Senses...

In order for us to appreciate and enjoy the pleasures of our senses we need them operating at full capacity. I am now entering a phase to my life where my senses are beginning to fail. My eyes are not what they once were, I should wear glasses, but that wasn’t always my reality, there was a time when I had 20/20 vision or I was certainly very close to it: Why do I mention the obvious? It highlights God’s brilliance in pointing us towards the truth about our existence and what can be learnt from the clues, the hints of our experiences throughout our ongoing journey whilst we live here on earth, with all of them pointing us heavenward in order to enjoy Him. Sins effect has robbed us of these valuable lessons and distracts our minds with complaints and the like.

Let me use an example to help you understand my thought process and then if applied with vigor it should help us live differently. A blind man has four senses that function and not five, a deaf man the same and so on. The greatest of our God given senses in my humble opinion must be sight which works together with our brain which processes the information it witnesses and at times leaves us gob smacked. What we see can impact us positively or negatively, our eyes the gateway to our souls. What our eyes expose themselves too most certainly has an impact on our characters. Grow up feeding them with pornographic filth and that will become a thorn in our sides. The principle applies to every area of our lives, what we see affects us on a deeper level; it is as simple as that. However the beauty of sight if used correctly should work itself out for our benefit if we are skilled in what we expose them too. Sin drives us away from God and not towards Him. Apply my thought to a given circumstance and test if what I say has any factual evidence to it.

Let’s say we decide to venture into a game reserve and we experience what is on offer, one sprightly morning we see a breath taking sunrise and whilst in the throes on that beauty it must drive our imaginations towards God as an awesome creator; even the unbeliever has something that nags away at his conscience about God’s brilliance under those conditions. Even if they are convinced that it was evolutions big bang, they understand that the event must have been epic. It obviously was God spoke and it happened, phenomenal but precisely accurate, praise God! Beauty in creation certainly gets me to ponder the brilliance of God when I take it all in.

But what about the scandalous things I see on the internet? Have you ever seen horrific acts through video clips like the beheading of the “innocent”? In like manner without spiritual vision it leaves us questioning the atrocities we witness. It is horrific! It leaves so many questioning God instead of praising Him. Without spiritual sight we will never understand the carnage of this world, similarly to a blind man trying to imagine a sunrise. Without sight we need a stick to guide our steps and it is no different for those who are spiritually blind. God must give us sight to see heavenly things. If that eludes us we will only ever grope in the dark tying to imagine heaven with all its glory. Where does then leave us? In need of God’s grace to equip our eyes to see and how is this achieved? It is rather simple; we must be born again, or if you prefer made alive by the Spirit. “Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."” (John 3:3-8)

Let’s unpack the importance of these verses; the practise of philosophy and traditional religion will only ever leave an individual with a sense of thinking that they can see when in fact they have been hoodwinked. Trickery of one’s mind, thinking that all will be well with their souls when in fact it is a lie. Professing to see when in fact they are blind. Imagine that sunset seen in the Game Reserve we considered, take a blind man with you and ask him to describe what he sees, his imagination may be honed to see beauty in some other amazing way but I can assure that it will never be accurate, it will never depict the truth, that would be impossible not differently to a religious leader who in fact is blind teaching you how to get to heaven. Man’s interpretation on what should suffice in order to attain God’s blessing. The writer of Hebrews refers to this as “dead works”; dead because no matter how appealing the effort may seem, if it springs from death it will only ever produce death! In fact it can’t even do that as it is dead! Unless you leave a corpse to rot and stagnate, before long it will decay and cause disease. Thankfully I was saved from such decay and by God’s grace found life in Christ I was rescued out of Roman Catholicism. An organisation when the layers are peeled back it is very easy to see the error of their ways and sadly they trap so many into believing their lies. But I take comfort in the Lord’s conclusion; “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”  

Were the confusion reigns is a carnal perception about spiritual realities. Here was a man, a ruler of the Jews, a spiritual leader who up and until now was as blind as a bat concerning spiritual truths. No different to most of the so called Christian organisations of today, test if what I say has any truth attached to it. Here is the crunch verse; “that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” a clear distinction evident. Therefore if I try and add spiritual precepts to my flesh (my carnal mind) it can and will only ever result in feeding the flesh and my soul will be unaffected. My mind may feel good about itself but that is far as it gets me. Not enough to open my eyes spiritually, for that to happen I need a miracle in my life. So how do I become a candidate for that miracle? I need God’s grace to take effect in my being; I need to be born of the Spirit and without unpacking the Sovereign call from God on the lives of some and not others, the gospel has gone out to all. The requirement remains the same for all, which is this; “For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."” (Romans 10:13) – BUT CALL YOU MUST! Without that call your thoughts on religion may continue to deceive you into believing that all will be well with your soul when in fact it is no more than a lie… 

Signing off

Tyrone   

          

God's GOODNESS...

Considering that we have been commanded to put on the mind of Christ, to think and act like Him. How many people actually know what He would be thinking in any given circumstance? I have heard some appalling remarks from those who should know better and sadly in hindsight I have been part of some heinous annotations over time, looking to justify my actions whilst accommodating my sinful behaviour. We serve a very gracious God, who is perfectly HOLY and slow to anger. He is full of grace and is LOVE personified. Without all of His beauty playing out the way it does I would surely be dead and in the grave by now, but God, my God and heavenly Father has been extremely patient with me; all I ever deserved was the opposite and yet I am gladly beginning to witness the benefits of God’s ingenious mercies beginning to play out favourably in my life, praise God! I trust He is also noticing the change! Thank you Father for your abundant grace and mercy in my life; thank you for the unmeasurable love you have bestowed upon me…

It is one thing to know God, every creation is a reflection of God in all His glory; we needn’t travel far to prove to our enquiring minds that God exists. He has given us creation as an awesome witness of His power and glory. Just step out a door and into a garden, or look up into the night sky or turn on the TV and flip to a National Geographic channel and not another word is required proving God’s brilliance in and through His creation. In fact the evidence is so compelling that the Apostle Paul pens an explanation about the very topic in question in the book of Romans, condemning all who oppose the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as the only true God and mastermind behind all of creation which leaves mankind without excuse. Objections like, “what about the man in the Amazon Jungle how does God show him mercy?” All of us witness God’s brilliance in and through His creation; even the bushman tucked away in an isolated corner of the globe can understand that God exists.

All anyone needs to do is cry out to God for mercy and they would certainly find understanding about God’s existence. If mankind is so divided on this issue, why and what happened to leave us with so many varying opinions on this particular topic?  Let us go back in history to deepen our understanding…

History should teach us about the errors of our ways and help us to right our wrongs. Hindsight is the perfect science! If as a toddler I begin to explore my surroundings and I came across a live wire that was exposed and I handled it, what would happen? I would get a shock! But before long I would learn to avoid the experience by eluding the hazard. Experience therefore equips me to avoid making the same mistakes. History is my friend if I learn from it. God has given us the greatest History book, it is up to us to pick it up and read it. The Bible is our friend! Make use of it and learn to understand the lessons in it.

Considering creation and the mistakes we made over the process of time should equip us to right our wrongs, here then is the lesson about mankind’s downward spiral and historically how we moved away from God’s will for our lives instead of towards His favour; “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 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. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” (Romans 1:19-24)

Although we as Gentiles were never apart of God’s law like Israel was and given the Law of Moses depicting His character to them as a nation; God did not leave us without witness of His brilliance, creation proves His existence. But professing to be wise in ourselves we became fools. And for this reason God gave us over to varying sins, we needn’t look very far to see the error of our ways for they have become evident. Today is a day where same sex marriage is no longer frowned upon. It has become our right! Unless we find God’s favour in and through His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ we will continue in our downward spiral of self-destruction. But God who is rich in mercy and full of love has offered mankind a lifeline in spite of our errors. Unless we turn to Him in repentance for our rebellion and our sins it will end badly for us all.

The time for our mutiny must now end and we must cry out to Him and seek out His forgiveness for our sins and our revolt. Today is the day of salvation, for us to put it off for another day only proves our folly.

“For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.” (Romans 10:11-12) – The offer is available to all who would dare to call upon Him, but call we must!

Signing off

Tyrone   

   

       

Our Lord is coming...

“That our Lord is coming, is certain; that his coming may be at any moment, is a matter of faith; and that we are ignorant of the time of his coming, is a matter of fact: “Ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”” A quote literally penned by Charles Spurgeon.

A time in history where a thought like the internet was absent from the perceptions on those back then. How times have changed, with technology echoing threats of world domination. Movies screaming “beware the machine may take over” and the like; not very far from mankind’s imaginations. Changes throughout history continually evolve, and yet through it all, there are some constants that we are able to cling too. In fact we have been commanded to hang onto every jot and tittle; the Word of God is one of those beauties; praise the name of Jesus my Lord! Many churches have disregarded the power and safety of the Word of God, which sadly will be to their own peril and for those who teach that change is acceptable, they will receive a stricter judgement; a current topic would be same sex marriages. Here is the warning; “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” (James 3:1) – We all have our weaknesses, one in this area while another in a different capacity. Our sinful natures have taken care of that but when we twist God’s Word to accommodate our sin, then we are in danger of eternal judgement with ceaseless consequences that will carry with it God’s judgments, and who in their right mind would look to challenge God? God forbid that we would ever accommodate such a futile mind-set.      

Just as it was in the days of Charles Spurgeon’s era where the same message was preached from the pulpit that the Lord Jesus is imminent, so too is it a given in our day and age that the message remains the same, the Lord Jesus is coming, His second return is looming, it is constant and there has been no change to it, “HE IS COMING!” He will return like a thief in the night, there are no ifs and buts to this message and for those who look to denounce that memorandum they will surely be caught off guard. Although we understand that many will grow impatient with this message and look to discredit it, the Lord Jesus shall return, this is a fact and will never be altered; God has set this truth in stone.

Christians must cling to this truth will all of our resolve and although it is very clear that we cannot be sure of the day we can most certainly be on the lookout for clues that God shall warn those who are looking for that day to unfold.

“Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:42-44)

With this truth alive and well where does that leave the Christian? The proceeding verses give us an indication to what we should be on the lookout for; "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.” (Matthew 24:32-33) – We have the warning signs which our dear Lord and Saviour has warned us about and we must be prepared if and when we notice the signs of the times. It is clear that we are on the brink of this event and therefore we must not be overtaken by it. It would be expedient for us to treat each and every day from here on in just as if today could be the day of that trumpet blast where the Lord will return to gather His people and where we will be caught up into the air to meet Him. What a day that will be, even so come quickly Lord Jesus, we long to meet you in the air, Amen and Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone  

  

   

Examine yourselves...

(2Corinthians 13:5)  “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”

Here we have an instruction and it asks us to gaze into the mirror and to be brutally honest with ourselves about ourselves. It is a reflection test and must be stripped of any aids; make-up will not help but only hinder our advances in working out our own standings before a Holy God. This inspection calls for brutal honesty and any application of base will hinder our assessment. Who I am, and how I am perceived by others must be part of the evaluation, however the pressing issue is to test myself in the light of “faith” and how I stand in that regard with my commitment towards God. Do I serve Him, or pretend to serve Him so that I may benefit today for today or am I driven by something far deeper, which is the laying down of my life for the sake of my Christian family? Because if we have the Spirit of Christ, if Jesus is in us we must now learn to behave differently in every area of our lives; hence the test! Rebellion to that call must begin to dissipate into an afterthought of the Oldman’s conduct.

Prior to arriving at this understanding we all lived in a very rebellious state towards God but thankfully the mercies of God covered me even back then and it was often the rod that was used to drive folly from me. I was an aggressive, unfaltering, self-centered individual and one who shunned authority at all costs. It was all part of my sinful character which God patiently allowed to play out in order to teach me how desperately I needed Him, bless His brilliance. He is ever wise even when others only see destruction, He adequately works miracles into any given situation and graciously saves individuals from themselves; this is my testimony; it took me 22 years to come to that understanding and the need to find forgiveness for my sins. And although many of those unwanted traits of my old character miraculously seemed to disappear without any effort on my part. After a while those hindering traits would look to rear their head and dominate any given situation when challenged. Nothing more than rebellion!

I have noticed through my experiences and encounters with other Christians that many deep rooted traits from the old man, our old lives prior to salvation sadly often never leave us, which can be very damaging not only for ourselves but for those who witness our appalling behaviour. This however does not excuse us in the light of being covered by the grace of God. Sure we find repentance for our actions from day to day in and through the finished work of Calvary; this is commonly known as part of our ongoing daily sanctification. Our lives must be filled with a measure of self-reflection as we have been commanded to put on the mind of Christ. In other words we must change the way we once conducted ourselves and apply ourselves to that change not with a carnal understanding, which at times may even seem as if we are doing the right thing on a moral level, if it is contrary to the mind of Christ it will only ever ensnare us deeper into our rebellion of self.

It is easier to pick out a fruit that is marred on its outer shell than one that is filled with worms which are hidden and feed off the inside of the produce. And yet both are equally undesirable. Let us not be fooled into excusing certain types of behaviours while picking on the more obvious easy targets. Our minds must now become obsessed with the “mind of Christ” and we must make every possible effort to understand what that looks like. Forget everything you thought you once knew, because some of what you may believe to be kosher may in fact be the very thing which hinders you from going onto maturity. It is God who hinders or accelerates a Christians progression; “Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits.” (Hebrews 6:1-3)

As a Christian, there is a process we must get to grips with no differently to a newborn baby familiarising themselves with their new surroundings, from the womb into the world and for the Christian; from the Oldman’s reckonings to the mind of Christ. If we resist this transformation we will sadly not be allowed to go onto maturity. Who in their right mind would want to be an adult with an infant’s understanding, how long would that individual last amongst the wolves of this world? Now before I am misunderstood; all of salvation is subject to the grace of God, however we must pay careful attention to the Spirit’s direction. The apostle Paul gives us this instruction and it would be extremely beneficial to examine ourselves in light of the tutoring; “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith.” We must test ourselves and our conduct compared to the mind of Christ. We are new creatures in Christ, if in fact we have His Spirit in us, if not we kid ourselves and try to kid those around us that we belong to Him, when in fact we have a form of religion but it carries no power in our deliberations. We will eventually be found wanting, driven by our old characters where sin dominates our lives. There is nothing hidden from God, therefore we must examine ourselves; we must be honest with ourselves so that the necessary steps may be realised and then appropriate action through repentance in the finished work of Calvary can be taken. This is a very important facet of what it means to put on the mind of Christ…

Signing off

Tyrone

    

Emotion

The elation of victory is a wonderful emotion and the greater the win the fuller the joy. Life is all about conquering differing obstacles as and when they present themselves, regardless of our upbringing or background we all have the hurdles of life to conquer. And one needn’t look very far to find someone worse-off than ourselves. But regardless of our standings within society, whether we are first in the class or last we will only ever be in one of two factions that will carry eternal consequences; the Camp of Life or the Camp of Death! Whether a person ends up being a king or a pauper we will eventually all be divided as the Bible expresses it into one of two camps; Life or Death; Heaven or Hell! This is what mankind has generally overlooked from the beginning. Life is a treasure hunt and the greatest treasure of all is the Lord Jesus Christ and yet only some will find Him; whilst others chase mammon or something they value as their ultimate goal which drives them to be the persons they are. However the offer to find Christ through repentance has gone out to all. Eventually this truth will become apparent to all and yet sadly it will be too late for so many.     

Obviously we will all die and return to the dust but our soul survives death and lives on, either serving God in plain sight or it will continue to die in darkness and torment, absent from the presences of God for eternity; there is life after death! There will be no end to eternity and we will all be privy to that law which God has established. This truth eludes so many of us because we have been blinded by sin. Sadly the distractions of life keeps our minds busy with less important issues; education, sport, power, awards, money, lust, relationships and the like. Death will eventually knock for all and then what?

Imagine the doom and gloom of death knocking at the door, a man lies on his sickbed knowing that death is eminent, the fear of the unknown looming; that is a reality which in tow carries a heavy burden and an emotion filled with dread. Ifs and buts raging rampant in the man’s mind if he remains oblivious to the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ. He has heard the message in some form, we all have, but he has rejected the grace of God throughout his life. What a dilemma!  How many actually find true repentance on their death beds? Some, but not many! God is full of grace and how many opportunities has He afforded mankind to find salvation in Him? Time will reveal it all!

Here is a parable we can use to stress the point…

There was a man who had achieved success and he was esteemed by his peers, a man dressed in purple and someone who feasted on the finest of what life had to offer. Each day on his way to work he looked down on a beggar disregarding him as a failure. A thought of annoyance having to see this man every day frustrated him and with that thought he felt a sense of self-worth about his own achievements. And then it happened death knocked and called his name. His eyes were opened to the reality of eternity and he was surrounded by flames of fire with all his facilities in tacked. How do we know this to be true? Here is his reality; "There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.” (Luke 16:19-25) – Lazarus (the beggar) was a man in need and yet He relied upon the grace of God to see him through life on earth, he was poor and destitute or so it seemed. Whilst on the other hand the rich seemed to suffer no lack. Until death knocked! He ignored the grace of God while he lived. A story which will apply to all whom live; you see that there is far more to live for than surface tripe and it is imperative that we understand the deeper meanings of life. God has offered all the chance to find Him.

Sadly it was too late for the rich man and this was his retort about his condition; “And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house-- for I have five brothers--so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'" (Luke 16:27-30)

This is the truth about life after death therefore be sure to find the grace of God whilst you still have breath. The offer has gone out to all…

Signing off

Tyrone    

  

  

Let's be sure...

Man-made religion is full of understandable snares that look to entice the carnally minded individual. But in order to safely navigate the traps along life’s journey we must put on the “mind of Christ”. This is crucial for our existence here on earth as well as what God has for us beyond the grave.

Why does religion play such a massive part in the world today? We are inquisitive beings and we have been designed with enquiring minds which leaves us permanently looking for answers. We are driven towards knowledge in one form or another. Let me use a very simple example to prove the point; I like boiled eggs prepared with the center soft but not runny. In order for me to achieve the perfect results I needed to test my gas stove with a specific pot and then the timing of the cook is crucial. I needed to test varying criteria to eventually arrive at my desired result. I required the theoretical knowledge I had learnt to then be worked out practically for me to achieve my goal. Without the specifics put into place, it would always end up as guess work to whether my eggs would be hard or soft. And when I get it wrong I know it’s because I never used the knowledge that I had already worked out over time. It was ignored! It is impossible to take the same eggs and to start again. New eggs are needed!

We get one crack at this life so it is crucial that we get it right. If we miss out there will be no second chance. Do not believe the liars with their hocus-pocus fairy tails about reincarnation, it is devilish and comes from the pit of hell. There will never be a second chance for us to right our wrongs, the Bible is very clear on this point; “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27)

Our soul drives us to find answers beyond the grave, no differently to our hunger pangs driving us towards our next meal. It is part of our design. Even though sin has blinded us from certain truths about the knowledge of God, somehow there is a gnawing voice in the back of people’s minds about life after death. God has graciously equipped mankind with an inquisitive mind that needs answers. I understand that the Bible is clear on the point that unless we are “born again” (born of the Spirit) we cannot see heaven with all its beauty and yet there is an unseen driving force that keeps people wanting to stay alive. The curse of aging is what we all look to avoid. The Makeup Industry is a multibillion dollar industry that is thriving and will remain to live as long as it has breath. How much of your salary goes towards makeup and antiaging cream that may keep a wrinkle away? Strip it down and we will all eventually end up in the same place; “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return."” (Genesis 3:19) – We will all eventually take our last breath on this planet, which is the cold hard truth to our existence. There are no ifs and buts to that equation.

This is our truth but we have not been left without an alternative. Jesus Christ the Lord has already conquered the grave and in Him alone will we find salvation for eternity. There is no other alternative that will end well. However there are many voices that proclaim marginal solutions, they are nothing but lies. The true Christian has fully understood this but for the sake of those that may still be on the fringe of salvation let me break it down for you. Why is there no other way that will end favourably? The Bible has made it clear that God hates sin, rebellion to His existence is what drives our sinful natures and because we are all under the same curse we need a substitute to re-establish a rightful standing with the only true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Someone had to pay the price for our sin, hence the Lord Jesus dying in our place. Will everyone escape God’s judgement? NO! Only those who turn to Him through repentance will escape that judgement. How will this be achieved? It is simpler than you think, confess your sins before God; acknowledge your responsibility in them, seeking out God’s forgiveness for them through the Lord Jesus Christ and it will end well for you. The Bible has made this very clear; “For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:11-13) - However ignore the warning at your own peril. There will be no second chances.”   

How important is it for us to get it right? Considering eternity and because of our carnal natures it is sometimes hard to wrap our minds around the thought. This might help; let’s say a bird needs to sharpen it’s beak and it uses the rock face of Table Mountain to do that. How long would it take for the mountain to eventually wear away and disappear? Well if that was possible over the process of time, eternity would have only just started. Eternity cannot be measures as it lives beyond the bounds of time and yet it never ends, wow! Therefore it is imperative for us to make the right choice while we still have breath as it will affect our eternal existences. I trust you get the point. There will be no second chances!

For those who have found life and who can sing the song, “Jesus in my place” it is nevertheless needful to understand that we must change our mind-sets. Each and every morning we must endeavour to put on the “mind of Christ”. We are under a new set of laws; we must no longer be governed by our old traits. Faith must drive us towards the instructions found in the Word of God. Here is one of them that should anchor our thought process from here on in; “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 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. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” (Romans 8:5-9)

In conclusion we need the Spirit of Christ to help arm us with the mind of Christ and if His Spirit is absent, we simple do not belong to Him.

We must all face our own realities and ask ourselves the question does the Spirit of God dwell in us? Man-made religion gives those enslaved to it a vaccination, which in turn quenches their enquiring minds, feeding them with lies and keeps them from the truth. I too was once enslaved to a church that was dead.

I ask again, does the Spirit of God dwell in you? If not you do not belong to the only true God and you will not escape the judgement of God. The Bible is very clear on this. However if you are alive you can turn to God through repentance and seek out His forgiveness for your sins. Today is the day of salvation, call upon the name of the Lord and you shall be heard, but call you must!

Signing off

Tyrone    

   

 

      

A Warning...

(1Timothy 4:1) “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some …”

Here is a prophecy (a prediction of what will happen in the future) written by the Apostle Paul for Timothy his son in the Lord, to be on the lookout for and to warn Christians to also be vigilant concerning his stern warning, which was and is this; firstly pay careful attention to who it is that is giving the warning, “the Spirit”, God the Holy Spirit commands the stage and expresses a warning by the hand of Paul. He makes a statement and to highlight the point Paul says that He expressly (deliberately or unambiguously) speaks so that we may pay careful attention to what is said. There will come a time, which is already playing out that some will depart from the faith, which is a terrible reality; traitors turning their backs on the wonderful mercies of God. What will cause this to materialize? I suppose the love of our own lives to the exclusion of God’s will for our lives; it is as simple as that!

Some will have a hindered understanding when it comes to God’s brilliance and therefore leave them clutching at what this life has to offer as their highest goal. Unbelief will shadow them. However the faithful will pursue God’s will for their lives and yes it may result in death but who cares. Eternity is far more valuable than a mere seventy years. God will follow through with His plans and it is imperative that we understand who we are dealing with. We have an enemy that moves around the globe trying to hoodwink the masses and sadly many will fall privy to his deceitful plights. The question we need to ask ourselves is where do we fit in? As for me and my family, we know in whom we believe. Praise the glorious name of our risen King, the Lord Jesus Christ, for although we are caught up in a dying world He has already defeated the devil and his followers. We will by the grace of God place our trust in Him. Blessed be the name of Jesus now and forever more, Amen and Amen!

It is up to each of you to decide where you fit in with God’s master plan, will you run with the masses or will you suffer loss if need be flying the flag of our great King, regardless of the cost? If God is for us who can be against us? I will echo the sentiments of Paul the Apostle; “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39) - Will you?

It is time for the heated battle to present itself and those on the fence will fall by the wayside. My prayer is that our great God and Father will give all of His children the resolve to stand up and make a difference. Remember that you are not alone; there are millions of God’s children across the world that will need to make a stand. But stand we must! It will be worth it all! How do I know what I say is true? God has so declared it and we all know from where we have been saved and the struggles we have had along our journey and none of us can claim plain sailing. Therefore let us remember to stand with one another. Here are some encouraging words from the book of Jude; “keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”

Signing off

Tyrone

  

               

Seasons

Patterns tell a story and yet they are open to interpretation. As a child did you ever sit with friends or siblings and gaze up into the sky as you searched out varying figurine formations as the clouds moved and changed shape? It was a game filled with a stretch of imaginations. Then you have patterns on a canvas that are valued at astronomical sums of money, depending upon the artists value,  with the posh side of society visiting museums placing their own independent interpretation to the masterpiece, I suppose it leaves them rather gratified and with a sense of self-worth. Place a simple man under the breadline fighting for his daily bread in the same room and you would leave clutching at straws if he was asked to interpret a Van Gogh masterpiece. I am not suggesting that he would not have an opinion about the painting but it would be a very bland interpretation allowing the social climber to undermine the individual as pride’s gapping arm pats his own ego. Now to be fair to the art lover, I have not personally singled out those in the know, but rather used it to illustrate a point. Psychologists get a child to draw a picture to help them understand what they sense the child’s perceptions are. Patterns, pictures and habits all tell their own story. We must learn to read between the lines…

It’s one thing to get to grips with an individual but quite another to get to grips with what God is telling us through His signs and we need to pay attention to His warnings if it is to end well for us. God has given us seasons to prepare us for varying elements, in summer we wear T-Shirts whilst in winter we wear jackets and jerseys. King Solomon, king David’s son penned this truth for us; “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)     

 If and when God decides that there is value to pen what is written in the Holy Bible we better understand that it is there for a reason and it would be wise of us to explore the explanations for it. For He reveals his Character in and through the written words found inscribed in the Bible. When God saved His people out of the land of Egypt from their slavery led by Moses, He called a meeting with Moses on Mount Sinai and used his finger to inscribe the Ten Commandments onto tablets of stone. He chose words to help his people understand what was needed from them to keep them in line. They failed dismally, will we?

However God being merciful is patient with us all but there will come a day where His judgements will play out as it is written. He has given us varying accounts to show us that He is a God of His word.

Mercy then judgement; warnings then a sentence, and so on, although we are now in the season of mercy the day will soon arrive when His wrath will materialize. He will soon judge both the living and the dead; “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-15) – What then is the lesson? Whilst we still have breath we most certainly have hope. But this hope will not remain open forever, therefore it is imperative that we make the most of the time we have left. Call upon the name of the Lord Jesus whilst there is still time for us to be heard, this must now become of utmost importance to all of us that still breathe  and who remain alive and well. For we will eventually run out of time and no one knows the final hour of our existence except God!

It is the season for us to sit up and to take note of our lives and to ponder our futures in eternity, the time for games is soon to end, let us therefore be serious and seek out God’s grace for our lives whilst it is still day.

My prayer is for God to give us an urgency to be serious about His call upon our lives.

Signing off

Tyrone        

      

Let's get serious...

What do humans long for? I suppose that would depend upon who is answering the question; they say “one man’s meat is another man’s poison”. Some may be given to hunting whilst others would despise the thought resenting the hunter and yet a large portion of their diet would in fact be meat. A Christian may favour a beer whilst the other would refrain. Charles Spurgeon a preacher that lived in the 1800’s, a man that God no doubt honoured as we see much to do about him and his teaching throughout the globe in the 21^st century, he was a man mightily used by God and was convinced that there was no problem smoking cigars. He smoked cigars and was often found posing with one. But I’ve noticed that some have taken it upon themselves to remove the cigar from his hand and replace it with a walking stick in a portrait they display on their website. I can understand the reason behind it, but Spurgeon stood firm on his laurels in that regard, so who has the right to change a person’s perception without his consent? But these types of concerns are not the pressing ones we need to take to heart. There are far more pressing issues that we need to consider. We have been given direct instruction to issues pertaining to life and death. These are the truths we need to search out if it is to end well for us. Whether a man drinks a beer or smokes is neither here nor there in bigger scheme of things, but what is of utmost importance is what we do with God’s free grace offer found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Will we accept Him as a propitiation for our sins? Simply put, will we cry out to Him and ask Him to forgive us for our sins? It is as simple as that! Every other voice that proclaims a different way will be found wanting on the Day of Judgment.

The next hurdle we need to then overcome is the habitual sin in our lives that has somehow enslaved us to certain sinful patterns that we have had no victory over up until now. We are now new creatures in Christ; “So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"” (Romans 8:12-15) – We now need to find grace to change the way we once lived, I am however aware that some sinful habits take a lifetime to conquer. But we must continue to seek grace to find victory in those areas of our lives.

I do not make reference to the opinions of men but rather the instructions we receive from the Word of God. It’s not about eating and drinking, per say but rather about our conduct as Christians. Thankfully we have been afforded the opportunity to daily find forgiveness for our sins. Repentance must become a way of life for the Christian. Although we have been sanctified by the blood of the Lamb and made worthy, there must still be a resolve from each and every one of us to find daily sanctification. In other words we must make every effort to pursue holiness in our lives. Some areas in our lives will now be effortless whilst others will still need much sweat and tears.

Thankfully we have been given the Word of God, the Bible, to work this out in our lives. Let’s say I have a tendency as a man to sexually be attracted to other men, I cannot continue to live here, regardless of the lying voices throughout the world. Or if I am continually drunk and drink to the extent of escaping through alcohol, neither can I continue to live there. If lying has become a way of life for me I must seek grace to stop lying and so on. These are the pressing issues that we need to look to conquer. How do I know that this is important for the Christian? God has given us clear direction through His Word.

It couldn’t be plainer than this; “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21) – The question I now need to ask myself, am I clear in every one of these areas in my life? My answer would be no! What now? Well I cannot condone the failures that still rob me of my victory in Christ; I must continue to find forgiveness in those areas of my life. Repentance must become a lifestyle that continues to live as part of my daily character until the victory needed becomes my reality; until the next hurdle that needs to be cleared and so on.

There will come a day when the race will be over and for all those who endure until the end we will receive a crown of glory. This is our hope and every Christian places that reality in the forefront of their minds, if not we need to change our mind-sets and cry out unto our God. But cry we must! For it will eventually be worth it all.

Let us all learn to have the heart of David and to plead with God to “renew a right spirit within us”.

In conclusion, let us not spend so much time on the strawmen (deceptions) in our lives but rather place serious thought on the real issues that keep us from a right relationship with our God.

Signing off

Tyrone      

         

       

A work in progress...

Have you ever walked into a mechanics workshop and seen an old vintage car stacked away in one corner? I know I have and on questioning them about it, I am always told that it is a work in progress, a personal project that they have in mind to one day complete. But for that to happen much is needed; parts, time, resources and the like has to be carefully worked into the equation if it is to end well.  

Similarly I like working and shaping Bonsai trees, but it takes years for the desired results to finally arrive. It is not a hobby that comes with instant results, patience is required but the reward is certainly well worth the wait. Although I have some idea of what I want the tree to look like, it is never quite precise. I suppose the intrigue to how it will eventually turn out is part of the excitement. However when the tree is worthy of display it is very gratifying.

We too are a work in progress; God is patiently molding us into the image of His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. With a crucial key ingredient that will help all of His children with their transformation, GRACE! Without it none of us would ever arrive. But grace cannot work alone it needs a catalyst to drive it, which is faith, not faith in faith but faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Which in turn has nothing to do with our abilities but it is a work of God. Here are two verses which prove this thought; “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

When the bible is specific with its instruction, I am learning that our carnal nature instinctively looks to push us in an opposite direction. Our carnal nature resists the instruction… Therefore it is imperative to heed the instruction without interference. And yet, although salvation with all the mechanics attached is obviously initiated by God. It would be premature for me to conclude that it is a one sided affair. Life itself teaches us that those types of relationships never quite cut it. The verses above are very well constructed and it leaves no wiggle room if unpacked correctly; “For by grace you have been saved through faith” – Grace is the vehicle used to save an individual. Grace means unmerited favour “or capacities to tolerate, accommodate, or forgive…” it’s not as if grace finds a particular type of individual and then latches onto that person because of their characters. But rather grace is highlighted and puts on the greatest of displays in spite of the individual’s character; in fact the viler the person the grander the show. The hymn “Amazing Grace” is probably where I will leave it to illustrate my point. John Newton wrote that Hymn; a slave trader who lived in the 1700’s and God took pity on Him; why? Is a question I am not willing to answer, what do I know, can I understand the mechanics of the only true and almighty God? But this I will say, it was God’s grace that saved Him. Resulting with a man compelled to pen the words to that amazing Hymn which he so aptly gave the title “Amazing Grace”.

“Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.”

He understood the Apostles point. Have we? If and when we start looking to justify our behavioural patterns outside of our covering in Christ’s accomplishments we have begun a journey down the wrong road and it will not end well for that individual. Every true Christian I have ever encountered regardless of their persuasion on varying doctrinal truths understands this in principle, but when it comes to a practical application behind this truth I know many of us fall short. We love to justify the reasoning for why we are favoured. It is prevalent within relationships; if you do this I will then do that and so on. That type of mentality is the opposite of grace and acts in accordance with merit. We always conclude when pressed that we can never earn salvation and yet we often look to earn it. Wow!

I think many make this mistake when they equate the reasons for our acceptance before a Holy God. I know my mind looks to do it all the time, and it comes to the fore especially when I look to be financially blessed by God. A mastery of mathematics combined with the laws of physics merging in my puny little brain as I search out vary winning formula’s. If I do it like this it may just work, and then I realise that it doesn’t so I try something else and so on, which is very tiring and unrewarding.

I think we muddle the lines between our responsibilities within our relationship with our God and Father and we keep reverting back to our carnal understanding. We must be on guard against these enticing traps. Sin and life has so instilled these types of mind-sets that we find it hard to separate our carnality from our Spirituality. Did you know that these two actualities will always be at enmity; “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. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:7-8)

We were taught these truths and they are instilled into us by the Word of God soon after salvation and yet sadly we continually need to be reminded of them, we need to constantly trim our sails in this area of our lives, thank God for His life changing WORDS and His patience with us

In conclusion it is obvious that we had nothing to do with our own salvation, it was God’s work and our born again experience had nothing to do with us, never forget this! If we skew this truth we allow pride to live and God will always resist a proud heart. But now that God has done the work in our hearts we have very particular instructions to follow and the Bible is full of them. Life now teaches us to test our actions in accordance with His instructions. This will take a lifetime. But the sooner we find them governing our lives the sooner we will embrace maturity. It’s that simple to understand and yet without faith impossible to accomplish. Faith is not only the catalyst used to save us but is needed on a daily basis if we are to arrive. It is no different to a car that needs gasoline for it to run. We need faith alive and healthy within us to feed our hope. And yet we have many enemies that look to rob us of this reality. The cares of this life is a vicious enemy. God help us to realise this. Our carnal effort will never feed our faith; we must learn to trust in the finished work of our Lord and Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. When God establishes a truth in His Word we must believe it to be so and it must become our certainty. Regardless of the other voices that press in on our thoughts. You may have often heard the phrase that “God helps those who help themselves”. NO! God helps those who put their faith in Him and in His instructions through His Word, the Bible!

God cannot lie and He will reward those who diligently seek Him.

Signing off

Tyrone  

 

Chose this day whom you will serve

Chose this day whom you will serve

Society teaches us that to get ahead we need to be focused and for us to set goals is a must. Just as an avalanche begins to gain momentum when the snow gathers on the mountain tops unable to hold its weight and then shifts, it then begins its downward spiral gathering speed collecting volume whilst engulfing all in its way, so too will this world with all its lies begin to follow suite. It has begun to shift like I have not seen and before long it will be full steam ahead looking to bury all of its unsuspecting victims. Therefore it is imperative that we as Christians begin to understand the signs of the times, which our Lord and Saviour warned us to be on the lookout for. This is a drum that has been played for millenniums now, but in my opinion we are now entering a steady drum roll and before long those sleeping will be caught off guard.

Today is a day for reckoning, it is a day for us to all trim our sails and to pull out our compasses and to make sure we are on the right path without any interference hoodwinking us into believing the world’s opinions and their lies. It is time for us to stand up as men and to be counted. Regardless of the cost! Yes we shall be persecuted for our faith and the wolves will look to attach and confer they shall, so be it! We know in whom we believe, our Saviour has cried that victorious war cry, “it is finished”! He has conquered hell, death and the grave. We know in whom we believe and that it will end well for all who are faithful even unto death if that is required. Our goal is an eternal one and we must not be swayed by any other voice.

As I watched Carte Blanche last night I was saddened to see how this world is so hoodwinked with apparent worthy causes that will lead them astray. In fact I was tearful thinking about how severe it really is. So much energy for God’s creation and the efforts people place upon serving the creature and yet not giving due benevolence to their creator. This is where the initial downward spiral all began way back when; “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. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” (Romans 1:21-25) - It is imperative for us as Christians to stand upon the truth of God’s Word and declare our allegiance to Him. We must not accommodate any wiggle room when it comes to His rightful place in this universe, we must all make our voices clearly heard in this dying and perverse generation. God will never share His glory with another and why would He? There is no one greater than Him, “He is a jealous God”! And He is jealous for us and He has proved His loyalty to all who profess Him as their god and Father by sending His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to die in our stead. Praise His name now and forever more.

The time is short for us all but I can promise you on the authority of God’s Word that it will end well for all the faithful; “But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"—“ (1Corinthians 2:9) – We must wrestle to find a resolve like never before to find wisdom and keep her close as we see that day approaching. If we have erred from the truth and the call that God has placed upon our lives let us repent and ask, no, rather plead with our God and Father to restore a right spirit within us. He will respond to our cries.

You see judgement must begin with the household of God: “For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And "If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.” (1Peter 4:17-19)

With these thoughts now captivating our souls let us run our race with patience.

Signing off

Tyrone

Eternity

“Much to do about nothing” was a catchphrase used to depict the emptiness of life and then some in a movie not so long ago. No different throughout the history of time. Everyone has been occupied with their lives and then some. That is the one side of the coin that we all take care of and play out the hands we are dealt; we end up where we end up; some with money, others without, some with multiple marriages, others faithful to one, and some with children and others without; some with terminal diseases whilst others live to a ripe old age and so on… This is a reality that affects both the heathen and the believer (Christian) and it all comes with a measure of anxiety, sin with the cares of life has taken care of that. To be more accurate the sin of one and his punishment has affected us all.  

However the cares of this life, as real as it may be for all in one way or another will hold a very insignificant bearing on the reality of our own eternity. Needless to say that sadly this is often the blinding blow that trips up those weak in the faith. The cares of this life press in so hard that it strips away our vision on what really counts, ETERNITY! Without financial security it becomes almost unbearable. And yet with it we have no need to focus on eternity because everything seems to be cool for now. But should either one of these realities captivate so much of our attention, how does that help us? Well it doesn’t! We have been commanded not be become anxious about the cares of this life. I am suggesting we must place exactly the same emphasis and not to find security in money as many of us do.

How often do professing Christians see their loved ones in agony and suffering immensely and yet are always praying for God to heal them and keep them around? Why! The truth of it all is that heaven with God ruling perfectly is our final destination and this is certainly the authenticity of our faith driven hope. As I ponder this thought in depth, I arrive at one conclusion, how many really believe like the saints of old. I come to the same conclusion no matter how I unpack it, many of us lack the faith of old, and may God help us. And I know He shall bring us around, because His works are perfect. But we must lend an ear unto His voice, the time for lukewarmness is nearing its end. The words of Joshua ring loud and clear; “choose this day whom you will serve”! Our attention needs now to focus on eternity whilst the cares of this life must become secondary to our existence. It has to become part of who we are.

How then do we practically achieve this goal? It is rather simple, one step at a time. God will get us home, He has so promised.

The next question I have considered is what delays the second coming of the Lord? Here is my conclusion, God is merciful and He is kind and full of love, although so many in this world pays Him very little attention, He deals outside the realm of time and because of that He patiently prolongs the return of His Son so that some may come to repentance. With that said a day will arrive when He calls it and then it will be too late for those left behind. It is therefore imperative not only for our sakes but the sake of those still of the fringes of repentance to live our lives sold out for Him.

Who will make it to heaven? It will not only be the those who have had model lives as Christians but rather those who in spite of their mistakes have learnt to depend upon the Lord because of their mistakes and have learnt from them and found repentance in the only One who has the power to forgive, the Lord Jesus Christ, bless His name now and forever more. Life on earth is a schoolmaster to teach us to live by faith and to find repentance when we err from God. It is an ongoing process.

There is a day just over the horizon when the trumpet of God will sound and this will become the Christians reality; “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1Corinthians 15:51-58)

We have a glorious hope that is driven by faith and it will eventually arrive, of this I am totally persuaded. Therefore let us not be side-tracked by money or the cares of this life for they will soon be forgotten and that day will arrive where our God and Father will wipe away every tear; we will be His sons and He will be our God, WOW! With that in the forefront of our minds let us make every effort to fight for this exactness.

Signing off

Tyrone  

     

The Spoken Word...

Why does the Christian place such emphasis on the Word of God? Why is it so important to our existence? The answer is rather an obvious one, but we often get lost in translation when the cares of this life press in. Circumstances of life seem to overshadow the most important fundamentals to a person’s life, which is the Word of God. You see creation began with God speaking it into existence, it’s the Word of God that created all things, and He alone has it in His power to create from His spoken Word. God alone has the power to create from a simple Word, phenomenal! But unfortunately not all believe it to be so, and this will be to their own detriment. Here then are the facts; “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Mark 13:3) – The Lord Jesus has proclaimed to the world that heaven and earth as we know it will end, “it will pass away”. Regardless of mankind’s efforts to preserve the earth as we know it, it will eventually run its course and be done away with. How do I know this to be true, God has so declared it! Now whether we believe this to be true or not, it will never change the reality of this truth. God has spoken!

It is therefore essential that we all get in line with God’s reality if it is to end well for us. There is an offer that has been extended to all of mankind and that is to find repentance for our sin in and through the finished work of Calvary. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who has it in His power to forgive us for our rebellion against the Word of God. When God preordains something to happen it always come to pass. Do you know that it is impossible (not able to happen any other way) for God to lie, how do I know this to be true? Once again the Word of God has so affirmed it; “… in which it is impossible for God to lie…” (Hebrews 6:18) - Whatever God has preordained will happen, nothing in existence will ever change the facts and this is the reality of God’s sovereignty and the sooner we get in line with His plans the better-off we will all be. This is not rocket science, so then why do so few align themselves with God’s production and take up their roles as they should? Again the answer is an obvious one; sin has blinded us to the overarching plans that God has preordained from before the foundations of the worlds. Men and women have been hoodwinked to believe a lie! We will only ever find ourselves in one of two camps, the encampment of lies or the faction of truth. Where do you fit in? As for me and my family we will seek out forgiveness for our sins and be thankful to the One who has afforded us this opportunity, our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ has freed us from sin, death and the tricks of Satan. Therefore if we find grace to see it through until we all breathe our last breath I know that it will end well. Of this I am persuaded!

Jesus Christ has paid the price for my sins and for all those who find true repentance in and through Him. These are the fact pertaining to God’s offer for all of mankind. How do I know this to be true? God has so declared it in and through His Word, the Bible. For those who are fortunate to be reading this you all have a choice to make, life or death now knocks at your door. Do not take what has been penned lightly, or leave the decision until tomorrow, today may well be your last, take action repent and believe on the finished work of Calvary. You may be asking yourselves on what authority am I able to claim such authority? I can assure you that I do not claim any right of my own, but what I have declared unto you is from the Word of God and it is His lifeline, His instruction I have inscribed and not my own opinion, for if it was it would hold very little weight, but now because He has spoken it has the power to change a person completely. My prayer is that regardless of what you think you know that these two pages of captured words would cause you to act in accordance with God’s Word and that you would find true freedom in Him, to serve Him with a clear conscience. Only then will you be able to cry, “I was blind but now I see”.

Thank you Lord Jesus for making a way of escape for mankind in and through your finished work of Calvary, Thank you for dying in the place of sinners so that we can find forgiveness for our sins; there is nothing else a person could do to earn this favour and yet we have been liberated from ourselves when we find true repentance in you. God is good! Thank you Father God for sending your Son, the One who was without sin to pay the price for my sins and the sins of all who find repentance in Him. All honour, praise and glory belongs to our God now and forever more, Amen and Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone     

  

    

The rewards of true faith...

Rewards often drive people to a deeper commitment to the required task at hand, and it can become a powerful tool to assist in any investigation. Some are taken up by the reward at the expense of others around them, whilst others may commit on the basis that it may be a worthy cause that fits into their persona and commitment to life. Some will save whales but punt evolution as their underlying belief values, honouring God’s creation and yet not giving God the due benevolence for His Creation. You see the danger of any skewed perception to what is TRUE? Twist it slightly and people will find themselves chasing shadows instead of God’s reality towards the reward. Heaven as opposed to hell, the ultimate sentences.

What is a crucial truth we need to implement in our lives if we are to benefit under God’s rule for this life and the life to come? We have to put Him first in every one of our decisions, if not we will always end up chasing the shadows of destruction, of this I am convinced. We must walk by faith and with sound doctrine dictating the steps of our lives. In other words we must place God’s Word above our own understandings. The voices in this world will only ever take us down the wrong road. This is the lesson we all have to learn and it will take us a lifetime to absorb. Thankfully God is patient with all of His children. However the sooner we learn to trust our God and Father the happy we will be. The sooner we learn to rest in the Lord Jesus’ finished work the more content life will become.

What then should be our commitment when we search our God’s deep truths if we continually seem to be hitting the wall, when our prayers seem to bounce off the stockades, what are we to do? Do you remember the man who was sick with the palsy in the book of Mark chapter 2? The entrances to the house that the Lord Jesus occupied was jammed packed to the brim and those who carried that man on his sick bed could not get to the Lord, but they we so determined to see a miracle unfold for their friend that they went to extremes to make it happen. They climbed the roof and began to remove the tiles in order to make an opening whereby they could eventually lower him down through the gable. This was true commitment, accurate faith personified. Faith is full of inventions and we must do our utmost to be a part of that crowd in order to be blessed of God. We are taught in the book of Hebrews that we must approach the throne of grace with confidence, we cannot assume that we will receive anything from God our Father and we must be committed to His cause, the basis of faith must become central to the way of life for all of us.

If the world is full of solutions whereby it teaches it’s population to invent in order to succeed, why then can we not become inventors with our commitment to God’s call upon our lives as we search out the deeper truth to our existence. Jacob also teaches us a valuable lesson, when he was in the wilderness and he saw an angel and he wrestled with him all night to receive a blessing. It cost him dearly, the angel pleaded with him to let him go, but he would not. Eventually the angel dislocated his hip socket. Nevertheless Jacob received his blessing. This is the resolve we must seek out for our lives, as it will bring with it God’s blessings. I do not wish to be misread as some would like to emphasise that if we are children of God we should be prosperous in this life that is a misrepresentation upon the call God has placed upon a believer’s life. God may very well bless us financially but that is entirely up to Him. The point I would like to stress is that we will have peace with God. The fruits of the Spirit will become a way of life for all who learn to appropriate true faith into our daily routine. Which is; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. This is what we wrestle for as Christians.

Let us plead with our God and Father to equip us with a resolve to fight for these values with all our might. So that His name may be glorified amongst the heathen and so that other believing Christians will also be encouraged by our examples of faith. To God be the glory now and forever more, Amen and Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone   

       

The trial of our faith

(Job 6:13) Have I any help in me, when resource is driven from me?

This is a reality that hits home all too often and yet I know that I am exactly where I need to be through these trying times, God is stripping the rot from my character and teaching me to trust and obey Him along the way. It is such an unnatural mind-set that I know that without faith it would be impossible to implement if God had not given me His Spirit. The mercy of God on display in my life, many would look at an apparent struggling man and condemn him as damned if he is viewed on a carnal level. But when we peel away at the outer layers of the shell we soon see many examples in scripture where others also had to bear the brunt of their rebellion. Nevertheless if God has begun the work in a believer’s life, He will see it through until completion, of that I am convinced. Why? Because God is perfect and it is impossible for Him to fail, perfection will never accommodate failure that would be impossible. It is simple mathematics; ask yourselves this question, is God perfect? If you agree then you must conclude that nothing can be added to His perfection, for if we could add to it all that would prove is that He was never perfect to begin with, which would be ludicrous.

Our faith must be rooted upon a foundation of perfection. If we can arrive at that conclusion with all our hearts then we will always be able to face whatever the day throws at us. This does not mean, we welcome calamity, but it does mean that we understand it’s purpose, which would be to arm our minds with an understanding that the One who is perfect is in control and not our circumstance. Our situation must never swallow us up to the extent of unbelief, for that only proves that we walk in the flesh, which is destructive and full of sin. The cushier our lives may become the less we will rely on God’s provision to see us home. Independence opposed to dependency upon our God and Father in and through the finished work of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. As we feed off our helper, God the Holy Spirit, who leads us into all truth.

It is a mentality foreign to this world and its systems. They say they are blessed when they are able to compete with the Jones’ but we say that we are truly blessed when we have peace with God. Wherever we find ourselves today let us remember that our perfect God and Father is at work with our unbelief and teaching us to walk by faith; “If God is for us who can be against us”? Therefore let all who confess Jesus as Lord squeeze a little tighter on the hope that is ours in Him. We needn’t look far to see another brother with greater trials in their life who have also has been called to walk by faith. Our measures may vary in accordance to God’s calling upon our lives but the same spiritual weapons are available to every true Christian and we must learn to use them when needed.

In conclusion, I am not undermining the pain that we may feel when the screws are tightened in our lives and God teaches us many valuable lessons through our pilgrimage here on earth. If it wasn’t needful, it wouldn’t be part of our lives, of that I am sure. In our watered down day of lukewarm Christianity discipline in our lives is often due to our own folly, but either way God is graciously conforming us into the image of His Son. Let us therefore rest in His ability to get us home come what may. To God be the glory now and forever more, Amen and Amen!

There is a day coming where every tear will be dried up, where there will be no more pain, a time where we will hear our Saviour confess our names before His Father and where our Father and God will utter these marvellous words; “The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” (Revelation 21:7) – How I long for that day, but until then let us encourage each other with the hope that is ours in Christ. Even so come quickly Lord Jesus!  

Signing off

Tyrone