Holiness

In this day and age and with so many voices screaming for attention it would be good to turn the dial and neutralize the static. Where should we begin? How about our thoughts. After all, when we strip it all down, it’s all about us, isn’t it? Me, myself and I! As harsh as that may sound, most of the time it’s our reality. At the end of the day our lives are constantly adjudicated whilst we judge others and excuse ourselves, hoping that we will appear better than others to our fellow judiciaries. This mindset is what certainly drives our hearts and minds, we are consumed by the need to be accepted. And as I’ve told you in the past and emphasis this point. “Let God be true and every man a liar”. Why is this so important for us to grasp? If I strip away all the expository peaching (the correct way to unpack the interpretation of scripture - line upon line and word for word in context) which explains this truth in depth we are left with a simple phenomenon, God is holy and we are not. We have been corrupted by sin and he knows no sin. In other words we have been influence by sin. The Apostle Paul makes a brilliant point; “For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” (Romans 7:14-15) – If we examine your own hearts and ask ourselves; how often have we known to do good but somehow found justification to stay our hand? Or found ourselves acting out leaving regret… God has none of that influencing him, those types of pressure have no impact on him. It would be something like you trying to fill a bottle with the lid locked in place, impossible! Now see the lid as a covering over the virus of sin. Break the cover and it is no longer airtight. Allowing sin in, break the seal once and sin is then able to influence our daily decisions. Now to see whether we have been effected by sin ask yourself this question, have you ever told a lie? If the answer is yes that is proof that you are a sinner and have been infected by the virus of sin. No different to any other virus, once you have it, you have it. So what do we do when we get sick, we see a doctor, right! God has never been influenced by sin nor can HE ever be. Satan on the other hand is the father of lies and proof that he too has been influenced by sin. “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44) – Therefore we must conclude that sin is the breach of holiness. Therefore God is holy and we are not! This is why we can say with assurance “let God be true and every man a liar”. I trust you now understand the difference.

How do we now break the shackles of sin over our lives? On our own it is an impossible task, why? Because we have been effected by the sin virus. In fact we have all been born as sinners and all because of one man’s sin, Adam! Than is another topic for another day. Remember to ask yourselves have you ever broken one of God’s laws, the answer for all is obviously we have and are guilty as charged.

We need a doctor of sorts to help us with our predicament and because God is love he has come to our aid. There are very few if any who hasn’t heard of the Lord Jesus’ exploits, how he lived as a man under the yoke of sin and yet without every succumbing to the traps of sin. He alone achieved this. Quite a mind blowing achievement when we consider how easily we are sway by the power of sin. HE DID IT! And then he died to free us from the sentence that sin has over us all, death and then the judgement. The only way to escape the judgment of God is to be found NOT GUILTY! So, how is that possible, is it even possible? IT SURE IS! Kapow, enter the Lord Jesus… “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) – It’s now up to us as individuals to make a decision, will we look for the love of God in our lives so that we will not be found guilty on Judgment Day? Will we believe on the finished work of the cross and call upon the name of Jesus to save us from our dilemma? That is an individual’s choice, but here is what we need to do… “For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”” (Romans 10:13) – finally, God’s love sent his only begotten son to died and pay the price for sin, to squash its power and the need for believes to be judged as sinners.

How? Jesus was judged for sin and he was only able to achieve this because he never sinned. He was not a sinner like us. All of our looming judgement was place on him, if you understand the law a person cannot be tried for the same breech twice, which is known as double jeopardy. Therefore, we need his covering, look at the text of John 3:16 and how it has been worded, there is a condition attached to the love of God, we must believe on Him and what He achieve in full, his death, burial and his resurrection in order to find eternal life. “That whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Do not except to be saved and covered by the love of God if you are not willing to embrace the full story, it’s as simple as that. Reject the love of God and you will face HIS judgment and end up in the Lake of Fire with the devil and his angels; “and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (Revelation 20:10) - Do you see how the masses have been swayed by so many differing voices and why we have so many differing religions and philosophies, it simple! Through DECEPTION!

 

I trust you now have enough informed information to make a wise choice, however the choice remains yours.   

But know this, we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, no one will escape that day.

 

Signing out

 

Tyrone 

Eyes to See...

 

Reflections must play a pivotal role in our lives if we are to have any hope when it comes to finding true repentance. And yet I also realize that without the Holy Spirit’s intervention in our lives this too would remain distant. There would be no need to reflect but to rather accuse others whilst excusing ourselves. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)­­­_­­

This is a great tragedy, but before we can truly dissect who we are, it is pivotal that we build upon this truth; “Let God be true and everyone else a liar.” – “By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.”  (Romans 3:4)      

Before you read on, decide where you stand, you are either willing to place the intellect of man and their persuasive arguments in highest regard or have you decided to stand on the Word of God, the Bible as your final authority? As for me and my household, even whilst some may be flirting with death and the influence of those under the spell of the evil one, I will serve the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to the best of my capability. SO! This is where I have landed, when my mind begins to rationalize above the confirmation of scripture I conclude that I am wrong and God is right, period! Even if I don’t understand. Never wrestle with a truth from the Bible at the expense of the world’s voices. Always go to the Bible for answers. The remedy for being centred isn’t Yoga, but rather allowing yourselves to be read by the Bible. Let me emphasis my point; when we read the Bible it actually reads us. It’s a phenomenal stroke of genius that God has afford mankind, such a privilege. We read about someone else and we know the reference is not only on them but on us, it is a yardstick to keep us in check. Our God has given us a book that maps out how to get to Him, a detailed trove of treasure. Wow! How good is our God?                                                                                                

It is easy to say something but something else altogether to live it. Hypocrisy dominates the world’s population. We are back to the state of our hearts, we excuse ourselves but are very quick to accuse others.

 

Therefore always remember to put the will of God our Father above any voice or fad that you may encounter, if not you are only even asking for a world of hurt. And sadly sometimes it’s the only thing some of us ever respond too.

 

Signing off

 

Tyrone     

 

Distractions

 

Life is filled with so many distractions; although we partly know how to walk in the Spirit and understand that this is what keeps our eyes fixed on the ultimate goal; to be like Jesus… there will always be something that looks to justifiably distract. Psychologists looking to uncover past sins as our problem. But like most half-truths, it only gives us enough truth to embellish lies as a way of life. A cleverly design trap from the underworld. No doubt one of the reasons the Lord Jesus felt it necessary to halt any doubt around mystical theology, “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  

When it comes to walking in the light, there can only ever be one way and one truth which unlocks the door to the right side of eternity. He is a person, the Lord Jesus Christ. It not a necklace with a cross or a wooden statue that hold any power, although it may be symbolic it’s the person of the Lord Jesus Christ who wields all the power. It’s through Him alone that we are ushered into the Fathers presents. The One who has the final say on all things, the creator of the heavens and earth, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Any other opposing message is a trap of darkness! These other snares enmesh our carnalities into believing lies as a justifiable way to live, communications that allow our selfish wills to get away with murder, when in fact we have been duped. I surmise this is why faith plays such an important part in the Christians life, God has so willed it. It leaves us trusting in another and not ourselves. An undeniable position of carnal (natural) weakness. Every Christians that truly puts their hand to the plough will learn to walk by faith, for they will soon tire if they continuously kick against the pricks or put another way, repeatedly swim against the current. The Bible is the final authority when it comes to literature and God has so ordained it. 

The Bible is full of instructions, it is truth, full of light and we need to heed the full council of the scriptures. It reveals the character of God. Impossible to achieve if we take our direction from any other source, as it leaves us with worldly ideas, resulting, in us walking in the flesh, there is no darkness in the Spirit of God, just as there is no light in the underworld! Our problem; we often see our tainted efforts and the works we do as good! A classic phrase; “I deserve so much more” or “I deserved to be loved”. Really!

Let’s break this down… Why do we deserve to be loved is a question we must find an answer too and we need to ask ourselves the right questions in order to unlock certainty.

·         Do we honour our heavenly Father as our eyes open from the slumbers of sleep and cry out “hallowed be thy name”?

·       Do we truly make a practice of seeking out his will each and every day of our lives?

·       Do we look to him in faith to sustain our bodies with the nourishment that it needs to survive? Or have we got that covered?

·       Do we unpack our actions and our thoughts as we contemplate our sin on a daily basis and then confess it to our Father seeking forgiveness for our waywardness? And once we have concluded that excises are we quick to forgive those you have offended us?

·        Finally are we motivated to walk in the Spirit seeking out the will of God each and every day of our existences as the priority to our lives and without exception as we put others before us?

 

If our conscience is clear on all of the about then we may be in a position to want to sit at our Fathers feet making a claim of “I deserve!” But then we will quickly be shown the scarred hands and feet of our glorious Saviour, The One who died in our place and for our Sin. He is clear of all of the above, he lived a life without sin and therefore the only person who can claim “I deserve to be loved”. Bless his name now and forever more, Amen and Amen!

 

Signing off

 

Tyrone

 

Ps what do we really deserve? We love because he first loved us...

A Reminder...

 

Do not be conformed but transformed in the way we process information through our minds, with the aim of being converted into the image of Christ and it all begins with our understanding on faith, which is a affluence on the things we hope for. So long as that hinges on the ultimate will of our heavenly Father, no matter what is thrown at us we will find grace to overcome, its only when we get in the way of our transformation that we have extra heartache. Which earthly father doesn’t want to give good gift to their children, how much more then will our heavenly Father look out for His children. Once the lesson is learnt a blessing follows. Sadly the same lesson can take a lifetime for some.   

 

The secret is aligning our perceptions and our understanding on the will of God for our lives. This journey lasts a lifetime. How often do we pray and yet we do not receive? Why is that? Because we ask amiss. Our minds get in the way of our Fathers will for our lives. This is how we need to process information, trust God for our lives, even when everything around us screams “RUN!” Abraham the Father of faith is a perfect example, he was willing to sacrifice Isaac the son of promise, because he believed God. I wonder what was going through his mind once he had tied up his son and placed him on the altar, try and allow you mind to comprehend, there he stood knife in hand and ready to strike. Was there doubt in his mind? The writer of Hebrews doesn’t give us any, absolute commitment in faith towards His God.  “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

 

It’s easy to trust when we have enough money on hand to buy a loaf of bread but something altogether when our pockets are empty. I know, for most, this experience would remain a distant thought and not a reality, so I say, find something that’s specific to your situation and apply yourself in faith through your mind’s eye and then see that chink in your life as an opportunity to glorify our heavenly Father. Its easy to run with the though, why me? This in itself goes far deeper than the surface, of this I am convinced. Nevertheless, it would be good to at least land on this conclusion; why not me! We often end up reaping what we have sowed, however God is gracious and when we have learnt the lesson he will bring reprieve. And even if it doesn't come, will we stand firm on the finished work of the cross? Its at these times in our lives that we need to tap into the hope that we as Christians have. Unbelieve thrives in uncertainty.   

The world looks to highjack us with a "victim" type mentality. And Satan feeds the lust of our flesh, that which cries out within our minds, an itch that needs scratching, nothing more than us looking to quench our sinful activities. An action of reflex... Then we have the lust of our eyes, when we see something that we want and are so driven by that thought that we will do whatever it takes to possess it. And finally the pride of life, “how dare someone wrong me, who do they think they are?” and revenge kicks in. These are the attributes our beloved brothers John and Paul warns us to be on the lookout for when it comes to the worlds influence. “Do not be conformed” is Paul's warning, “put off" that way of thinking and replace it with Abraham’s way of thinking, in faith, trusting our God through the trial and not buckling under the pressure. Theory is a wonderful gift from God to us, but does it really count if we understand a truth but lack applying its effect into our lives. As I look into the review mirror, my life has been filled with hypocrisy, not understanding a truth and then applying myself to it in error. Only because I wanted to indulge in a sinful habit and excuse my behaviour as acceptable. I used grace as a license to sin for a time. Its obvious to conclude such a thought when we obviously walk in rebellion to the call of God upon our lives. It is easier to repent from such a position. But what of our standing when we believe we are more or less towing the line? If we are honest and call on the grace of God to strip us bare and understand our own minds, its these areas, the little foxes that spoils the vines that we must not ignore. And this is how it sometimes plays out; understanding a truth but lacking the commitment to it. Let us not make this mistake, when we “put off” the ways of the world, we must “put on” the way of our heavenly Father. When temptation arises, how do I handle the trial? Do I grit my teeth and bare it for a while and then say enough and yield? It’s only once we come through the trial without yielding that we succeed. Theory is never enough to glorify God, we must be practical in application. So how do I succeed? When the temptation arises, I purposefully run to the cross. In that exact trial I stop what I am doing and open the bible and begin to read. This is how we “put off” and “put on”. We shift our focus from the temptation onto the finished work of the cross, we take our eyes off our struggle and remember what it cost the Lord to die in our place. This is transformation as opposed to conformation of the world’s way of thinking.

 “To the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.”

 

Signing off

 

Tyrone

 

David's Example

 

If we are looking for a blessing from God it would be a good idea to flip through the pages of history. The Book of Psalms is a great place to start. David the shepherd boy, giant slayer and king was a man after God’s own heart. If its wisdom you want to study David. A well-rounded man who understood copious amounts of the everyday struggle of life that we ourselves face. If I allow my mind to tap into the imagery of his life and view it through a Director's lens, I see men, obviously Israeli, scrambling around a large battlefield table perfectly positioned in the middle of a tent considering their upcoming alternatives with a panicked emphasis on how to defeat Goliath, an almost impossible task. Here I see I clear indication of a shepherd boy, barely a man understanding a principle that the Apostle Paul teaches many years later, in fact thousands. The Option we face on a daily basis, do we put on the mind of Christ or do we look to our carnal abilities to overcome the day? “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.” (Romans 8:6-7)    

 

Who would dare to tackle the mission, the terms had been thrown down, and whoever was left standing would be the victor. Goliath the giant man representing the Philistines a mighty man of Valour with innumerable notches carved into his belt which in itself told many a story. A freaked Israel looking to King Saul for the solution, on one hand hoping he would be man enough to take up the challenge, whilst on the other doubting he had the ability to tackle the giant. Whilst the faithful few tucked away in the corners held their peace trusting their God for victory. “Faith without works is dead…” God will never deny himself. David then enters the scene on a completely different errand. Summoned by his father Jesse to deliver food to his brothers who had followed Saul and where now with him on the frontline awaiting the upcoming battle against the Philistines. It what David then witnesses that seems to floor him, a giant, a man from Gath standing over ten feet tall defying the God of Israel, as he arrogantly took up his position on his side of the battlefield and bellowed these words; “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.”  A parley between two men to decide their nation’s fate, to be enslaved or the end up being served by slaves. This went on for 40 days, Goliath took his stand morning and evening and each day his challenge left the Israeli leadership cowering. The mood of the camp was one of great fear.       

 

It’s at this point that God introduces a man of faith, almost accidentally sandwiched into the scene, but we know better, the providence of God now on display. David a man after Gods own heart on a mission to deliver bread to his brothers now witnesses the commotion. Let us stop and think for a minute, why was David referred to as “a man after Gods own heart”? As the story unfolds we see David is not filled with fear, because he, just like Abraham believes God. Who amongst us can honestly say we believe God when the trial of life presses in? Currently there is no greater strain that I face than the finical pressures of life. The burden of being an encumbrance to others drives me to a place of despair and unbelief pounds viciously at the door. This is why I love the Word of God and the examples we are able to glean from the Bible, it realigns the rudder and nourishes our souls. It feeds us, empowering us to get through another season. The test of faith must come for all, I believe it is a key fundamental for the Christians' walk, without it we will never truly learn to depend upon the grace of God. When we stay the course, the reward always far outweighs the trial. The greater the blessing the harder the struggle, seems to be a no-brainer for me. I may be wrong, but I do not think so!

 

We should all know how the story ends, if not let me not influence the lessons you can take from it, the account is to be found 1Samuel 17, read it and glean from it as there is a fortune of nourishment for the soul.

 

Father God give me the strength to humbly sit at the feet of my glorious Saviour and to wait for his Instruction, whatever that may be and not to always try to force his hand so that my flesh may benefit. Teach me your ways my God, Hallowed be they name, all hail King Jesus now and forever more, amen and amen!

 

Signing out

 

Tyrone 

Choose your Weapon

 

The greatest commanders of all time will all have a similar mantra that they lived by, to win a battle one must understand their enemy. For an undercover agent to be successful they need to become one with those whom they look to infiltrate. When it comes to war, humans with their hunger for power, have always searched out preferred weapons of choice. The Spartans use defence as a strength, A Hoplon Shield was “made from wood and the outer part was covered with bronze, they weighed around 30 pounds and measured 3 feet in diameter. One of the unique features of the shield was the way it was held. The handle was at the edge of the shield supported by a leather strap in the center. It was this technique that allowed the soldiers to freely move their arms during battle. The size of the shield also acted as a floating device. The hoplon shield could be used for bludgeoning and killing due to its weight and blunt nature. The shield was primarily for defensive purposes but was used by the Spartans to gain an element of surprise.”

 

I could spend a lot more effort here, but time does not permit, so here is the conclusion; “Weapons from the ancient world were nasty, brutal, and ruthless. They were not only unique, but also displayed high levels of analytical and critical skill from the past. Their uniqueness and the material they were made from could be enough to startle and then eventually slaughter the enemy. The weapon choice was often a crucial part of the battle strategy, for example, the Spartans used their big hoplon shields alongside other weapons to march forward and disarm the opponent.”

 

In order to neutralise ones opponent we need a weapon of choice that will have every chance of success. Today all the major powers have nuclear missiles to threaten their enemies and keep them in line. Have you ever really considered what Satan’s preferred weapon of choice is? We are well aware that he uses our weakness, our default abilities of buckling to the pressures of sin as a means to an end, but this is not his preferred weapon of excellent. He uses trickery as his number one form of attack. His ability to twist the Word of God to mean what it doesn’t is what works best for him. His endgame is to get individuals to believe a lie as fact; “And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.”  (Revelation 19:6) - He is so skilled with this ability that he even got one third of the angels to defy God. He deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden, and he has deceived ever religious organization throughout the ages up until now, who do not believe that Jesus Christ is the “way, the truth and the life”, that He is God and the only way to heaven. And I must remind you why deception is so powerful, as it results with the one who has been deceived into believing a lie to be true.

 

Why would he approach his quest in such a manner, I believe it is because God’s weapon of choice is His Word. He spoke creation into being. Did you know that all it takes for God to create or destroy something is for Him to speak and it happens. It’s not as if He has to forge a weapon to achieve His objective. We know that “God said, let there be light” and the light appeared, period! And in that great battle where the nations of the world will gather and look to defeat God, it will be a one-sided matter. God will just say the Word and victory will be His.

 

“(“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”) And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.” (Revelation 16:15-21) – In this account God commands, “It is done” and mayhem breaks out upon the earth. He speaks and it happens. Satan and all his followers will be defeated. All those factions who have been sucked into his web of deception will fall and face the judgment of God and then down the track the final sentence will follow.

 

Do not be fooled into believing the lie that this day will not happen…

 

The only question left for us to answer is do we believe God at His word or not?

 

“O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you.”

(1Timothy 6:20-21)  

 

Signing off

 

Tyrone

Rejig

 

Understanding the authors intent when unpacking what has been penned, seems critical to me. If we get it wrong it may just send us down the wrong hole. Thankfully God has not left us to our own devices and we have the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us into all truth. However it is obvious that professing Christians often gets things wrong, especially when it comes to the unpacking of scripture. On the other hand we find those so stuck on formula that they often miss out on a deeper spiritual understanding. Head knowledge must transform our beings into the image of Christ, if not, we have become like hollow clanging cymbals with no harmonious beat. Trees with very little fruit… Did not the Lord say that “you shall know a tree by its fruit”? The measure of one’s obedience is often reflected in the nourishing effects their fruit has one others. Notwithstanding the four season as we know them and then there is a time for pruning. All necessary for a tree to be exceedingly fruitful. Then we have the soil to consider, the amount of exposer to the sun and so on. With all factors considered we should be fruit bearers, if not it may just be time to reconsider the first principles of the doctrines of Christ. Where am I lacking and how can I rectify my predicament? Faith, hope and love must drive me at all times, if not I have lost my way.

 

Back to basics and it always starts with sitting at the feet of Jesus. Find a quiet place, preferably before the sun is up and there is no disruption, make your intention clear through prayer and then wait for direction. For those who journal do that. For others, make sure your bible is open and then bear your heart to our Saviour, He will attend the meet. He is faithful to his own, even when we remain faithless, for he cannot deny himself. He is our head and he understands our weakness, praise his holy name. Remember the butterflies of our first encounter that warn fuzzy feeling, which we could not get enough of. It’s that which needs rekindling. Oh Lord Jesus how I pray for that. A time in my life where everything instinctively was meted with scriptura. Even though, as a babe I got so much wrong when it came to application. To know that you know that whilst sitting at the feet of Jesus he always has your back. I want to live there without distraction, but whilst we have breath we need to endure the hardships of life, it is part of our journey and it shapes and moulds us. But what relationship ever lasts if quality time isn’t set aside for our partner without any distraction? Our Saviour never lets us down, but we must be specific with our engagement if we want the fullness of his blessing.          

 

Now back to my original thought and digging a little deeper into the authors of the Bible, it is apparent to see the struggles they were dealing with no differently to us. Don’t misunderstand me, not many of us fit into the same category when it comes to commitment, far from it. However, The Apostle John was obsessed with the love of God and what a perfect obsession to have. We know that the Christian should have three obvious traits; “faith, hope and love”. Without faith it is impossible to please God, without hope we will fall by the wayside and without love everything will become an uncomfortable grind. Peter was a man that expressed his emotions, an impulsive man, a leader and his commitment unequivocally undeniable. In fact he was the first to see Jesus as Christ (God in the flesh). It’s God the Father who honoured Him with that privilege. Picture the moment, wow! God felt that it was Peter who would be the first to see Jesus for who he really was.

 

I want us to look into Peter’s writings and then glean from them as I too have ended up weeping over failure. But Lord willing that we will do in the near future.

 

I would once again encourage you to sit at the feet of Jesus and be blessed by HIM.

 

Signing out

 

Tyrone