateful. And obviously it’s the hardship that teaches us obedience.

I am convinced that with God everything has been perfectly positioned and even the evil we see is in the process of servicing its purpose. Because we may lack understanding highlights our defects. God is perfect and perfection lacks nothing. Once faith is no longer needed I am persuaded that we will be blown into orbit when the brilliance of God is revealed. Faith uses a different dimension to engage and repentance is the evidence behind it all.  

Signing off

Tyrone

The Scarecrow

The strawman better known as the scarecrow, the decoy used to scare off the birds and in turn produce a greater harvest. We would have to dig deep or travel far to find a better analogy to highlight the way of humanity and this leg of our journey.

Let me explain…

It would take resources and manpower to have an actual individual overseeing the crops, especially just after the sowing of the seed. The farmer’s objective to produce a healthy crop and line his pockets for the winter and the only way to do that is to set up mechanisms to achieve his goal. Someone somewhere came up with the ingenious idea, and the scarecrow was born, through time adaptations added to improve the end game. No longer a static figure but now moving with the wind to imitate the movement of an individual.

The psychotherapist seems to be the flavour of the day. We need to speak through our concerns, but before we can do that we all need to acknowledge a want for improvement. As fruitful as this technique may be, it is no more than another distraction if it shifts our focus off the Lord Jesus Christ. For He alone is the source and attention that will bank treasures for our eternities. Miss this truth and drive in our lives and the consequences are too dreary to discuss, an eternity of absolute misery will be our lot. We need to pay special attention to the ruse.   

Everything in life has been design with the same objective from the one trying to deceive. The hidden figure behind the screen, the once fallen angel Lucifer, known as Satan to the masses. The deceiver and the father of lies. The one who introduce our ancestors to sin, the action that separates our relationship with God, the creator of the universe. So to answer your questions, why is there so much devastation in the world? It is for this exact reason; the sin that so easily entraps keeps our eyes off the end game, which is heaven and all its glory. The leg of our journey that will last an eternity. The scarecrows objective to keep the birds from the seed. Satan’s objective to keep humanity out of heaven. There is a war in the heavens over the souls of men and woman. If only we could see the angels part in it all our shift would be instantaneous, we would bend the knee willingly and without hesitation. However that is not how God has chosen the leg of our lives to unfold…   

God started his creation in plain view and yet one third of the angles chose to follow Lucifer a created being and where cast out of heaven, banished from the presence of God. Mankind now call upon the name of the Lord who is hidden through the eyes of faith, who in turn broke the shackles of sin allowing the repentant believer to enjoy a union with God the Father. Removing the obstacle that kept us from Him, the brilliance of God who can fathom it? Nevertheless, everything and I mean the whole enchilada that pertains to our carnal wants has been designed as a decoy, a strawman to keeps our eyes off the end game and all because Eve allowed sin to enter in.

The trial of life has been designed to help us call upon the name of the Lord, which in turn opens the eyes of faith and realigns our sight on the “endgame”. However if the trial encapsulates us and we pay it too much attention it could become an unbearable burden playing into the hands of the deceiver. The flipside is also true, the plush luxuries of life could lead to an intensive passion to keep them alive. Do what needs to be done to live the dream which drips with sin. Even the justification we find tainted from start to finish. There is no doubt in my mind that the better place to live would be with the trial of life squeezing in and forcing us to our knees in order to find grace, the aid needed to overcome.

Did you know that God has an abundant supply of grace, a storeroom that cannot run dry? All that is left for us to do is to come boldly, with confidence, which is fortified fuel to overcome the obstacle. Praise the name of Jesus. 

Remember it is always about the end game, be on the lookout for the decoys and there are many, keep your eyes on the finished work of Calvary always looking to Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith.

Signing off

Tyrone