Christianity is not a sprint...

(Hebrews 12:1) “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

It is rather intriguing the way God the Holy Spirit uses various means to speak to God’s children. Sometimes it is the unlikeliest places we find His direct voice as it gives us clear direction. We often like to second guess His voice as we are yet carnal in many ways. This then is what I received this morning, it was the very first think I read in the dubious of places and I quote; “Although it should not happen, occasionally the Born Again believer may find that they have lost their way. If this is you, the critical thing is to accept your weakness, then draw from the strength of Jesus AND TURN AWAY from whatever it was that tripped you. It is not the one who says the sinner's prayer who will be saved, but the one who says it, believes it, and ENDURES TO THE END. This is vastly different from the false feel-good gospel that is so commonly preached today!” (Allen Hemphill - Facebook) – Very wise words on many levels; we shouldn’t lose our way but we may have… if so - do this; accept ones weakness and turn away (repent) looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; it isn’t simply about words but actions will win the day. It will take endurance to finish the race. Not everyone who says Lord, Lord haven’t I done this in your name will make it.

It would be good for us to remember why we are in this race; whilst I was a boy at school on occasion I was asked to run middle distance races, not on any great level but inter-house seemed to need my participation. During the race I often ask myself this question, what on earth am I doing running this middle distance race as it is not my forte. I never even placed and it seemed such a waste of time. I wonder how often we “in type” feel the same way as Christians. It wasn’t until I got my national service call-up papers and I eventually found myself in Oudtshoorn’s Infantry School that I learnt something about myself that I never knew. I actually could run, but never believed it and never push myself to my limit. As an English speaking individual with the surname Arthur and with my black belt instead of a brown one, we marines stood out like sore thumbs! We were easy pickings for the Afrikaans army instructors and the only way to silence them was to beat everyone else in the 2,4km race we were often forced to run.

I suppose once I had decided that I was going to make the most of my National service it got a lot easier, not that the training got any easier but my mind-set allowed me to be the best I could be. That leaves me with this question, why are we Christian? I am a Christian because I believe without the finished work of Calvary I would be lost in a dismal place, the Lake of Fire, without God and in constant torment. A thought too horrific to consider! But God in His goodness and mercy in spite of myself had mercy on me and opened my eyes to His Son’s sacrifice, but more specifically His sacrifice for me. What now should my response be? This race was never intended as an easy ride, but if we all come to this conclusion; wherever He will lead I will follow. That does not mean that life will be easy, it won’t be! Regardless of what He has in store for us, it will certainly be worth it all!

As Christians who then are we? We are children of the living God…

“Your heavenly Father.”

- Mat_6:26

God’s people are doubly his children, they are his offspring by creation, and they are his sons by adoption in Christ. Hence they are privileged to call him, “Our Father which art in heaven.” Father! Oh, what precious word is that. Here is authority: “If I be a Father, where is mine honour?” If ye be sons, where is your obedience? Here is affection mingled with authority; an authority which does not provoke rebellion; an obedience demanded which is most cheerfully rendered-which would not be withheld even if it might. The obedience which God’s children yield to him must be loving obedience. Do not go about the service of God as slaves to their taskmaster’s toil, but run in the way of his commands because it is your Father’s way. Yield your bodies as instruments of righteousness, because righteousness is your Father’s will, and his will should be the will of his child. Father!-Here is a kingly attribute so sweetly veiled in love, that the King’s crown is forgotten in the King’s face, and his sceptre becomes, not a rod of iron, but a silver sceptre of mercy-the sceptre indeed seems to be forgotten in the tender hand of him who wields it. Father!-Here is honour and love. How great is a Father’s love to his children! That which friendship cannot do, and mere benevolence will not attempt, a father’s heart and hand must do for his sons. They are his offspring, he must bless them; they are his children, he must show himself strong in their defence. If an earthly father watches over his children with unceasing love and care, how much more does our heavenly Father? Abba, Father! He who can say this, hath uttered better music than cherubim or seraphim can reach. There is heaven in the depth of that word-Father! There is all I can ask; all my necessities can demand; all my wishes can desire. I have all in all to all eternity when I can say, “Father.” (C.H.Spurgeon)

Signing off

Tyrone

And God said...

(Romans 3:10) "None is righteous, no, not one;”

The on-going dilemma of this battle between right and wrong will haunt me until the day I die, I am persuaded of it. But outside of Christ what does it all amount too? A lot of worthless babble! A man may hold his tongue for many years but then one day it may slip and all his good work will be forgotten as he will be condemned as a slanderer. It happens to criminals throughout; they serve their sentence but still they are classes as convicts. People like to remember the sins of others justifying themselves.

I have concluded that as sinners, we all make up our own minds on how much sin we are willing to live with on a daily basis. This then varies between individuals, with undoubtedly upbringing and culture playing its part… Take Jacob Zuma the South African President for instance, he is a Zulu and although the law of the land states that a man can only marry one woman at a time, a divorce decree must first be issued before they may marry again. His culture teachers and permits multiple marriages and so he has many wives and still as president continues to marry new wives. The public has much to do about this and much is said, mainly condemning him for his actions. Does this bother him? I am not sure it does, it would be hard to speak for another but I would think neither would his own conscience condemn him; amongst his people, the Zulu’s, he was committed no crime.

Then on the other hand take the “big game hunters” throughout any part of the world, those who pay top dollar to hunt the “big five”, does their conscience plague them when they shoot a lion or a majestic leopard? I doubt it; in fact they well up with pride as they achieve their goal mounting the heads of their kill on their walls, while nature lovers despise even the thought of hunting such animals.

What then of abortion and such topics? It is now legal to abort a child in South Africa; The Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act was passed in 1997 in South Africa, providing abortion on demand for a variety of cases. The list could go on, everyone a judge in their own right, everyone with an opinion, and yet sin reigns supreme in the lives of all. 

This then is the reckoning of God; this is how God views all those not covered by his Son, the Lord Jesus; all those who refuse to repent and believe in and on the finished work of Calvary; “as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one;” (Romans 3:10) – but some may say, what about all the good I have done in my life surely the good will out way the bad? This then is God’s view on your reasoning; “Though I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, yet if he trusts in his righteousness and does injustice, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered, but in his injustice that he has done he shall die.” (Ezekiel 33:13) – All it takes is just one sin and we will be remembered for the injustice to our lives with hell our eminent doom. That is harsh some may say! It is what it is, God is not casting any popularity polls to see whether we agree with Him or not, He is who He is and His reckoning is the final authority.

There will come a day where we will all present our case before the only true God, that is not Buddha, some idol or some Greek God of old. It is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God who sent His only begotten Son to die a cruel death so that sinners might find forgiveness through His sacrifice. Outside of Christ there is no hope for the human race. Whether we agree with this or not will never change the facts; God has spoken! “Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me.” (Isaiah 45:21)

He is both righteous and a Saviour, if we will not bend our knee to Him now we will all be forced to on that day of reckoning. Let no one tell you that “love will conquer all” and that there is no hell. For all those who depend on their own works to get them to heaven will end up in hell, but for those who realise that they are indeed sinners and in need of a Saviour and find repentance in and through the only righteous man to ever live, the Lord Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, they then will escape the fiery end.

“To God be the glory now and forever more”, Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone     

 

  

O wretched man that I am!

(Romans 7:24) “Wretched man that I am!

“One Day in the House of the Lord would be more attractive than a thousand elsewhere”, is a song writers lyrics. It is a dazzling privilege to find oneself in the presents of the Lord and no one could ever dispute that. But we forget that it is also a very fearful thing for the flesh to even come near to the glory of God. Moses was bold and asked God to show himself; Moses said, "Please show me your glory." (Exodus 33:18) - This was not conceivable and so it could never be possible for any human to witness God’s Shekinah Glory, no carnal man (sinful man) has seen his face. Sin has made sure of that! John and Paul came face to face with the Lord, but Paul explains his experience like this; “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter.” (2Corinthians 12:2-4) And yet we so often hear people claiming to have had similar experiences, I think not! This kind of experience is a very big deal and it operates outside of the realm of faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.

When all of God’s children get to heaven faith will no longer be needed as a tool for the battle. Moses saw the latter parts of God, he personally witnessed it. This was his experience; “And the LORD said to Moses, "This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name." Moses said, "Please show me your glory." And he said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name 'The LORD.' And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live." And the LORD said, "Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen." (Exodus 33:17-23)

However his experience was outside the realm of faith, he saw God’s back with his physical eyes. The Christians encounters his God through Spiritual eyes and this can only even be done through the realm of faith. Faith then is a key ingredient to get us home. Why then do we have stronger days while other days look to rob us through unbelief? The answer is once again a simple one; it is disobedience that leaves us high and dry doubting our salvation and it always linked to sin. Our own sin robs us of faith.

It is the children of Israel that teach us this lesson; “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.” (Hebrews 3:12-19)

Therefore it is the sin in our lives which causes unbelief. Peter has this to say; “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.” (1Peter 2:11) – It is when we give in to these passions that our faith dwindles and the possibility of not entering into the presents of the Lord is probable.

There is not one set of rules for one child and another for the other; God may deal with us differently as a result of our sin, but He is holy and so will never accommodate our sin, how could we ever expect that from Him and yet I still trudge along! How I hate this “body of death”. Will I ever find obedience in areas of my life that I seem so desperately to continually struggle?

One thing I know for sure, without God’s mercy my quest would be a useless one. I am reminded that all the children of Israel passed through the Red Sea and journeyed on into the Wilderness, but not all made it into the Promised Land. It was sin that robbed them of their goal.

What then must we cling to? Praise the name of Jesus Christ our Lord as He is our only hope; “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24)

God continue to have mercy on my soul and all those who at times finds that the light of faith begins to dwindle.

Signing off

Tyrone

   

      

     

A little leaven!

(Galatians 5:9)  “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.”

All it takes is a little leaven to help bread rise and affect the entire loaf. Just a bantam needed to affect the complete loaf. What about the warnings to the ten virgins; all who claimed to be Christian are instructed to go and buy oil while it is still day? Is there any connection between leaven and lack of oil? Once again it is the mirror I look into and examine my own life and not that of another.

Where do I really stand in the bigger picture? Will I make it on that day or am I amongst the number of so many that think all will be well, but it ends up tragically, they do not make it into heaven, although they thought they might.

Now we are taught that a particular tree cannot produce both good and bad fruit, this verse has often trouble me if I honestly scrutinize my life. Over the past 24 years there has been a certain pattern to my life as a Christian. I would need to call it a “yo-yo experience” with the so many highs and lows to my life. Could it be probable that someone with so many mistakes to one’s life that they could still be named amongst the number? There must be at least a concern in my heart as I now am worried about where I actually fit into the picture of God’s equation. He is the potter and He will determine the outcome for all. And yet we are fully accountable for the decisions we make. It is a very difficult concept for me to grasp in its entirety and yet I know it is just. God is just and He has so ordained it, praise His name!

The instruction then is to come and buy oil; “But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.” (Matthew 25:4) - I know that if my fruit tree does not bear any fruit it is pruned and when it does produce, it is again pruned so that more fruit may appear. Yet there is a more serious consideration, what if my tree continues to be pruned for what seems to be the old man’s way or the “body of death” always sprouting another node and then having to be cut down and cast into the fire. Just maybe it is time for a serious pruning, that branch that continue to keep its life needs to be removed entirely so that it no longer has any potential to work it mischief. May God hear my cry and forgive me for the many continuous mistake of my life, I never seem to arrive, forgive me Father God, and please forgive me my great Saviour.

The instruction that the Lord Jesus left for all who call upon His name was this and Paul confirms it; “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” (1Thessolonians 5:2) – The Apostle Paul does not mince his words, this is not merely a possibility but it is a fact; the Lord Jesus will come as a thief in the night. There is much talk about those who have His Spirit, as all of them will make it home, and I am still persuaded that this will happen because God’s Word supersedes opinions or suppositions, it is the final authority!  But who is to say of a certainty who has His Spirit and who doesn’t? The Lord Jesus taught you will know a tree by its fruit. Not all that say Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom! Who then will make it? The answer is obvious, those who do the will of the Father.

Peter teachers us that judgment will begin with the household of God; “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1Peter 4:17)

I will confess I have been found wanting and it worries me deeply. Let me make it very clear, I do not doubt God’s ability, He will achieve what He has set out to do, and that is a no brainer! Yet, both vessels of honour and dishonour are needed to bring glory to our great God’s glorious name. We would never of known his holiness if we have not seen wickedness. How would we understand the benefit of light if we never knew what it meant to grope in the dark?

Will I ever ultimately change? Will I eventually begin to suffer for doing well, God knows! I pray please have mercy on my soul, not that I have done anything to deserve my request, in fact on the contrary, on my own merits I would be the first to be disqualified. But as you O great God have it in you power to show mercy on whom you choose I pray for that mercy. Forgive me for my constant pattern of giving in to my “body of death”. How I hate it so! Please prune what needs pruning in its entirety so that my life would bring glory to you. To think that heaven will be a place without sin is such a comforting thought, a place that we no longer have to strive against falling prey to its traps.

We cannot serve two masters; I do hate the traps of the devil and yet I am still ensnared by them. I choose to serve you Father God but I am weak and in need of your help. A friend and brother reminded me of this truth.

I do not know the outcome, but you do! I place my life into your hands and ask for forgiveness for the many mistakes I currently make. Help me die so that I may live!

I do not pray for myself alone but for the many others that may be in the same predicament, please Father have mercy as you have it in your power, I ask in the mighty name of Jesus Christ my Lord, Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone

      

Son of man...

Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?”

- Eze_15:2

These words are for the humbling of God’s people; they are called God’s vine, but what are they by nature more than others? They, by God’s goodness, have become fruitful, having been planted in a good soil; the Lord hath trained them upon the walls of the sanctuary, and they bring forth fruit to his glory; but what are they without their God? What are they without the continual influence of the Spirit, begetting fruitfulness in them? O believer, learn to reject pride, seeing that thou hast no ground for it. Whatever thou art, thou hast nothing to make thee proud. The more thou hast, the more thou art in debt to God; and thou shouldst not be proud of that which renders thee a debtor. Consider thine origin; look back to what thou wast. Consider what thou wouldst have been but for divine grace. Look upon thyself as thou art now. Doth not thy conscience reproach thee? Do not thy thousand wanderings stand before thee, and tell thee that thou art unworthy to be called his son? And if he hath made thee anything, art thou not taught thereby that it is grace which hath made thee to differ? Great believer, thou wouldst have been a great sinner if God had not made thee to differ. O thou who art valiant for truth, thou wouldst have been as valiant for error if grace had not laid hold upon thee. Therefore, be not proud, though thou hast a large estate-a wide domain of grace, thou hadst not once a single thing to call thine own except thy sin and misery. Oh! strange infatuation, that thou, who hast borrowed everything, shouldst think of exalting thyself; a poor dependent pensioner upon the bounty of thy Saviour, one who hath a life which dies without fresh streams of life from Jesus, and yet proud! Fie on thee, O silly heart!

 “Doth Job fear God for nought?”

- Job_1:9

This was the wicked question of Satan concerning that upright man of old, but there are many in the present day concerning whom it might be asked with justice, for they love God after a fashion because he prospers them; but if things went ill with them, they would give up all their boasted faith in God. If they can clearly see that since the time of their supposed conversion the world has gone prosperously with them, then they will love God in their poor carnal way; but if they endure adversity, they rebel against the Lord. Their love is the love of the table, not of the host; a love to the cupboard, not to the master of the house. As for the true Christian, he expects to have his reward in the next life, and to endure hardness in this. The promise of the old covenant is adversity. Remember Christ’s words-”Every branch in me that beareth not fruit”-What? “He purgeth it, that it may bring forth fruit.” If you bring forth fruit, you will have to endure affliction. “Alas!” you say, “that is a terrible prospect.” But this affliction works out such precious results, that the Christian who is the subject of it must learn to rejoice in tribulations, because as his tribulations abound, so his consolations abound by Christ Jesus. Rest assured, if you are a child of God, you will be no stranger to the rod. Sooner or later every bar of gold must pass through the fire. Fear not, but rather rejoice that such fruitful times are in store for you, for in them you will be weaned from earth and made meet for heaven; you will be delivered from clinging to the present, and made to long for those eternal things which are so soon to be revealed to you. When you feel that as regards the present you do serve God for nought, you will then rejoice in the infinite reward of the future. 

(Charles Spurgeon)

I AM THAT I AM!

(Exodus 3:14) “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM:”

Entrapment a serious predicament to get caught in and yet we all have had no choice in the matter as “there is none righteous no not one”. Sin has ensnared us into slavery and it’s the slavery of Israel that I look to explore this morn. Their story has a wealth of useful information that we can draw sustenance from for our very own lives.

But first let us look at Joseph’s example and learn from it.

Joseph was the man God used to bring a great revival to those of “the promise”. There was a famine in the land and people were desperate to survive, it got so torrid that people were selling off their livestock and land for food as their money was long gone because of a sizzling drought that lasted for seven years. God was with Joseph and had shown him what He was about to do, God prepared him for battle. However, I would remind you that prior to Joseph’s reign as governor of this foreign land, Egypt, he firstly was required by God to serve a prison sentence for a crime he never committed. This verse comes to mind; “For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:” (1Peter 3:17-18)

Let us not be hook-winked into doubting our current predicament even if the screws are being tightened, God has a plan, and it is a glorious masterpiece outplaying His command. This is what Joseph had to say to those who had meant him harm, and I will remind you they were his brothers; “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” (Genesis 50:20) 

Talk about from “rags to riches”, one day he was in a prison and then he found himself second in charge to pharaoh in Egypt, the then ruling nation of the world. We must learn to never second guess our God even if we cannot put the puzzle pieces together; our God shall work it out according to His good pleasure. He will get all His children home!

A day came were a new pharaoh began to rule who knew not Joseph. He put all of the Israelites into slavery as jealousy had its need to supress this greater nation. He was a hard task-master and their cries were heard by God. Moses was then summoned by God to free His people. I want us to consider a particular incident that they all faced from the least to the greatest.

Imagine the scene, the promise by Moses from God to all the Israelites that they would be set free with a Promised Land as their final destination. It was hard going as their number was great, woman and children amongst them and then they hit a very large obstacle, the Red Sea. How were they to cross over? Not only that, looking behind them they saw a large cloud of dust approaching at a rapid pace, the Egyptian army were on their way! Life at times takes on a similar appearance for each of us. Sure there are different measures for all, but all will hit obstacles along the way.

It was when there seemed to be no hope that God stepped in, He parted the Red Sea and they all (and I mean all) crossed over on dry land. The enemy thought they could use the exact same means to cross but were very mistaken, they all drowned (and I mean all). God is for His people and not for those who oppose His plan and purpose. Nevertheless both are needed to accomplish His will, He has so ordained it. Praise to our God, the only true God, the God who is, “I AM THAT I AM”!

“Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.” (Jeremiah 42:11) – Come what may our hope is in His promise and we will believe it by the grace of God with all our hearts, come what may let us remember to look to the author and finisher of our faith, our blessed Redeemer will get us home. All we need do alone the way is obey, even if it costs us our life, as it must. We are new creature in Christ, may we begin to live as such.

God give us the resolve to abhor that which is evil and to cling to that which is good.

Signing off

Tyrone

     

When reviled, we bless...

(1 Corinthians 4:12) “When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;”

Humility before God should be the goal of all creation; it has only ever been about Him and His foreordained plan. The Plan that He instituted prior to creation as we know it and the scripture often makes reference to as “before the foundation of the world” gives me immense joy as it infiltrates my mind. To know that nothing is random, let’s face it if we think it could be then we are candidates for the “soup theory”. The “big bang theory” leaves people chasing creation at a frantic pace, at the exclusion of our God and Creator.

What a dismal position; believing that by recycling our glass bottles and plastic containers we are doing our bit to save our planet. In fact even different colour bins help us with the separation and when we play our part we feel justified. With God not even an afterthought in the minds of so many. The world population is so self-centered that “self” has blinded them; in fact, to be more precise, God has blinded them. “And claiming to be wise they have become fools”. For this very reason God gave them over to the debauchery and the snares of sin. But as the clock ticks and as wickedness abounds the day of His appearing draws nigh.

What then will gives us resolve to be about our God’s business; yesterday, this came to me with some vigour; humility is what is needed because it is the grace of God we need to get through our daily trials. Without humility we will battle to find God’s grace, without it God will resist us. So then, what am I to do? On a practical level, I must learn to eat humble pie even when I am right. It is no longer about winning the round but rather the fight.

May God help all who battle with this facet to their lives, I am amongst the number.  Humility is foreign to our “bodies of death”, without the Spirit taking control we will remain proud and fall every time. Without humility as our banner we will become very frustrated not following our Lord’s and Paul’s example, which was this; “When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;”

Please sit up and take note, without humility as a key ingredient in Christ, we will forever clutch at straws. There must come a time when we begin to put off childish things. By that I mean, meat is meant for those who are capable of digesting it, whilst milk is for babies. We are quick to point out the errors of others when they apply misguided doctrine, which we all must do in some measure; “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” (2Timothy 4:2) – “And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil,” (2Timothy 2:24)

Humility is a partner to patience! But we tend to miss so many areas of our lives; "it's just the way it is”, we use excuses like I am a hot blooded man; it is not my fault I am European, I was born like this. Or God made me with a temper. Not so! All who have the Spirit of Christ have become new creations in Him and Old things have passed away. We are without excuse! Therefore let us see things for what they are.

I love the way God uses the exact man who was school in Judaism with his application to the law impeccable. In as much as it is possible for a sinner to apply himself to God’s law. It is the very same man who would become the expert on grace. How great is our God? Paul ends up teaching us this; “When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;”    

To bless someone who reviles us is so foreign to our natural understanding, which without grace it will be an impossible task, humility is a must in our lives if we are to find grace. I pray this truth sinks deep and we not only eat from its tree but we learn to digest it.

Signing off

Tyrone.

   

Grace and Humility!

(Romans 11:6) “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.”

I am rather excited about today’s blog and with it, I hope, will come a clearer understanding on what is needed to walk victoriously as Christians. It is the Apostle Paul who will teach us these valuable lessons. It has taken me a lifetime to get my head around this truth but just a little. I realize I know only in part, but what I have seen and is now coming into fruition is glorious. My disobedience to this truth has taken its toll on my body and with it I have had to deal with serve consequences, with many of life’s scars still evident in my body.

Grace is the weapon needed; call it the magic ingredient for daily living. We should all understand what I am about to share but do we really? If we did we wouldn’t actually miss the mark so often, which is, to walk more victorious as Christians than the day before. Our daily sanctification would be evident to all, in fact we would share Jobs testimony; “His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually.” (Job 1:4-5) – He lived an unselfish life! Do we rise early and pray for our lost ones?   

From the beginning even grace saved Noah, grace is the enabling catalyst through faith. Grace and faith lock hands in order for us to enjoy their strength and walk as faithful stewards with the measure of Christ we have been given. “God is for His children and not against them”, it is the wiles of the devil that looks to deceive and trip us up, and how does he do this? He shows us his very own character, which is “full of pride” and this is what brought him tumbling down from the portals of heaven and it is what will bring us crashing to the dirt if we linger here too long. No! Even if we flirt with it! God most certainly resists the proud, who then will find favour? It is the humble that our glorious Father reaches out too.

What is it that is needed from God to overcome? Grace is needed! Therefore; “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Without humility we will not find grace in time of need!

Grace is needed for us to be more “Christ minded” and to walk as He once walked. This is a daunting proposition if we understand what that means. Yes, we may flippantly rattle of words and cliché’s like "to die is gain" and yet give it no real thought once it has left our lips. To die… is gain! Self-denial is what is needed from all, but it is impossible to do it through our flesh “this body of death”, it is grace we must seek out in order to overcome. It may appear that some may walk more victoriously than others as we glance across the congregation, but the light of Christ cannot be hidden, darkness must flee from it. It is this light we are after and not man-centered patch work.

“O, when will all professors, and especially all professed ministers of Christ, learn the difference between the law and the gospel? Most of them make a mingle-mangle, and serve out deadly potions to the people, often containing but one ounce of gospel to a pound of law, whereas, but even a grain of law is enough to spoil the whole thing.
It must be gospel, and gospel only. "If it be of grace, it is not of works, otherwise grace is no more grace; and if it be of works, then it is not of grace, otherwise work is no more work." (C.H.Spurgeon)

With that said, look at Paul’s emphasis throughout his writing and remember where he came from prior to salvation, roots of arrogance; “Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I.” (2Corinthians 11:22) - But look how he concludes his deliberation to those who were boasting against his doctrine; “Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” (2Corinthians 11:29-30)   

 

May God now show us the importance of this understanding and may we learn from probably one of the greatest teachers that ever lived; grace high on his agenda! But it wasn’t always like that in fact; the exact opposite seemed to be His guise. Pride filled his life as he persecuted the Christian in his unbelief.

And then he came face to face with the Lord Jesus Christ…

In the ESV translation he uses the word grace 86 times if we account the book of Hebrews to Timothy, if not 94 times. And in his concluding sendoffs, he almost always ends with grace and the Lord Jesus as his focal point…

“The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.” (1Corinthians 16:23)

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (1Corinthians 13:14)

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.” (Galatians 6:18)   

 “Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.” (Ephesians 6:24)

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” (Philippians 4:23)

 “I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.” (Colossians 4:18)

The list goes on, may we make it of utmost importance to make this truth our very own. God give us the strength to find grace through humility, to be about his service and not our own agendas.

Signing off

Tyrone        

  

  

Blessed be the Name of our God!

(Daniel 2:20) "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever…”

Have you ever wondered why Daniel says this? “Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might.”” (Daniel 2:20)

That question will only ever be understood by those who belong to Him and those who have tasted of His glorious grace. The world will soon begin to apparently fall apart around us, I do not mean the fusing of world coalitions as people across the globe unify with “peace and safety” as their slogan. What I do mean is the creation; God’s creation will begin to groan with what people will refer to as natural phenomenon. Earthquakes, floods and tsunamis will be on the up and it will all be attributed to Mother Nature instead of God’s judgment. Man will continue to frantically save the planet with their global initiatives, but will ultimately fail. Who can resist the will of God? “You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?"” (Romans 9:19)

Whatever God has so willed will without question come to pass no matter what or who tries to change it. The potter has total control over His creation, which includes the will of man. And there is a day coming that He will bring His judgment on the earth and all those who live on it. I assure you, this is not a figment of my imagination but the scripture is very clear and this is what it has to say; “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.” (Matthew 24:21)

We read about how God destroyed the world by water in the days of Noah. Why? The answer is found in the text in Genesis chapter 6; “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. And the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the LORD said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them." But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.” (Genesis 6:5-8)

Debauchery will be high on the agenda through the lifestyles of people living on the earth and very little place will be given to the true Creator, a false prophet will arise and deceive many and then a false christ will  arise and claim to be God. Millions will receive him as such, no billions!

To think that this time is not far off as we examine the “times and the seasons” and then God will pour out HIS great tribulation, such has never been witness up until this time. And yet, there will be those crying out O blessed be His name. Go figure! O come and taste and see that the Lord is good, His love and mercies endure forever. Praise His glorious name! Jesus has made the way for all who call on Him to escape such a time without any hope. All of God’s children have this hope; that one day we will be with Him in heaven and we shall be like Him. I am not saying that we will not partake of this time of His judgment, but I am saying just as in the days of Noah although he witnessed the great flood with people perishing around Him that he was kept safe in the Ark. God will look out for His own! It is up to us as Christians to ensure that we store up treasures of grace for this time; we must have His oil in our lamp for this dark double-crossing time. How will we do this, we must vex our soul against all that is evil, we must constantly put on the mind of Christ and just as Lot was saved out of Sodom and Gomorrah so too will we be saved.

For all who hope in Him, this then is our instruction; “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:7-8) 

“We are taught to submit ourselves entirely to God: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you, Jam_4:7. Christians should forsake the friendship of the world, and watch against that envy and pride which they see prevailing in natural men, and should by grace learn to glory in their submissions to God. “Submit yourselves to him as subjects to their prince, in duty, and as one friend to another, in love and interest. Submit your understandings to the truths of God; submit your wills to the will of God, the will of his precept, the will of his providence.” We are subjects, and as such must be submissive; not only through fear, but through love; not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake. “Submit yourselves to God, as considering how many ways you are bound to this, and as considering what advantage you will gain by it; for God will not hurt you by his dominion over you, but will do you good.” Now, as this subjection and submission to God are what the devil most industriously strives to hinder, so we ought with great care and steadiness to resist his suggestions. If he would represent a tame yielding to the will and providence of God as what will bring calamities, and expose to contempt and misery, we must resist these suggestions of fear. If he would represent submission to God as a hindrance to our outward ease, or worldly preferments, we must resist these suggestions of pride and sloth. If he would tempt us to lay any of our miseries, and crosses, and afflictions, to the charge of Providence, so that we might avoid them by following his directions instead of God's, we must resist these provocations to anger, not fretting ourselves in any wise to do evil. “Let not the devil, in these or the like attempts, prevail upon you; but resist him and he will flee from you.” If we basely yield to temptations, the devil will continually follow us; but if we put on the whole armour of God, and stand it out against him, he will be gone from us. Resolution shuts and bolts the door against temptation.

We are directed how to act towards God, in our becoming submissive to him, Jam_4:8-10. 1. Draw nigh to God. The heart that has rebelled must be brought to the foot of God; the spirit that was distant and estranged from a life of communion and converse with God must become acquainted with him: “Draw nigh to God, in his worship and institutions, and in every duty he requires of you.” 2. Cleanse your hands. He who comes unto God must have clean hands. Paul therefore directs to lift up holy hands without wrath and doubting (1Ti_2:8), hands free from blood, and bribes, and every thing that is unjust or cruel, and free from every defilement of sin: he is not subject to God who is a servant of sin. The hands must be cleansed by faith, repentance, and reformation, or it will be in vain for us to draw nigh to God in prayer, or in any of the exercises of devotion. 3. The hearts of the double-minded must be purified. Those who halt between God and the world are here meant by the double-minded. To purify the heart is to be sincere, and to act upon this single aim and principle, rather to please God than to seek after any thing in this world: hypocrisy is heart-impurity; but those who submit themselves to God aright will purify their hearts as well as cleanse their hands. 4. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep. “What afflictions God sends take them as he would have you, and by duly sensible of them. Be afflicted when afflictions are sent upon you, and do not despise them; or be afflicted in your sympathies with those who are so, and in laying to heart the calamities of the church of God. Mourn and weep for your own sins and the sins of others; times of contention and division are times to mourn in, and the sins that occasion wars and fightings should be mourned for. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness.” This may be taken either as a prediction of sorrow or a prescription of seriousness. Let men think to set grief at defiance, yet God can bring it upon them; none laugh so heartily but he can turn their laughter into mourning; and this the unconcerned Christians James wrote to are threatened should be their case. They are therefore directed, before things come to the worst, to lay aside their vain mirth and their sensual pleasures, that they might indulge godly sorrow and penitential tears. 5. “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord. Let the inward acts of the would be suitable to all those outward expressions of grief, affliction, and sorrow, before mentioned.” Humility of spirit is here required, as in the sight of him who looks principally at the spirits of men. “Let there be a thorough humiliation in bewailing every thing that is evil; let there be great humility in doing that which is good: Humble yourselves.” (Matthew Henry)

What will be shall be as God has so willed it; let us learn to look to Him in time of need.

Signing off

Tyrone

Faith in Christ!

(Romans 5:20)  “…but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.”

“To shake that snake off in the fire”, as if it was but a flea, the vipers poison of no result to our beloved brother Paul, but while he was Saul there would have been serious consequences, outside the protection of our beloved Father’s covering in and through the blood of the Lamb. To be class as a son of God through faith, we now all have the safe-guards of what will be ours in heaven. Obviously we do not have our actual spiritual bodies as yet but we are one with Christ, if we have His Spirit; no differently to a man and a woman becoming one flesh through canal intercourse; and so illicit sex a very serious offence in the eyes of God. Why? The two become one flesh!

This truth cuts deep and I have had nightmares with some of my very own behaviors through time. But praise belongs to Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, His forgiveness never ceasing, thank you Father God for your mercy. Where sin abounded… “Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” (Romans 5:20)

Nevertheless all of these truths we uncover through scripture are worthless to us as individuals if they are not mixed with faith. Faith is the binding agent that helps us believe them to be truth and thus in turn gets us to live different lives to those who do not believe. Even with our many mistakes alone the celestial road; it is faith in Christ that gets us to seek out His forgiveness. Of course it all hinges on the goodness of God! “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? (Romans 2:4) 

Repentance then is something that becomes a daily habit as much as we need food to sustain our carnal bodies, without it we die! It is what we learn to do in our closet that become of crucial importance, we can hide nothing from our God. He sees all! But without faith feeding our hope, that one day we shall be like our glorious Saviour, why even bother? If there is no resurrection of the death our faith would be pointless. NO! It is of the utmost importance because just as Christ rose from the dead so shall we; for those who put their trust in His finished work shall also be raised from the dead to receive their glorified bodies and so ever walk with our God in the New Jerusalem. What a hope the believer has. This then is our hope, that one day we shall be like Him in every aspect of our lives. Even so come quickly Lord Jesus!

Heaven a place that takes our imagination to a domicile of absolute awe, how do we reconcile what John witnesses? It is too wonderful to conceive and yet it is a place as real as the desk I type from.

This is some of what John saw, but it was Christ who grabbed his attention…

“And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion.”

- Rev_14:1

“The apostle John was privileged to look within the gates of heaven, and in describing what he saw, he begins by saying, “I looked, and, lo, a Lamb!” This teaches us that the chief object of contemplation in the heavenly state is “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world.” Nothing else attracted the apostle’s attention so much as the person of that Divine Being, who hath redeemed us by his blood. He is the theme of the songs of all glorified spirits and holy angels. Christian, here is joy for thee; thou hast looked, and thou hast seen the Lamb. Through thy tears thine eyes have seen the Lamb of God taking away thy sins. Rejoice, then. In a little while, when thine eyes shall have been wiped from tears, thou wilt see the same Lamb exalted on his throne. It is the joy of thy heart to hold daily fellowship with Jesus; thou shalt have the same joy to a higher degree in heaven; thou shalt enjoy the constant vision of his presence; thou shalt dwell with him for ever. “I looked, and, lo, a Lamb!” Why, that Lamb is heaven itself; for as good Rutherford says, “Heaven and Christ are the same thing;” to be with Christ is to be in heaven, and to be in heaven is to be with Christ. That prisoner of the Lord very sweetly writes in one of his glowing letters-”O my Lord Jesus Christ, if I could be in heaven without thee, it would be a hell; and if I could be in hell, and have thee still, it would be a heaven to me, for thou art all the heaven I want.” It is true, is it not, Christian? Does not thy soul say so?”

“Not all the harps above

Can make a heavenly place,

If God his residence remove,

Or but conceal his face.”

All thou needest to make thee blessed, supremely blessed, is “to be with Christ.””

(C.H.Spurgeon)

And yet by faith we already have Him as our greatest treasure, praise His name! Thank you Father for sending your Son to die for me…

Let us therefore remember this valuable lesson for our live as we endeavour to walk with God, to teach others along the way in whatever small measure we have been given and not to mix the law with the gospel.

“O, when will all professors, and especially all professed ministers of Christ, learn the difference between the law and the gospel? Most of them make a mingle-mangle, and serve out deadly potions to the people, often containing but one ounce of gospel to a pound of law, whereas, but even a grain of law is enough to spoil the whole thing.

It must be gospel, and gospel only. "If it be of grace, it is not of works, otherwise grace is no more grace; and if it be of works, then it is not of grace, otherwise work is no more work." (C.H.Spurgeon) – (posted by pyromaniacs) http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2012/01/dont-mix-law-with-gospel.html )

Signing off

Tyrone

Time to clean house!

With the love of many about to wax cold just over the horizon, one should be asking this question, why will the love of many wax cold? The answer is precise and it does not cut corners, “because iniquity shall abound.” We then see that sin has a direct effect on our affections to rather hate than to love and the deeper we as individuals and a nation begin to gravitate toward sin the greater we will err as we find ourselves under God’s judgment and Satan’s trap. What I find rather amazing is that the worlds message is love, tolerance, acceptance to whatever trickles their own fancy and yet with a voice that cries out to the nations that love will conquer all. It is in direct opposition to what the bible teaches! True love will conquer all, but not as the world understands it; God is love but if one is to understand the depths of love we must also understand the depths of hate.

Satan is full of hate! Why? Without spending too much time on the topic, let me say that He was created by God and his appearance was perfect, nothing could be added to him to enhance his beauty. He was also created full of wisdom; I do not speak as a man who sees only in part, Lucifer was full of spiritual wisdom. He is a spirit and lives in another dimension, he lived where God lived. We must understand the wisdom he received in context. When the angels in heaven needed advice they could with assurance approach Lucifer as he was full of wisdom and whatever he told them to do would have been the right advice. God would have condoned it! God had given Him godly wisdom, until deceit was found in his heart.

The attention must have somehow gone to his head as he noticed that his beauty was something to behold and the angles in heaven began to worship his appearance. They also understood that he was full of wisdom and could give those who asked for it, sound advice. Therefore, some began to worship the creature (Lucifer) over the creator.

Exactly the same pattern unfolded with the angels in heaven as with man; “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” (Romans 1:20-23)

This then resulted in Satan’s demise and not only his but with his tail he drew one third of the angels that were in heaven with him as God cast them out of heaven. Condemned to hell for eternity with no second chance… Imagine the hate they now feel for the human race as they witness us who are Christian allowed failing time and again and then through repentance to find forgiveness through the perfect working of Calvary, bless the glorious name of our God and Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ, our Redeemer lives! Hate must drive them like I think we could never understand and with that in mind this verse then enlightens our understanding to the warfare we are involved in as believers; “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” (2Corinthians 10:3)

We are at war with demonic forces that have such a hate for Christ and what he achieved on our behalf that they are so driven to see us fail that they use lures of every nature to see us plummet. “And because lawlessness (iniquity, sin) will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:12)

Do not be fooled into believing that the unseen realm is not very real in our lives; “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 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.” (Ephesians 6:12-13)

Now back to my opening statement, “with the love of many about to wax cold.” Let us therefore learn this valuable lesson;” Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” (Romans 12:9)

It is essential we look to live here…

For us not to be affected by the hate that will possess the nations let our love be genuine and for that to happen we must seek out God’s grace to abhor all that is evil and cling to what is good. It is time for a “spring clean” that is if we do not want to be swept away with hate. Let us remember that this must be viewed with the mind of Christ, it must be done from the inside out and not the other way around. We must find grace to abhor all that is evil in our lives; it is the fruits of the flesh that looks to hold on to all that opposes God, it knows no better. Did you know? “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:8)   

We will only ever find victory in these areas if we rely on God’s grace to get us through, something the angels will never understand, we have experienced it, they haven't. 

We must seek it out with confidence…

God will reward all those who diligently seek out this truth; “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)

Therefore; “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)   

   

Signing off

Tyrone

   

   

   

His will for our lives!

(1John 3:2) “…but we know that when he appears we shall be like him…”

I would like to consider the reality of the future, for all those who believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and for those who now confess Him as Lord…

Just as He received His glorified body so too will we receive our glorified bodies, what a delightful consideration. To think that one day we shall be like Him is almost beyond my imagination and yet I know it to be true, praise the name of Jesus!

This is the hope for every true born again believer; I mention this fact, as we know that the day preceding this great event will come as a thief in the night and there will first come a falling away amongst apparent believers, and the love of many will wax cold. And then Satan will have his allotted reign for a short time as he will look to destroy all those who confess Jesus as Lord. It will be a time of his wrath.

Most of us have from childhood been taught that our true dreams will never come easily, it will take effort and sacrifice but it will be sweet when we reach our goal. There will be nothing sweeter than receiving our glorified bodies as we become in “type” like the Lord Jesus, where we will receive a body that knows no pain, that does not age and a vessel capable of coming into the presents of our almighty God without it disintegrating.

Although we understand very clearly that salvation is a gift of God and we could do nothing to receive it, but once it was ours, it brought with it true repentance and even with the many mistakes along the way it now still carries with it daily repentance. My life is constantly surrounded by self-examination in the light of this verse; “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

Each day I test must actions and my thoughts in light of God’s will for my life; I often fail dismally but it has by God’s grace become a lifestyle, and so should it be for every believer who has the Spirit of Christ. The enemy will always look to rob us of the truth; “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) 

Everything in our lives hinges on the finished work of Calvary; it is all about Jesus Christ our Lord. It started with Him and it will end with Him and for those who will not love His appearing will curse the day they were born, but for us who believe what a day that shall be.

Our eventual hope will be that we will forever be called the children of God, we will live as one of His sons, mind-blowing stuff and we will be able to recognise one another for who we were and now are. Even the eleven Apostles could hardly believe their eyes; “Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.” (Mark 16:14)

Do you know that there is a day coming when people will ask this question? “But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,” (Matthew 24:48): - times will get tough for the believer, but why shouldn’t they if we look at all our brothers and sister throughout biblical history, for us to receive this wonderful promise we must also suffer with them; “Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” (1John 3:2)

We too must endure hardship as they did, for in so doing we bring glory to our glorious heavenly Father. Obviously the measure will vary from individual to individual, but we will all need to suffer in our “bodies of death” to attain to the resurrection. And for those who preach this message; that we will never suffer or be sick and that there is no hell, they are liars and they do the work of the devil. We must suffer to learn obedience, it is the way of our Lord; “Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.” (Hebrews 5:8): - we need to therefore arm ourselves with this understanding as it will be very confusing to expect a certain outcome and to receive the opposite.

This is what sound doctrine teachers us; it arms us with correct understanding for service. But why must it be this way? Anything that comes to easily is never really appreciated. May God give us the strength to endure whatever this year holds for us as believers, may our lives glorify His name like never before, Amen!

Remember our hope; that one day we shall be like Him and we will be named amongst the sons of God, what a glorious opportunity we as God’s children now have. Let us therefore remember this; “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:10-14)

Let us leave behind all our failure as there is nothing now to be done about them, today is a new day with new hope, let us therefore find grace in time of need as we call out unto our God for His mercy, as we work out His will for our lives.

Signing off

Tyrone