This week was not a good one in my country. Murder most foul sent shock waves across the nation. First they killed a young trying used car dealer. Took the car for a test drive and then shot him and threw him on the road as if dispensing with garbage. Even now my soul rebels against this act of sheer wickedness. Then just two days ago they, the same forces of evil, masquerading as human beings, held up a celebrated gynecologist in the western part of the island and shot him to death. His colleagues tried but could not save him. Further east, a pregnant woman, allegedly on account of the use of expletives was accosted by a policeman, and when she resisted, some kind of madness ensued, we are not sure what. But when the smoke cleared she was dead and her sister injured by gunshots. The just tonight the television crew interviewed a woman whose two sons were murdered, along with a friend, in an inner city community. Her response? She felt as if she too could die at any moment. Why does a country, so blessed as ours is, so famous as ours is, so rich in human potential and God given natural beauty, why should we go through these spasms of brutality every so often with no end in sight. Every time someone adds up the numbers killed over a particular period, it seems so barbaric....6000 in how many years! God have mercy! Christ have mercy! How long my God, how long must we keep on mourning for our young ones, celebrated ones, pregnant ones, old ones! How long! God heard, and led me to write the following messages. Messages which do not give a direct answer to solving the problem at hand, but point in the direction that we need to take as nation and as individuals, if we are going to achieve any lasting peace.
FIRST TO MY CHILDREN AND OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES ARE CLOSELY INTERTWINED WITH MINE THROUGH MY PROFESSION.
As the deer pants for the water,
So my soul pants after You.
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship you.
Refrain. You alone are my strength, my shield,
To You alone may my spirit yield.
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You.
I want You more than gold and silver,
Only You can satisfy.
You alone are the real joy-giver
And the apple of my eye.
You're my Friend and You are my Brother,
Even though You are a King.
I love You more than any other,
So much more than anything.
My prayer for you this morning, is that you may own the the words of this wonderful hymn for yourself. Now, even when young and filled with all kinds of passions and responsibilities. For the Lord is worthy is having the number one position in your life, as He alone died for you on Calvary. It may seem easy and obvious, and you may think that you do in fact love the Lord more than gold and silver and more than anything, but the truth is that if you are honest with yourself, the " old man", which loves self more than God, is hard to get rid of. So the hymn writer's plea, " O for grace to love you more", ought to be your constant prayer. And mine. Consider further, the words of the last verse, and link that thought with this verse of another wonderful hymn: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation......... Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee; surely his goodness and mercy shall daily attend thee; ponder anew what the Almighty can do, if to the end he befriend thee. And finally link this thought of God being a Friend and Brother to: What a Friend we have in Jesus.....
May your day be blessed as you consider these thoughts inspired by the Lord Himself.
LWJ Sent from my iPad
The central message here, and which continued throughout the week, is that though we mourn and pine for peace in our land, in Syria, in Afghanistan, in Mexico, in the minefields of South Africa and other trouble spots, such peace will only come when we are fully focused on the only One who can bring true peace. Even in the midst of the storms! Which is the subject of the next message. Does that mean that we become less vigilant in our search for justice, for security, for better housing for our people, for better education, for better family life, for more economic opportunities? No! But we recognize that even if we achieve those worthy objectives, they in and by themselves will not ensure peace.
TO SOME OF OUR NATION'S LEADERS IN POLITICS, CHURCH, THE MEDIA AND BUSINESS
I was giving thanks for thanks for God's Word this morning when He placed a phrase from the passage below in my heart. I had read the phrase before going to bed....." Those who live in accordance with the Spirit set their minds on what the Spirit desires". So I went and read the entire Romans 8:1-17 again this morning and the following things came to mind.
1. People who are not in Christ Jesus are under God' wrath, God's condemnation.
2.The law although righteous could not save sinful man, as it itself was weakened by the sinful nature of man.
3.God in His infinite wisdom sent His Son in the likeness of sinful man to do what the law was powerless to do....and thus allowed to righteous requirements of the law to be fully met in us who live by the Spirit and not by the sinful nature.
4. People who live by the sinful nature can never please God
5. Anyone who has the Spirit of Christ has his life controlled by the Spirit.
6. The question arises then if we who are baptized, and therefore, have the Spirit of Christ, why do we continue to do what's wrong as if we are still controlled by the sinful nature
7. The answer is given in a very profound way in vs 10-11. In the sense that if Christ is in us our bodies are dead because of sin..thus we continue to do what is wrong....but the promise is that the very same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to our mortal bodies through the Spirit of Christ who lives in us. And therefore empower us to live in accordance with the Spirit and please God.
8. We have to share in Christ' s suffering in order to live this new life.
Then on reflection I recalled that I read the following meditation from Oswald Chambers last night. Note then the encouragement that he provides about having the Life of Christ live within us, so that we may indeed live in accordance with the Spirit and not the sinful nature. As that life is not automatically associated with Baptism for as the Scriptures say we have " work out our salvation with fear and trembling". And Prayer is one method. Living by God's Word is another. Suffering with Christ is yet another.
THE GOOD OF PRAYER
"Lord teach us to pray." Luke 1:1 August 28
It is not part of the life of a natural man to pray. We hear it said that a man will suffer in his life if he does not pray. I question it. What will suffer is the life of the Son of God in him, which is nourished not by food, but by prayer. When a man is born from above, the life of the Son of God is born in him, and he can either starve that life or nourish it. Prayer is the way the life of God is nourished. Our ordinary views of prayer are not found in the New Testament. We look upon prayer as a means of getting things for ourselves ( as I write I can hear James 4:2-3 speaking); the Bible idea of prayer is that we may get to know God Himself. " Ask and ye shall receive." We grouse before God, we are apologetic or apathetic, but we ask very few things. yet what a splendid audacity a childlike child has! Our Lord says - " Except ye become as little children." Ask and God will do. Give Jesus Christ a chance, give him elbow room, and no man will do this until he is at his wit's end. When a man is at his wit's end it is not a cowardly thing to pray; it is the only way he can get into touch with Reality. Be yourself before God and present your problems, the things you know you have come to your wit's end over. As long as you are self-sufficient, you do not need to ask God for anything.
It is not true that " prayer changes things", as prayer changes me and I change things. God has so constituted things that prayer on the basis of Redemption alters the way in which a man looks at things. Prayer is not a question of altering things externally, but of working wonders in man's disposition. I was thinking yesterday that really and truly, that brutal murder of that young used car dealer, should occupy the minds of all Jamaicans. And as I write no doubt it should bring us to our wit's end. Much more than our economic crisis, much more than the crisis of poor math grades in our schools, and certainly much more than the headlines this morning about Buju Banton changing his lawyer.
Peace.
LWJ
The key question here is , " have we come to our wit's end" , in Jamaica, in the USA, in Europe, in Africa and the Middle East, and other trouble spots across the world in respect of the number of people who being killed daily. And the consequence for those societies. If not, we are really not ready for the kind of submission to a Holy God and to the only One who can help mankind with all its troubles. For at the end of the day it is the will of God that all humankind should come to know that there is no other God, no other Saviour, but the Holy One of Israel. And that he has revealed Himself through His written Word in the Bible and moreso in and though the Living Word Christ Jesus who died on the Cross of Calvary for Sin of all mankind.
PART TWO
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.
Refrain
On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
Refrain
His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.
Refrain
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
Refrain
Last night the Lord woke me up to read:
" Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the King of Assyria and that vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help to fight our battles. And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the King of Judah said." 2. Chronicles 32:7-8. NIV
I cannot recall reading this version of the story, although I may have read it before, but definitely the version in Isaiah is well known, including the number of Sennacherib's army which was killed by one angel.
Earlier on in the night I had completed a reading a book on " Listening to God" by Charles Stanley. The penultimate chapter was entitled: " THE LIFE THAT LISTENS - A WELL BUILT LIFE". And the reflection was grounded in Matthew 7: 24-27:
'Therefore whoever hears these saying of Mine. and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. Now everyone who hears these sayings of Mine and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rains descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it fell. And great was its fall."
Stanley then goes on to make some great points in respect of the passage of Scripture...to which many of us could relate well, and perhaps, may have discerned ourselves. The more important contribution though was the statement following the Matthew passage.
STANLEY.... In this particular parable, Jesus confronts us with the simple truth that each one of us is building a life, and its soundness is hearing His voice and acting on it. Jesus wanted the multitudes who had gathered on the rocky hillside to understand that He wasn't delivering just a marvelous new pattern of for living. It wasn't to be a popular sermon that they all went home saying, " Boy, wasn't that a great message!". and then gradually for got about it. What He uttered was not meant to be the new spiritual fodder for debate in the synagogues or market place. He stated "Divine Truth", to be immediately implemented in every sector of existence.
Verse 29 says , " He taught them as having authority". It is as though He had said, " Men, women, and children, you have just heard My words, which come from God. You have listened to to My instructions concerning how to be blessed, how to forgive, and how to pray. You have heard great truths about My Kingdom and its principles. I leave you now with this final command.: Put these truths into practice, and your life will be like a man whose house was constructed on a solid foundation. Ignore, forget, or shelve these truths, and your life will be erected on worthless, porous sand. The choice is yours".
Listening to God and obeying Him are the only constructive methods that help us to survive the storms of the twentieth century. Hearing His voice and integrating it our value systems, behavioral patterns, thoughts, and conversations are prerequisites for for enduring lives. Staying alert and responsive to His speaking voice becomes the rock foundation that no tempest, temptation, or trial can erode. That's why it's dangerous to attend church, listen to religious broadcasts, or read Christian publications! It's dangerous, because Jesus said everyone who hears His truth and does not act upon it will be like the foolish man who built His house upon the sand. It's perilous, because each of us will be held accountable for acting upon every spiritual truth we hear......STANLEY
As I conclude his meditation, and recall how having read these things last night, I woke up this morning singing: "There is power in the Name of the Lord...Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the following thoughts entered my mind. Do the members of the cabinet realize how dangerous it is to invite a man of God to share the Word with them? Do the Christian members of the Press Association which is scheduled to have it's AGM this week understand how dangerous it is to hear the Word of God and not act on it, or share it with authority with the Nation. Or how dangerous it is for the non-believers of that body to listen constantly to God's Word and not believe. Perhaps the sector of society which is most in danger is the church. A church that does not preach with authority, but shares the Word of God as if it is one more element in a pluralistic society that can choose to debate it's worth, accept or reject it, without any consequences. The storms of life are upon us as a nation....the murder, the violence and immorality in the schools in particular, the poverty, the gross inequality in our society, the rebellion against any kind of authority, the ill temper and aggressiveness increasingly evident in both sexes but disconcertingly so in our women, the nurturing ones in the family, the poor performance of so many in our schools, the " low life" of many of our political and other leaders in our society, the " shocking revelations" every so often in the churches, the unbelievable slackness that passes for contemporary music. All have their root in the choice that this nation has made. To ignore the Word of God. And each one of us will be held accountable by God Himself. Who not only came to earth as Man, but died so that we may live and flourish as individuals and as nations. And left us, the church, with this great message and ministry of reconciliation. What have we done? Or more importantly, what have we left undone?
Peace.
LWJ
The final message that I was moved to write this week, is set out below, and has little of my thoughts in it. Mostly the Word of God. My conclusion is that all of this inspiration from the Lord is intended to underscore the fundamental importance of the Word of God in the life of every living soul in this world. There is no other source of God's revelation. Only the written Word and the Living Word. Every " inspiration", every " prophetic utterance", every " message from the Lord", has to be validated by God's Word. A great part of the problem in the world today, is that many who claim to " speak in the name of the Lord", have deprated from the simple but profound truths in the Bible. And have gone for the spectacular, the dramatic and the fascinating. But ultimately have no power, as the Word says in Colossians 2: 19..." they have lost connection with the head". And since the church is ordained by God to be the " salt of the earth", little wonder then that evil reigns supreme in many places , inlcuding my beautiful island of Jamaica.
The fact is that the only hope for mankind in every part of this troubled world is to come to the knowledge that " the thief has come to steal, and kill and to destroy", but Jesus has come " that we may have life and have it more abundantly". And the way the " thing is set up " according the young people, the way God has ordained it, it that it is only when we come to our wit's end, that we really and truly understand the need for Jesus in our lives. And God who is gracious and compassionate to the wicked and the ungtrateful, al of us, will forgive us and set us free from the bondage of Sin in and through belief in the life, death and resurrection of His Son Christ Jesus - the unseen bu very present in times of trouble, according the Psalmist.
FURTHER EARLY MORNING REVELATIONS.......in respect of the house built on solid rock...and the life of a Christian in any society...and news for the unbeliever....or the disobedient
" But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task. Unlike so many we do not peddle the word of God for a profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God...........
Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
For we do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, " Let light shine of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God, and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
It is written: " I believed; and therefore I have spoken". With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak...............
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. For we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
2 Corinthians 2:14-17 & 4:1-18 NIV
Without any doubt the final verse sums up the challenge for all Christians. How to live a life with " eyes fixed on the unseen". And not on the unseen. And the "distractions" are many. So that unbelievers may come know that God sent Jesus for them too. So that God's power may flow out of us and heal this nation. It is not easy, as we all have responsibilities...to our jobs...to our families...to church life...to attend to national affairs. But it is God who has given us these gifts and responsibilities, and He will provide the wisdom and resources and power. What He asks of us, is to first to be aware that " we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing". And " not to lose heart" in the struggles we will face in representing Him in ...national life....in family life....on radio or television ......in our jobs.....in our time of relaxation...in all our endeavors. Then this country of ours with all its problems will be renewed, as the battle is not ours but the Lord's. But we must be faithful.
Hours before I wrote yesterday, one who " kept her eyes fixed on He who is unseen" went back to the Lord who she loved dearly. One who was unheralded in this nation, but one whose witness for Christ in her quiet way, helped to shape the lives of many with her fine manners, quiet dignity, constant joy and incessant prayer. I was privileged to have known her and to have been loved by her and to have loved her. Her son is included in this message. May God's peace rest on he and his family.
Peace.
LWJ
No doubt in the ensuing weeks, many meetings will be held, analyses made, investigations pursued and statements made in an effort to try and reassure the nation and to bring comfort to the relatives and justice to the perpetrators of the kind of evil which flourished in my country this week. And those things must happen. But greater will be the benefit if more and more people chose to believe what Jesus told us on the night before He died. " If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him". John 14:23. So the question arises, if God, the Almighty God, The maker of Heaven and Earth, the sea and everything in it, has promised to live in us, if we believe and love His Son. How can silver and gold compete with this promise. How can all the pleasures of the world compete with this promise? How can all the power that this world has to offer compete with this pomise? And how can we not accept such a wonderful gift so that evil will no longer flourish in our land!
Monday, September 3, 2012
Monday, August 27, 2012
The benefits of Twitter and other more conventional media vs. The Word of God
Representative Todd Akin the Republican nominee from Missouri provoked the biggest firestorm this week with his comments about " legitimate rape" ; and that " a woman's body can block an unwanted pregnancy". What was he really thinking! And he further compounding the issue by quoting un-named medical sources he reached an all time low. Of course the " legitimate" medical sources were quick to point out that such thinking and comments had no basis in fact. Later this week, reports surfaced that President Obama intends to " stoke the fires of this controversy", I suppose in an effort to further consolidate his already strong position with the female vote. All of this happening at time when the Republican convention is about to kick off this weekend, and Isaac is already causing problems.
Back home, here in Jamaica, after the joy of Olympians " shell dung London" ( street talk among young people for " taking over the place") , life goes back to its unpleasant worst, as this week a prominent businessman, a well respected and loved Senior cop and a battle scarred prominent politician with a history of being in the public glare for the wrong reasons, were accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice and hauled before the courts. And of course Hurricane Isaac had many persons scared, and glued to the television anxiously awaiting the news about a system which would cause death in Haiti ( once again , Lord have mercy), briefly threaten Jamaica before passing over Cuba and now heading to the Florida Panhandle. All of this news coming to us within minutes courtesy of Twitter and then the conventional news media.
In the midst of this flurry of activity across the globe, the Lord led me to reflect more deeply on the importance of His Word, as compared to the information which is now at our veritable fingertips via the social media and other aspects of the worldwide web. The first part of the message on the importance of His Word came in a sermon I preached at church, just this evening, a part of which shared below:
EXTRACT FROM THE SERMON
But thank God in the midst of the difficulties, we come upon the goodness of and faithfulness of God, as the Psalmist cries out in Psalm 16:
" Keep me safe O God, for in you I have taken refuge."
Perhaps the hymn writer who was inspired to pen the lines for " Here O my Lord I see thee face to face.. and especially the last verse: I have no other help but thine, nor do I need another arm on which to lean, it is enough my Lord, enough indeed, my strength is in thy might thy might alone. Perhaps he was moved by this passage of Scripture which has comforted millions of believers over the centuries. And we know, again according to God's word, that we serve a compassionate God whose mercies a new every morning, so great is His faithfulness.
This brings me to the central point of this message that the Lord has laid on my heart tonight. How much do we yearn for the word of God? How important is the word for our daily living? Do we get up in the mornings anxiously looking forward to what God is going to say to us through His word in the mornings? Do we carry this word to guide us and protect us during the course of the day. Is the word of God central to our to every move we make , every thought we have, every plan we construct, every decision we make, every challenge we face? Further, is the word of God guiding our prayers for the nation for our families, for our communities, for our church and indeed for the whole world? The fact is my friends, and I am reading a book now on Listening to God, God speaks to each of us through circumstances, other people, directly in a still small voice, at different times and different ways, but always through His Word. And which Word was with God in the beginning, was God and became flesh in Jesus Christ.
So the number one priority of all children of God, all believers in the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ, all Baptized Anglicans and all who are searching and attend church regularly, is to become familiar with the Scriptures. But more importantly, as James points out, looking at the word is one thing, but being obedient to the word is the ultimate objective. I want to suggest that, in the very the act of crying out to God, " Keep me safe O God, for in you I have taken refuge", is an explicit statement, that the Psalmist had come to know by listening to God that He was a God who could protect and a God who was faithful to His word and His promises. This is a God who had performed mighty miracles by the Red Sea, in the desert, and by the Jordan river. This God had a history of keeping people safe, especially those who trusted in Him. The question is, does the God who you serve and I serve, does this God have a history of keeping us safe...... is this a dependable God? Is this a faithful God. Is this a God who can fix Jamaica's problems? Is this a God who can free us from the murderous sprit which is shed abroad in our land and which causes bloodshed to follow bloodshed? Is this a God who can stop the corruption in high places? Is this a God who can heal our diseases and raise our dead and comfort us in times of trouble? Does our God have a such a history. What kind of God is your God, and my God. If the God you serve can heal the woman with the issue of blood, if your God can heal all ten lepers, even though only one came back to say thanks, if your God can raise Lazarus from the dead, if your God can do abundantly more than you can ask or imagine, then I would suggest that we consider briefly tonight the following three examples in the word of God appointed for this week. END OF EXTRACT
This week I was reflecting upon the state of my country: the high murder rate; the current debate about the high rate of failure in CSEC mathematics and English and the unacceptable just plain " out of order" ( uncouth and ill mannered behavior of many of our citizens) this thought came into my mind. That if Jamaicans began to do three things, consistently, then our country would change overnight.
1. Go to church...and by extension, read God's Word regularly and be obedient to His Word.
2. Read much more - and by extension, watch less television, text less, and listen to less music which place all kinds of evil and negative things in one's mind.
3. Exercise regularly - and by extension, eat more healthily and develop a more disciplined approach to everything in life.
The second part of the message about God's Word was the receipt of a meditation from The UCB Word For Today which comes out of the UK. This was one of three that dealt with satan and his defeat by God. The knowledge of the kind of spiritual warfare about which most unbelievers are unaware, and even some believers, and which lack of knowledge, based on God's Words, is the source of much evil and trials in this world. Thus I was moved to send this message by e-mail to others for their own reflections.
24 Aug 2012 Satan Is Defeated (2) You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32
Satan is a deceiver, but Jesus is a revealer. So any time you bring Jesus into the situation, satan is unmasked and his plans for your life are exposed and foiled. Satan is referred to in Scripture as 'darkness,' and Jesus as 'light.' The moment the light moves in, the darkness has to move out. So your first priority is not to conquer satan, but to move closer to Jesus; to line up your will and your word with His will and His Word. Instead of just lying down, taking it, and saying, 'I guess there's nothing I can do about this,' rise up in faith and say, 'satan, it is written...' Faced with a level of temptation none of us will ever be exposed to, that's what Jesus did to satan in the wilderness. The Bible says, 'Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him' (Matthew 4:11 NKJV).
Recently we witnessed bankers and brokers take people's money, lose it, then later come back and say, 'Here's another good plan; invest in it.' But now we know better, don't we? We no longer believe an investment is good just because somebody says so. Don't miss the spiritual analogy here. When you know the truth of God's Word and you use it as a weapon, satan's walls crumble, his plans for you come un-glued, and his schemes fall apart. When you understand who you are 'in Christ,' you are more than a match for the devil and he can no longer control your life.
The third part of the message about God's Word came in the form of a reflection on two hymns, which one of my bishop's refers to as " beyond the sacred page". In the sense that although not God's Word per se, the inspired hymns of the church have great value if we discern God's voice in the midst of the hymn writer's struggles.
One was " Hark my soul! it is the Lord, the last verse of which provided great inspiration for me and for those to whom it was sent. The second one, is a less well known hymn but contains within it powerful words and a great message for those who are seeking a deeper knowledge of Christ. there was a great insistence in my reading this second hymn, even in the middle of the night the Lord woke me up to read and reflect and find great comfort in the words.
HYMN ONE 1. Hark, my soul! It is the Lord; ............
6. Lord it is my chief complaint
that my love is weak and faint;
yet I love thee and adore;
O for grace to love thee more.
May the Lord's peace be with you today, in a special way, as you reflect upon, and pray according to this last verse of a wonderful hymn. Much love
LWJ
Sent from my iPad
HYMN TWO
Glorious things of thee are spoken
Zion, city of our God
he whose word cannot be broken
formed thee for his own abode.
On the Rock of ages founded,
what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
thou mayest smile at all thy foes ( what a wonderful assurance)
See, the streams of living water,
springing from the eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters,
and all fear of want remove.
Who can faint while such a river
ever flows to assuage our thirst;
grace, which like the Lord the Giver
never fails from age to age?
Round each habitation hovering,
see the cloud and fire appear,
for a glory and a covering -
showing that the Lord is near.
Thus they march, the pillar leading,
light by night and shade by day;
daily on the manner feeding
which he gives then when they pray.
Saviour, since of Zion's city
I, through grace a member am,
let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in thy name.
Fading is the world's best pleasure,
all its boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasure
none but Zion's children know.
The reality is that though just yesterday, the Manchester United fans were cheering Usain Bolt, one of their biggest fans, and singing ,
" sign him up Fergie ( the Manager Sir Alex Ferguson), sign him up, that kind of fame is fading. And only the solid joys and lasting treasure, known only by Zion's children...baptized believing and obedient children of God ...will last forever.
Finally, a Word from a famous Saint of old, and from the Bible, for those who are struggling to believe and to join up with Zion's children and make this world a better place. Much more than Michael Jackson can hope for or imagine. And a Word which speaks to the hearts of those who long for the grace to love Christ more. And which Word was sent to others for their own reflection
No man ever believes with a true and saving faith unless God inclines his heart; and no man when God does inclines his heart can refrain from believing - Blaise Pascal
" I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparable great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ Jesus when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age, but also in the one to come." - St. Paul. Ephesians 1:17-21.
I pray God that according to Pascal He may incline your heart to believe, and according to St. Paul that He give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you may not only believe, but know Him better.
Peace.
LWJ
I pray that all who follow God's Word and seek to obey Him, may realize that what twitter and facebook and other social media offer is only immediate information about current events and happenings. But what the Word of God offers is the true knowledge of Christ, and Who alone, by belief in and obedience to the Gospel - His life, death, resurrection and ascension - can protect us from spiritual, physical and material disaster. Amen.
Back home, here in Jamaica, after the joy of Olympians " shell dung London" ( street talk among young people for " taking over the place") , life goes back to its unpleasant worst, as this week a prominent businessman, a well respected and loved Senior cop and a battle scarred prominent politician with a history of being in the public glare for the wrong reasons, were accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice and hauled before the courts. And of course Hurricane Isaac had many persons scared, and glued to the television anxiously awaiting the news about a system which would cause death in Haiti ( once again , Lord have mercy), briefly threaten Jamaica before passing over Cuba and now heading to the Florida Panhandle. All of this news coming to us within minutes courtesy of Twitter and then the conventional news media.
In the midst of this flurry of activity across the globe, the Lord led me to reflect more deeply on the importance of His Word, as compared to the information which is now at our veritable fingertips via the social media and other aspects of the worldwide web. The first part of the message on the importance of His Word came in a sermon I preached at church, just this evening, a part of which shared below:
EXTRACT FROM THE SERMON
But thank God in the midst of the difficulties, we come upon the goodness of and faithfulness of God, as the Psalmist cries out in Psalm 16:
" Keep me safe O God, for in you I have taken refuge."
Perhaps the hymn writer who was inspired to pen the lines for " Here O my Lord I see thee face to face.. and especially the last verse: I have no other help but thine, nor do I need another arm on which to lean, it is enough my Lord, enough indeed, my strength is in thy might thy might alone. Perhaps he was moved by this passage of Scripture which has comforted millions of believers over the centuries. And we know, again according to God's word, that we serve a compassionate God whose mercies a new every morning, so great is His faithfulness.
This brings me to the central point of this message that the Lord has laid on my heart tonight. How much do we yearn for the word of God? How important is the word for our daily living? Do we get up in the mornings anxiously looking forward to what God is going to say to us through His word in the mornings? Do we carry this word to guide us and protect us during the course of the day. Is the word of God central to our to every move we make , every thought we have, every plan we construct, every decision we make, every challenge we face? Further, is the word of God guiding our prayers for the nation for our families, for our communities, for our church and indeed for the whole world? The fact is my friends, and I am reading a book now on Listening to God, God speaks to each of us through circumstances, other people, directly in a still small voice, at different times and different ways, but always through His Word. And which Word was with God in the beginning, was God and became flesh in Jesus Christ.
So the number one priority of all children of God, all believers in the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ, all Baptized Anglicans and all who are searching and attend church regularly, is to become familiar with the Scriptures. But more importantly, as James points out, looking at the word is one thing, but being obedient to the word is the ultimate objective. I want to suggest that, in the very the act of crying out to God, " Keep me safe O God, for in you I have taken refuge", is an explicit statement, that the Psalmist had come to know by listening to God that He was a God who could protect and a God who was faithful to His word and His promises. This is a God who had performed mighty miracles by the Red Sea, in the desert, and by the Jordan river. This God had a history of keeping people safe, especially those who trusted in Him. The question is, does the God who you serve and I serve, does this God have a history of keeping us safe...... is this a dependable God? Is this a faithful God. Is this a God who can fix Jamaica's problems? Is this a God who can free us from the murderous sprit which is shed abroad in our land and which causes bloodshed to follow bloodshed? Is this a God who can stop the corruption in high places? Is this a God who can heal our diseases and raise our dead and comfort us in times of trouble? Does our God have a such a history. What kind of God is your God, and my God. If the God you serve can heal the woman with the issue of blood, if your God can heal all ten lepers, even though only one came back to say thanks, if your God can raise Lazarus from the dead, if your God can do abundantly more than you can ask or imagine, then I would suggest that we consider briefly tonight the following three examples in the word of God appointed for this week. END OF EXTRACT
This week I was reflecting upon the state of my country: the high murder rate; the current debate about the high rate of failure in CSEC mathematics and English and the unacceptable just plain " out of order" ( uncouth and ill mannered behavior of many of our citizens) this thought came into my mind. That if Jamaicans began to do three things, consistently, then our country would change overnight.
1. Go to church...and by extension, read God's Word regularly and be obedient to His Word.
2. Read much more - and by extension, watch less television, text less, and listen to less music which place all kinds of evil and negative things in one's mind.
3. Exercise regularly - and by extension, eat more healthily and develop a more disciplined approach to everything in life.
The second part of the message about God's Word was the receipt of a meditation from The UCB Word For Today which comes out of the UK. This was one of three that dealt with satan and his defeat by God. The knowledge of the kind of spiritual warfare about which most unbelievers are unaware, and even some believers, and which lack of knowledge, based on God's Words, is the source of much evil and trials in this world. Thus I was moved to send this message by e-mail to others for their own reflections.
24 Aug 2012 Satan Is Defeated (2) You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32
Satan is a deceiver, but Jesus is a revealer. So any time you bring Jesus into the situation, satan is unmasked and his plans for your life are exposed and foiled. Satan is referred to in Scripture as 'darkness,' and Jesus as 'light.' The moment the light moves in, the darkness has to move out. So your first priority is not to conquer satan, but to move closer to Jesus; to line up your will and your word with His will and His Word. Instead of just lying down, taking it, and saying, 'I guess there's nothing I can do about this,' rise up in faith and say, 'satan, it is written...' Faced with a level of temptation none of us will ever be exposed to, that's what Jesus did to satan in the wilderness. The Bible says, 'Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him' (Matthew 4:11 NKJV).
Recently we witnessed bankers and brokers take people's money, lose it, then later come back and say, 'Here's another good plan; invest in it.' But now we know better, don't we? We no longer believe an investment is good just because somebody says so. Don't miss the spiritual analogy here. When you know the truth of God's Word and you use it as a weapon, satan's walls crumble, his plans for you come un-glued, and his schemes fall apart. When you understand who you are 'in Christ,' you are more than a match for the devil and he can no longer control your life.
The third part of the message about God's Word came in the form of a reflection on two hymns, which one of my bishop's refers to as " beyond the sacred page". In the sense that although not God's Word per se, the inspired hymns of the church have great value if we discern God's voice in the midst of the hymn writer's struggles.
One was " Hark my soul! it is the Lord, the last verse of which provided great inspiration for me and for those to whom it was sent. The second one, is a less well known hymn but contains within it powerful words and a great message for those who are seeking a deeper knowledge of Christ. there was a great insistence in my reading this second hymn, even in the middle of the night the Lord woke me up to read and reflect and find great comfort in the words.
HYMN ONE 1. Hark, my soul! It is the Lord; ............
6. Lord it is my chief complaint
that my love is weak and faint;
yet I love thee and adore;
O for grace to love thee more.
May the Lord's peace be with you today, in a special way, as you reflect upon, and pray according to this last verse of a wonderful hymn. Much love
LWJ
Sent from my iPad
HYMN TWO
Glorious things of thee are spoken
Zion, city of our God
he whose word cannot be broken
formed thee for his own abode.
On the Rock of ages founded,
what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
thou mayest smile at all thy foes ( what a wonderful assurance)
See, the streams of living water,
springing from the eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters,
and all fear of want remove.
Who can faint while such a river
ever flows to assuage our thirst;
grace, which like the Lord the Giver
never fails from age to age?
Round each habitation hovering,
see the cloud and fire appear,
for a glory and a covering -
showing that the Lord is near.
Thus they march, the pillar leading,
light by night and shade by day;
daily on the manner feeding
which he gives then when they pray.
Saviour, since of Zion's city
I, through grace a member am,
let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in thy name.
Fading is the world's best pleasure,
all its boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasure
none but Zion's children know.
The reality is that though just yesterday, the Manchester United fans were cheering Usain Bolt, one of their biggest fans, and singing ,
" sign him up Fergie ( the Manager Sir Alex Ferguson), sign him up, that kind of fame is fading. And only the solid joys and lasting treasure, known only by Zion's children...baptized believing and obedient children of God ...will last forever.
Finally, a Word from a famous Saint of old, and from the Bible, for those who are struggling to believe and to join up with Zion's children and make this world a better place. Much more than Michael Jackson can hope for or imagine. And a Word which speaks to the hearts of those who long for the grace to love Christ more. And which Word was sent to others for their own reflection
No man ever believes with a true and saving faith unless God inclines his heart; and no man when God does inclines his heart can refrain from believing - Blaise Pascal
" I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparable great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ Jesus when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age, but also in the one to come." - St. Paul. Ephesians 1:17-21.
I pray God that according to Pascal He may incline your heart to believe, and according to St. Paul that He give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you may not only believe, but know Him better.
Peace.
LWJ
I pray that all who follow God's Word and seek to obey Him, may realize that what twitter and facebook and other social media offer is only immediate information about current events and happenings. But what the Word of God offers is the true knowledge of Christ, and Who alone, by belief in and obedience to the Gospel - His life, death, resurrection and ascension - can protect us from spiritual, physical and material disaster. Amen.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Life after the olympics: Life without Christ
Whether we like it or not the Olympic Games are well and truly over. Life has gone back to normal. The world is no longer ( or at least 2 billion people) waiting with baited breath for the 100M men's final, nor for that matter the 200M. All the athletes are back home or will be shortly, after making some more money in Europe. People are now back to pursuing their own interests. Usain Bolt now has no immediate plan for his life. Yohan, " the beast", Blake is reportedly going to play cricket in Australia. The Nigerian government is "hopping mad" that the most populous country in Africa and one with a rich tradition of performing well in the Olympics, did not win a single medal. The Americans, mindful of the success of Great Britain, are hoping to have the same " home advantage" again very soon. No doubt other great "powers' will pull out all the stops to ensure that their teams do well in four years time. And the Samba type life-style of the Brazilians will have go, if they are get ready and surpass the achievements of the British in four years time. Meanwhile in our "neck of the woods", in the Caribbean, the Trinidadians are still celebrating, having showered their young javelin star with " million dollar" gifts; the people in " Kirani James" country - Grenada - got a national holiday; and the Jamaicans are wondering how the government is going to reward Bolt, Shelly-Ann and company for giving the country such a fabulous " birthday" gift.
Across the world, we note that the Syrian people are still suffering at the hands of their Government. Romney and Obama are still "at it" in the USA, and the drought in the Midwest is threatening to wreak havoc on small economies dependent of corn, soy and other food products from the USA. Murder is still a major problem in Jamaica - just tonight news broke of the murder of a lawyer whose violent death has sent shock waves through the profession and no doubt through the entire society. In the same way that so many other murders, though on the decline according to the police blotters, continue to traumatize our people. People are still being wrongly convicted of murder in the USA, and earthquakes still continue to shatter lives in Iran.
This week, in my journey with Christ, ongoing conversations with two individuals occupied my mind as I read the Scriptures and reflected on the word of God. One is seeking the truth about life, and God, by means of the intellect. The other is crying out to God for mercy. One wishes to know God on his/her terms. The other is just so grateful that God is God of compassion. Two contrasting situations. And in the midst of that the Lord spoke about unity, and maturity, so that " people may know that Christ was sent by God". As whether we live in the Industrialized relatively affluent North, or are surviving in the challenging situation of the South, we all need to know the Lord.
Whether we think that we have achieved much materially and intellectually, or whether we know how much we are in need, some day, some time soon, we will all come to understand that we all need the Lord. God knows this well, and hence, shortly, in fact the night, before His death, Jesus His Only Son who was sent by the Father to save all mankind, prayed for his disciples, and for those who come to know Him through their witness. And as I read the prayer, again for the "umpteenth" time, it really came home to me how badly we have responded to this call for unity - so that people, desperate people, needy people, people who don't even know that they need God, may know for certain that God sent His Son Jesus, for the redemption of all mankind.
" My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be one so that the world may believe that you have sent me.". John 17:20-21 NIV
This passage triggered the reading of another one:
" But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of knowing Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ my Lord. for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that i may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so , somehow, to attain to the resurrection of the dead.
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ has taken hold of me. Brothers i do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
All of us who are mature should take such a view of things". Philippians 3:7-15 NIV.
The point here is that regardless of how many Gold medals a country or individual wins at the Olympics, or goals they score in the English, European, or South American league, on account of sin which pervades the entire human race, everybody needs to know the Lord Jesus. Therefore the life of a Christian disciple is no private affair between God and yourself. As in the same way that the Christ who we call Master, died for the sins of all mankind, so too we are called sacrifice our own ambitions - die to self - and overcome our own tendencies to divide the children of God into competing denominations and personalities. The world which waited and watched Bolt run the 100M in 9.63 seconds has been waiting a life time, whether they know it or not, for the disciples of Christ to live in unity with their Saviour, so that suffering and dying and hungry and out of control and unaware-of -their-sins-people, and rebellious people may come to know God.
And that kind of unity with Christ can only happen when the disciples of Christ have no other ambition in life, no other objective in life, but to know Christ, and the power of His resurrection.
So does it matter if Romney wins the election or Obama? Perhaps in the short term yes, but in the grand scheme of things - arranged by God, no. Does it matter if the people of Syria continue to suffer and no one cares? Yes, as Christ died for them too; Gentiles and Jews, Muslims and Buddhists. Does it matter if people continue to be abducted and killed in cane-fields in Jamaica? Does it matter if police carrying our extra-judicial killings for whatever reason? Yes as God's word declares that he does not take any pleasure in the death of a sinner but rather that they should repent and turn to him - Ezekiel 33:11. And the Psalmist reminds us that though weeping take place at night ,joy cometh in the morning
Perhaps the most important question we need to pose as church to ourselves, as we lament the state of our various nations, is: Does it really matter whether or not one belongs to the Anglican tradition, or the Adventist, or the Roman Catholic, or the Pentecostal, or the Evangelical or Baptist? Does it really matter, if people around you, people under your direct influence, are not aware that God sent His Son to die for them. And was raised from the dead with power, has ascended into heaven and now ever lives to intercede for us. And has not left us as orphans but has sent His Holy Spirit to live us so that we may live by the Spirit and not by the flesh. Does it really matter if that understanding, with power does not flow from your life, whether or not you are aware of it? Does it really matter then, whether you worship on the Sabbath or on Sunday; whether or not you can " speak in tongues"; whether or not you can " prophesy in church", whether or not you are a " prayer warrior".
No the only thing that matters, is if like St. Paul, you forget about what has happened before and seek to take hold of Christ; seek to know him; seek to let others know him through your life and mine. For the Word of God, which is very active, says that:
" All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the
flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall
but the word of God stand forever."
1 Peter 1:24.
So Obama, whether or not he wins a second term, is like grass. And will one day wither and perish if he does not know God in and through Jesus Christ. So too Romney. So too Usain Bolt, whether or not he is a legend. So too are all the evil persons causing mayhem in my country - one day they too will come face to face with the Almighty God. So too the people in Great Britain, in Brazil and wherever on the globe mankind is to be found. From the steppes of Russia, to the great plains in Argentina; from the mountains of of Switzerland to the arid desert of Somalia; from the great city of New York to the ghettos of Calcutta, and from the windy city of Chicago to the irie city of Kingston Jamaica. All need to know that Christ died for them. And it is only the disciples of Christ who can, by their lifestyle, help to carry out this ministry of reconciliation. What a challenge! What a joy - as the Word says that " there is rejoicing before the angels of the Lord over one sinner who repents! ( Luke 15:10) What a hope to know that mankind does not have to live like this, and that God has so ordained things that we have a role to play in the rescuing of our sisters and brothers. I pray God that all who read and contemplate these words, whether or not you are a believer, or even a seeker of the truth, will become so convicted of sin that you may turn and repent and join in this great adventure, together with Christ "on high", to rescue the souls of men and women.
In the name of Jesus.
Amen
Across the world, we note that the Syrian people are still suffering at the hands of their Government. Romney and Obama are still "at it" in the USA, and the drought in the Midwest is threatening to wreak havoc on small economies dependent of corn, soy and other food products from the USA. Murder is still a major problem in Jamaica - just tonight news broke of the murder of a lawyer whose violent death has sent shock waves through the profession and no doubt through the entire society. In the same way that so many other murders, though on the decline according to the police blotters, continue to traumatize our people. People are still being wrongly convicted of murder in the USA, and earthquakes still continue to shatter lives in Iran.
This week, in my journey with Christ, ongoing conversations with two individuals occupied my mind as I read the Scriptures and reflected on the word of God. One is seeking the truth about life, and God, by means of the intellect. The other is crying out to God for mercy. One wishes to know God on his/her terms. The other is just so grateful that God is God of compassion. Two contrasting situations. And in the midst of that the Lord spoke about unity, and maturity, so that " people may know that Christ was sent by God". As whether we live in the Industrialized relatively affluent North, or are surviving in the challenging situation of the South, we all need to know the Lord.
Whether we think that we have achieved much materially and intellectually, or whether we know how much we are in need, some day, some time soon, we will all come to understand that we all need the Lord. God knows this well, and hence, shortly, in fact the night, before His death, Jesus His Only Son who was sent by the Father to save all mankind, prayed for his disciples, and for those who come to know Him through their witness. And as I read the prayer, again for the "umpteenth" time, it really came home to me how badly we have responded to this call for unity - so that people, desperate people, needy people, people who don't even know that they need God, may know for certain that God sent His Son Jesus, for the redemption of all mankind.
" My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be one so that the world may believe that you have sent me.". John 17:20-21 NIV
This passage triggered the reading of another one:
" But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of knowing Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ my Lord. for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that i may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so , somehow, to attain to the resurrection of the dead.
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ has taken hold of me. Brothers i do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
All of us who are mature should take such a view of things". Philippians 3:7-15 NIV.
The point here is that regardless of how many Gold medals a country or individual wins at the Olympics, or goals they score in the English, European, or South American league, on account of sin which pervades the entire human race, everybody needs to know the Lord Jesus. Therefore the life of a Christian disciple is no private affair between God and yourself. As in the same way that the Christ who we call Master, died for the sins of all mankind, so too we are called sacrifice our own ambitions - die to self - and overcome our own tendencies to divide the children of God into competing denominations and personalities. The world which waited and watched Bolt run the 100M in 9.63 seconds has been waiting a life time, whether they know it or not, for the disciples of Christ to live in unity with their Saviour, so that suffering and dying and hungry and out of control and unaware-of -their-sins-people, and rebellious people may come to know God.
And that kind of unity with Christ can only happen when the disciples of Christ have no other ambition in life, no other objective in life, but to know Christ, and the power of His resurrection.
So does it matter if Romney wins the election or Obama? Perhaps in the short term yes, but in the grand scheme of things - arranged by God, no. Does it matter if the people of Syria continue to suffer and no one cares? Yes, as Christ died for them too; Gentiles and Jews, Muslims and Buddhists. Does it matter if people continue to be abducted and killed in cane-fields in Jamaica? Does it matter if police carrying our extra-judicial killings for whatever reason? Yes as God's word declares that he does not take any pleasure in the death of a sinner but rather that they should repent and turn to him - Ezekiel 33:11. And the Psalmist reminds us that though weeping take place at night ,joy cometh in the morning
Perhaps the most important question we need to pose as church to ourselves, as we lament the state of our various nations, is: Does it really matter whether or not one belongs to the Anglican tradition, or the Adventist, or the Roman Catholic, or the Pentecostal, or the Evangelical or Baptist? Does it really matter, if people around you, people under your direct influence, are not aware that God sent His Son to die for them. And was raised from the dead with power, has ascended into heaven and now ever lives to intercede for us. And has not left us as orphans but has sent His Holy Spirit to live us so that we may live by the Spirit and not by the flesh. Does it really matter if that understanding, with power does not flow from your life, whether or not you are aware of it? Does it really matter then, whether you worship on the Sabbath or on Sunday; whether or not you can " speak in tongues"; whether or not you can " prophesy in church", whether or not you are a " prayer warrior".
No the only thing that matters, is if like St. Paul, you forget about what has happened before and seek to take hold of Christ; seek to know him; seek to let others know him through your life and mine. For the Word of God, which is very active, says that:
" All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the
flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall
but the word of God stand forever."
1 Peter 1:24.
So Obama, whether or not he wins a second term, is like grass. And will one day wither and perish if he does not know God in and through Jesus Christ. So too Romney. So too Usain Bolt, whether or not he is a legend. So too are all the evil persons causing mayhem in my country - one day they too will come face to face with the Almighty God. So too the people in Great Britain, in Brazil and wherever on the globe mankind is to be found. From the steppes of Russia, to the great plains in Argentina; from the mountains of of Switzerland to the arid desert of Somalia; from the great city of New York to the ghettos of Calcutta, and from the windy city of Chicago to the irie city of Kingston Jamaica. All need to know that Christ died for them. And it is only the disciples of Christ who can, by their lifestyle, help to carry out this ministry of reconciliation. What a challenge! What a joy - as the Word says that " there is rejoicing before the angels of the Lord over one sinner who repents! ( Luke 15:10) What a hope to know that mankind does not have to live like this, and that God has so ordained things that we have a role to play in the rescuing of our sisters and brothers. I pray God that all who read and contemplate these words, whether or not you are a believer, or even a seeker of the truth, will become so convicted of sin that you may turn and repent and join in this great adventure, together with Christ "on high", to rescue the souls of men and women.
In the name of Jesus.
Amen
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Olympic fever and Spiritual realities
So the Olympic Games are finally over, and the athletes of Jamaica and the wider Caribbean community brought the curtain down on this fabulous event in fine style. A world record by the Jamaicans in the men's sprints - the final event on the track; a gold medal for the Bahamians in the men's 4x400 and the first ever gold medal for T&T in the Javelin. Events over which other countries have ruled for years. But the vanquished Americans and Europeans had their many moments of glory, not the least of which was the world record run by the American female sprinters in the 4x100 relay and the great double gold medal in the 5000, and 10,000 achieved by the British long distance runner. Questions and debates over Bolt's status as a Legend will continue. The issue of drug use raised its ugly head again, not surprisingly by a peeved and disgruntled former American champion. How do we transfer all this goodwill, tremendous achievements, and a significant lift for " Brand Jamaica", into increased production and productivity and a better life for our people are legitimate questions? So too, the question of the further development of sports in the Caribbean so that we can also perform well in the non traditional events.
But for the time being, like good coffee or fine wine, most folks just wish to savor the moment and look forward to have a repeat in Rio in Brazil in four years time -right after we welcome back home our athletes with a grand party. This week perhaps more than another, the quotation, which I have used before, and which guides these reflections, brought into very sharp focus the difference between what God considers important and that which concerns humankind.
" I read my Bible to know what people ought to do, and my newspaper to know what they are doing" - John Henry Newman.
As whilst the world was idolizing, and hero worshiping Usain Bolt, the up and coming Yohan Blake, the long overdue for great things Allison Felix, the man with the great human interest story Mo Farah, the simply unbeatable Rudisha, the phenomenal Michael Phelps and company limited, The Holy One of Israel, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, spoke about death to the " old sinful man", subject to the wrath of God, and new and abundant life in Christ Jesus. In whom there is no longer any condemnation. And as I was led to read the first 6 chapters of the book of Romans, in which there is to found such great truths, a couple of things became clear to me. I list them for clarity.
1. This constant focus on, and and debate about the gay and lesbian life-style, as important as it undoubtedly is in some respects, can become a huge smokescreen, a distraction and a great danger if not understood carefully. Why? When one reads the first few chapters of Romans, the central message is how sinful all mankind became because of the Sin of one man Adam. " All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" is a well known passage of Scripture. But it occurs within the context of grace and righteousness in Christ Jesus.
" You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same thing. Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth ( lest we forget that as we proceed). So when you, mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same thing, do you think you will escape God's judgment. Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you towards repentance. But because of your stubbornness and your repentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God will give to each person according to what he has done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger." Romans 2:1-11.
The reality is that even though the first chapter of Romans speaks very clearly about the evil of homosexuality, almost in a sense that God is amazed at the evil..." even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another" Romans 1 : 26-27 NIV.
The term " even" is important as it marks the extent to which " God has given over mankind to shameful lusts", because all mankind , " although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks. And so "their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened" . vs 21. The reality is that this mindset and state before God ...subject to God's wrath, and subject to being given over to our own "wickedness", was and continues to be the state of anyone who has not accepted the grace that Christ Jesus wrought - a free gift for all mankind - by His death on the Cross of Calvary. Hence the reason why I believe that an undue focus on the homosexual lifestyle, which may prevent some from understanding the extent our own wickedness and sinful state before God, can become a snare. And something which the devil is very good at doing - creating distractions. So all of us need to recognize and share with some of these athletes, that regardless of their fantastic and very rewarding for achievements, " if they reject the truth - the Atoning death of Christ for all who have sinned - and follow evil", there will be trouble and distress for everyone of them. It would be a classic validation of the Scriptural truth which poses the question, " what does it profit a man to gain the world and lose his very soul.
I pray God that those around Bolt in particular, who has truly attained superstar status, if not his much coveted Legend, and others, will seek to guide him spiritually so that His soul may not be in danger, despite his impressive track and field credentials.
2. The focus on grace, which is only truly understood if we know how sinful we are, triggered an e-mail to members of my church in the area where I work, and not where I worship. Which was followed by the forwarding of a meditation which I have recently encountered and which has been of great spiritual blessing for me.
THE E-MAIL
For those of you who pay close attention to the weekly Internet Ministry which the Lord has placed on my heart, you will recall that quite regularly, I am led to write to my church family, or senior members of wider church. This week I tried to send a message to my church family at St. Andrew's, but for some reason the e-mail would not go through. This morning I am led to write to my church family in May Pen. May I suggest that you forward this note to those who may need to read it, as you are led by the Holy Spirit. It concerns the matter of living a holy life - to which we are all called to do in and through Jesus Christ. And not for ourselves alone, but for Him who died for us and so that the world may know that God sent His Son for all mankind. The message is in one single powerful passage of Scripture, but the Lord led me also to read and reflect on Colossians 3:1-17. This particular passage in the NIV is captioned, not by coincidence, " Rules for Holy Living". I would urge you to read this passage also and be obedient to the Word of God. And which obedience the Lord reminded me about as I went for my morning walk yesterday as He placed in my mind the refrain, " Trust and obey! For there's is no other way To be happy in Jesus, But to trust and obey. Last night when I came home and read the entire hymn,
" When we walk with the Lord,
in the light of his word,
What a glory he sheds on our way
He abides with us still,
And with all who would trust and obey!.........I received a great blessing and a reassurance of His love in midst of my own struggles in life.
Praise God.
Finally, in terms of context, this week I have been led to struggle with Romans chap 1-8. Not yet finished, but within these passages of Scripture you will find great truths and deep understanding of what Sin is all about, and thank God, what the grace of God is all about. As one cannot truly understand grace unless one has a full understanding of Sin, and it's consequences. And that's why the Lord also placed on my heart this week the words of that great hymn, Amazing Grace.
THE PASSAGE
" What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin, how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus, were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." Romans 6: 1-4. NIV
May the Lord's peace be with you.
In Christ
LWJ
Sent from my iPad
THE MEDITATION
For many years now I have been convicted of the fact that I don't meet people by chance but by God's design. Hence this message to you who I met this morning in church. Feel free to circulate it to others, if it touches your heart, as it did mine. Assuming of course that you have not already in receipt of this online ministry.
Peace.
LWJ
Sent from my iPad
Begin forwarded message: From: webmaster@ucb.co.uk Date: August 11, 2012 8:18:49 PM EDT To: lucien_maypen@yahoo.com Subject: UCB Word For Today - Abounding Help us to send The Word for Today to more people 12 Aug 2012
Abounding Always abounding in the work of the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58 In Scripture the word 'abounding' means 'to overflow.' Today let's look at three 'abounding' Scriptures and see what we can learn: 1) Abounding iniquity. 'Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold' (Matthew 24:12 KJV). The word 'iniquity' means 'lawlessness.' Do you remember your life before you met Jesus? You had no boundaries. You were ruled by your impulses. You'd go anywhere, do anything, and say whatever you pleased. Now, we're not bringing up your past to make you feel bad, but to make you grateful and to show you how far God has brought you. And what was God's solution to your sin problem? 2) Abounding grace. 'Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more' (Romans 5:20 NKJV). God's grace cannot be earned or merited. And that's a good thing, because we were all spiritually bankrupt. But as Martin Luther said, 'The recognition of sin is the beginning of salvation.' It's feeling bad about your sin that leads to feeling good about God's grace. Do you remember the day Jesus found you, saved you, brought you into His family and showered you with His blessings? What should your response to such grace be? 3) Abounding in the work of the Lord. 'Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.' You were saved to serve! When you don't, you'll feel like a fish out of water. So pray, 'Lord, today I give myself fully to You, to be used in Your service as You see fit.
' Bible in a Year: Ezek 37:1-14; 1 Thess 4:13-18; Matt 27:50- 53?; Did you enjoy reading this? We'd love you to share it with a friend Can we send you a copy of this quarterly devotional? © 2012: This devotional is produced by UCB, free of charge through the generosity of our supporters. As a gift to the body of Christ, permission is given to Churches and Christian organisations to copy up to a maximum of 52 daily excerpts per year. Excerpts must acknowledge The Word For Today as the source, give the UCB address and inform that free issues of the daily devotional are available for the UK and Republic of Ireland. The Word For Today is written by Bob and Debby Gass, with Ruth Gass Halliday. New here? Subscribe to this email Unsubscribe from this email
My prayer is that we will all come to a true understanding of Sin brought by one man - Adam, and Grace brought by one God -Man, Christ Jesus. So that whether we be Americans, Russians, Nigerians, Kenyans, Chinese, from the the UK, from the Caribbean, South America, the far-east, the middle east; whether we be gold medalists, arm chair experts on all matters relating to sports, enthusiastic spectators, administrators, former greats; whether we be Anglicans, of the Roman Catholic denomination, Pentecostals or Evangelicals or Sabbath-Keepers; Muslims, Buddhists, Jews or followers of the Confucian ethic we may all come to accept that all of sinned before God Almighty, and all have been given the free gift, Salvation, that removes all condemnation and wrath from God, in and through Christ Jesus. It will profit a man and a woman much to consider these things, as, at the end of the day, it will not be the Olympics to which we look forward, but eternal life or eternal trouble and distress. We need to chose carefully, as a life in Christ leads in one direction, and a life without Christ Jesus, in another. For everyman woman or child. No matter how much we love and adore them.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Perfect success in London: Spiritual success in Christ Jesus
What a gift my country got for its 50th anniversary as an independent nation! First, it was Shelly-Ann Fraser who won gold in the women's 100 metres at the Olympics in London yesterday with Veronica Campbell-Brown ( VCB) coping the bronze medal. Then today Usain Bolt won the 100 metres for men with Yohan Blake bringing home the silver. Tomorrow, when I am scheduled return home to my beloved country, will be a public holiday, as we will celebrate 50 years of our Independence, perhaps not coincidentally, from the now defunct, British Empire.
There will indeed be dancing in the streets of Kingston our capital city, but also celebrations of some kind wherever Jamaicans live in the world. Whether in London, Birmingham, New York. Atlanta, Chicago, as it was in my son's home in Miami, where we gathered with other Jamaicans fully decked out in our colours, with one lady even outfitted with green yellow and black sandals. And we are hungry for more medals and so for the rest of this week, very little production will take place as most folks will be concentrating on the Games of the 30th Olympiad in London.
What then does it take to attain the kind of perfection that is required for an athlete to perform successfully at this level? Whether you are an established legend like Usain Bolt, or Phelps, or a future legend like Gabby Douglas or Missy Franklin, the answer is sacrifice. A lot of sacrifice. No time off training for a year! Not being able to read the books which everyone is talking about! Time away from family! Special diets; special training; special vitamins. And of course at the end of it all, for the special few, a very special reward.
This issue of perfection was the essence of the message that I heard from the Lord this week in the midst of all the excitement of the Olympics. A message which ought not to be lost on a nation beset with many and varied problems, not the least of which is how we treat each other, as Jamaica, unfortunately and quite tragically has the third highest murder rate in the world. A record about which we are not proud, and despite the associated horror and embarrassment, we have not been able to significantly reduce this awful national situation. It is a matter which occupied my deepest thoughts as I prayed for my country in church this morning ( where the national colours featured prominently). As the glory of success at the Olympics pales into insignificance when compared with the shame and pain associated with the horrific numbers of my fellow Jamaicans who die by the gun, the machete or the knife each year. The message came as I was moved to write to some senior members of my church in Jamaica during my devotions this week.
First message - Wednesday August 1st. Perfection
"So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power." 1 Samuel 16:13 NIV "
Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil Spirit from the Lord tormented him." vs. 13.
" Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me...." Psalm 51:11. NIV "..... Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit". Acts 1: 4-5 NIV
So what's the difference, if with Christ in the new covenant, we have the gift of the Holy Spirit and so did the children of Israel, in the old covenant with him, at least those specially anointed by God.?
" These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us they would be made perfect." Hebrews 11: 39
Perfection in Christ is one obvious answer. Is it the only answer though ? No doubt only a sinful human being could pose such a question as we are called to be holy as God is holy. Therefore no other answer is needed. So why is my soul still questioning? Perhaps it is what Chambers describes as, our seeing the end as the answer, whereas God sees the process as the end point. As in the very act of being obedient, believing in the Atonement wrought by Christ on the cross of Calvary, His purpose is being fulfilled, and not in the " practical outcome" on earth of perfection. Which is what I think is gnawing at my soul. There are clearly other issues. For example, why is it that the Spirit of God is not more evident in the lives of believers in today's world, as it was in the early days. But that's a different matter altogether. But I still cannot shake the idea that perfection on earth has a different, or perhaps more preliminary is correct, but still powerful, understanding than in heaven. Crucified in Christ comes to mind, but I await, as the lawyers term it, more and better particulars. In the meanwhile, definitely not by coincidence, I am reading a book entitled: " How to Listen to God", by Charles Stanley - Pastor of First Baptist church in Atlanta and host of IN Touch Radio and television. Never heard about him in all my life, but his was the only book to which the Spirit of the Lord guided me to read at the local Barnes and Noble store here in South Miami.
Peace
LWJ Sent from my iPad
So the attainment of spiritual perfection is what life in Christ all about. But there is a further question of what really constitutes perfection, and how does it relate to our life in community with others. A thought which led to an answer and another e-mail back home.
Second message - Thursday August 2nd. Perfection...more and better particulars
Who being in very nature God
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking on the very nature of a servant." Phil. 2:6.
That's one aspect of perfection here on earth. There may be more, but that one is worth much reflection as in it is bound up suffering, service to others, and defending the gospel even though we are one with God in Christ. And which incorrect or faulty or limited, understanding of the Christian journey, can, and has, in many instances, led to pride rather than, " making oneself nothing", as pride hinders perfect Christian service. Because the ultimate objective of that mindset, with tragic consequences for the church, and those to whom we called to witness, is personal gain or reward and not the 'lifting up the name of Jesus". In the same way that Jesus' only desire was to bring glory to His Father. The combination of pride and ignorance of the call to perfection is even more lethal to the cause of the gospel. No wonder then that the Holy Spirit is not as manifest in the church today as it was in the early days. And we are all guilty. May God have mercy on us and renew his church so that the church may renew ( truly emancipate) the nation.
LWJ
Sent from my iPad
One of the things which we as Christians are required to do, is to sacrifice self, our own ambitions, our own right to do what we wish to do. So that God's will be done rather than our will. And God's will is that all should believe, all should know, that Jesus died for their sins in complete obedience to His Father's will, because our God is a God who is merciful even to the " wicked and the ungrateful". Which is the situation we were all in before being rescued by Christ's death on a Cross on Calvary. So Christians have a particular role to play in rescuing our family members, our co-workers, our neighbours, and in particular a nation engulfed in strife and murder. We have no other purpose here as disciples, as ambassadors of the Christ, who "made himself nothing....and took on the very nature of a servant" . One of the challenging things that believers in the 21st century have to guard against, in particular , is the insidious and beguiling temptation which today's society offers - success in secular and material terms. Success for a believer is achieving perfection in and through Christ Jesus, and not the accolades showered on us by family or friends or even a grateful nation after the Olympics; not the material things which we accumulate...be it the soon to be released i-phone 6, the new i-pad 3, the latest android or even the latest blackberry phone; and not the many and varied pleasures that the flesh offers. And there is great disagreement in many families about priorities in life. No wonder Jesus said that " a man's enemies will be the members of his household". Matthew 10: 34-36 NIV.
Finally later on Thursday August 2nd another e-mail was triggered during my devotions.
Perfect submission, perfect delight......writes to hymn writer. "
And being found in appearance as a man;
he humbled himself and became obedient to death
- even death on a cross". vs 8 writes St. Paul.
" Therefore my friends, as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence but much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose". vs 12-13.
Perhaps it was last night or early this morning, I am not sure, that the thought came into my mind, that since we all need to have Christ living in us to make us good Christians, why doesn't God just place His Spirit in us and free us from all the trials of the " old man". Why is it so hard? And so the answer is in the two passages above. We have to be obedient. We have to be perfectly submitted to the will of God. We have to do that. But thank God he has not left us on our own to that task, " to work out our salvation with fear and trembling", but it is " God ( Himself) who works in you to will and act according to his good purpose". And St. Paul repeats this glorious and liberating, emancipating truth in 2. Cor. 1: 21. " Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come" ( Heavenly perfection when all our strivings will cease). Praise God for His unfailing love and mercy and grace.
LWJ
The problem why many of us do not even try to achieve spiritual perfection, achieve perfect submission to Christ, is that it is not only hard but virtually impossible on our own. And hence the Lord reassures us that, we should place our trust in Him and He Himself will make us " stand firm in Christ Jesus". A great liberating and emancipating reality. What we need to do is to " work our our salvation in fear and trembling". Which really means to follow the advice of Isaiah who said:
" You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you". Isaiah 26:3.
That's how we work out our salvation with fear and trembling - by keeping our mind fixed on God all day long and being mindful that he is with us in all situations.
There is one main hurdle to overcome if we are going to truly become servants of the gospel, the good news of the life death and resurrection of Christ, and that is self-love. Perhaps the most dangerous and least understood feature of human nature. And which self-love has to die, if the life of Christ is truly going to be revealed in us, so that we may contribute to the rescuing of our nation(s). In this respect then, I found the following meditation, which I read in the dead of night this past week as the Lord taught me to listen to His voice, very instructive indeed. I pray God that as we continue to celebrate with our athletes, and celebrate this significant national milestone, we may, in pursuit of ultimate success, peace in our nation, truly learn to understand and then to abhor self-love. So that Jesus the Risen and Ascended Christ may truly live in us and help to renew our country.
THE PROBLEM OF SELF-LOVE
Francois Fenelon ( 1651-1715.......An Archbishop of Cambria...known to be deeply devotional and part of a quietistic movement in France) Verse : Leviticus 19: 18 Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. Self-love must be uprooted, and the love of God take its place in our hearts before we can see ourselves as we are. Then the same principle that enables us to see our imperfections will destroy them.
When the light of truth has risen within us, then we see clearly what is there. Then we love ourselves without partiality, without flattery, as we love ourselves. In the meantime, God spares us by revealing our weakness to us just in proportion as our strength to support the view of it increases. We discover our imperfections one by one as we are able to cure them. Without this merciful preparation that adapts our our strength to the light within, we should be in despair. Those who correct others ought to watch the moment when God touches their hearts; they must bear a fault with patience till they perceive his reproaching them within. They must follow his providence that gently reproaches them, so that they may feel that it is less God than their own hearts that condemn them.
When we blame with impatience because we are displeased with with the fault, it is a human censure and not the disapprobation of God. It is a sensitive self-love that cannot forgive the self-love of others. The more self-love we have, the more severe are our censures. There is nothing so vexatious as the collisions between one excessive self-love and another still more violent and and sensitive. The passions of others are infinitely more ridiculous to those who are under the dominion of their own.
The ways of God are very different. He is ever full of kindness to for us, he gives us strength, he regards us with pity and condescension, he remembers our weakness, he waits for us. The less we love ourselves, the more considerate we are of others. We wait for providence to give the occasion, and grace to open their hearts to receive it. If you would gather the fruit before its time, you lose it entirely
. Amen
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Let the Games begin! Indeed when the Olympics games are on wherever in the world, it captures the hearts, imagination and attention of most people around the globe. Even the opening ceremony attracted a global audience which exceeded one Billion persons. And here in America all you can hear and see is about Team USA. The fact that little Jamaica managed to secure a place in the finals of the women's 100m breast stroke, was of apparently little moment to the giant NBC television network as it was not carried live . But since this is the age of social media, within minutes I was able to see the results on Twitter posted many of those who I follow. But as the star of My Fair Lady warned, " just you wait, Henry Higgins, just you wait", all Jamaicans are, (including Asafa Powell one of our stars who tweeted that he was bored waiting on the athletics to begin) just waiting until next week when we are expected to shine in the sprints, with great performances anticipated from Bolt, Blake et al. In the meanwhile we have to enjoy the soccer, with all the surprises - who could have predicted that Spain would have been knocked out so early; the boxing, with names with which we are quite unfamiliar; the gymnastics and the less than top class performances by the Beijing gold medalists, the Chinese so far; beach volley ball which is such a popular sport worldwide; and basketball where the ," The Dream Team", with Kobe, King James and company expected to win the gold without breaking a sweat.
However, as much as I am an avid sports fan, and therefore throughly enjoying the Games despite the obvious, expected, and perhaps understandable bias of NBC, I am by far, much more thrilled to be in the company of my grandchildren. All four of them. Including a pretty little baby girl, " the wash belly" - which for non Jamaicans translates into, "the last one". Yes it's great to see the children again, but at this stage of life, grandchildren trump everything and everybody. Even when they have not seen you for a while and take a little while to " warm up".
So as we thank God for the joy of sports and of grandchildren, what else did I hear from the Creator of heaven and earth this week. That I should listen carefully to the Lord. Seriously? Yes, and very seriously indeed. Sports have their place in life, and for some persons according to their calling, a very important place. Family lies at the very center of this earthly life and its pursuits, as without the joy and support of family, one can achieve very little and life has very little or no meaning at all. But in order to really live a real full and satisfying life, in family, in community, and most importantly in eternity, one needs to listen very careful to the God who created life in the first place, and sustains our life in and through Christ His Son, As the Bible which cannot lie speaks volumes when it declares: " He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God has no life." 1 John 5:12. NIV
And so as I continues to read the book of Samuel, the Spirit of God prompted the following two e- mails
July 24th
.......Even though I am holiday, and having my grandfathering skills taxed to the limit, I am determined to spend some quality time reading God's Word each day, apart from mornng and night time devotions. And reading 1 Samuel and then a meditation on vs 3:10 entitled, " I wonder If That Is God's Voice ", by Oswald Chambers, and which reflection pointed me to 1 Thessalonians 5:23 and Luke 11:13, I came upon this short quote from Augustine which in the context of recent debates in our church, is so timely, that I was prompted to share.
" If you believe what you like in the Gospel, and reject what you don't like, it is not the Gospel you believe, but youself."
Food for thought, isn't it, especially coming from one of the " fathers" of the church. Makes you wonder what was the context then!
LWJ
Actually I send out the quote from Augustine as a tweet and also posted it on my Facebook page, as I considered it worthwhile sharing immediately with a wider audience, especially having regard for the kind of " selected " reading of God's Word which passes for " truth" in today's world. It is so true, as people are not really listening to God but to themselves on many issues.
July 24th..part 11
I really did not intend to write so much today, just to read. But having read the entire meditation from Chambers, and even briefly reflected on it, what else could I do. You tell me, as even this " situation", represents the " hand of God".
I WONDER IF THAT IS GOD'S VOICE
Oswald Chambers
Vs. 1 Samuel 3:10
God never speaks to us in dramatic ways, but in ways that are easy to understand. Then we say, " I wonder if that is God's voice?" Isaiah said that the Lord spoke to him, " with a strong hand", that is by the pressure of circumstances( Isaiah 8:11). Without the sovereign hand of God himself, nothing touches our lives, Do we discern his hand at work, or do we see things as mere coincidences?
Get into the habit of saying, " Speak, Lord," and life will become a romance. ( 1 Samuel 3:9). Every time circumstances press on you, say, " Speak Lord", and make time to listen. Chastening is more than a means of discipline - it means to get me to the point of saying, " Speak Lord." Think back to a time when God spoke to you. Do you remember what he said? Was it Luke 11:13, or was it 1 Thessalonians 5:23? As we listen, our ears become more sensitive, and like Jesus, we shall hear God all the time.
Should I tell my " Eli" (this is the part that got to me....in particular) what God has shown to me? This is where the dilemma of obedience hits us. We disobey God by becoming amateur providences and thinking, " I must shield Eli", who represents the best people we know. God did not tell Samuel to tell Eli - he had to decide that for himself. God's message to you my hurt your " Eli", but trying to prevent suffering in another's life will prove to be an obstruction between your soul and God. END
Of course the key thing here is " Did I really hear God's Voice"? And only you can decide. What helps is the Word ( amazing) I read this morning: " In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may freely understand what God has freely given us.......for who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Cor. 2: 11-16 NIV
Amen.
LWJ
During the night this past week, the Lord placed spoke very clearly about the Benedictus, the song sung by Zechariah, John the Baptist's father, when John was born. So next morning I got up and read it again, and googled the familiar version which is set out below:
From the Book of Common Prayer (1662):[5]
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel : for he hath visited, and redeemed his people;
And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us : in the house of his servant David;
As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets : which have been since the world began;
That we should be saved from our enemies : and from the hands of all that hate us;
To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers : and to remember his holy Covenant;
To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham : that he would give us;
That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies : might serve him without fear;
In holiness and righteousness before him : all the days of our life.
And thou, Child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest : for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
To give knowledge of salvation unto his people : for the remission of their sins,
Through the tender mercy of our God : whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us;
To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death : and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Having read and reflected on this really good news from God's Word , time and time again, on this occasion it was a great message of comfort for me at a time when I was celebrating the anniversary of a great rescue act in my life by the God of Jacob. But the added message to me, and also to countless others who have experienced the joy of hearing from the Lord through this passage of Scripture, is the clear instruction not only to " serve him without fear", but also to " give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death". In other words those who " do not have the Son of God". The interesting thing is the prayerful reading of the Benedictus during my devotions led me to Isaiah 40 which is captioned in the NIV, " Comfort my People". So, if we listen, in the midst of the noise and excitement of the Olympic Games,and even in the midst of the noise and joy of very active grandchildren, we can always hear the voice of the Lord comforting His people. Again even in the midst of the many and varied challenges of life, as our God is a God whose love is unfailing. Praise God indeed
And finally, in preparation for worship and participation in Holy Communion with family, Son, wife and two grandchildren Holy Sacrament in Pembroke Pines Episcopalian church this morning, the Lord led me to reflect deeply on and then pray according to the words, this wonderful Repentance/Family/Eucharistic hymn:
And, O Father, mindful of the love
that bought us, once for all on calvary's tree,
and having with us him that pleads above,
we here present, we here spread forth to thee
that only true offering perfect in thine eyes,
that one true, pure, immortal sacrifice.
Look, Father, look on his anointed face,
and only look on us as found in him;
look not on our misusings of thy grace,
our prayer so languid, and our faith so dim;
for lo! Between our sins and their reward
we set the passion of thy Son our Lord.
And then for those, our dearest and our best,
by this prevailing presence we appeal;
O fold them closer to thy soul's true weal;
from tainting mischief keep them white and clear,
and crown thy gifts with strength to persevere.
And so we come: O draw us to thy feet,
most patient Saviour, who cant love us still;
and by this food, so awful and sweet,
deliver us from every touch of ill:
in thine own service make us glad and free,
and grant us never more to part with thee.
I am led to write that there are two main, among others, messages here that need careful attention and action. One is that regardless of how much pleasure and glory that our Olympic athletes bring to a nation and to themselves, if they do not " have the Son of God", they are " sitting in darkness and in the shadow if death." Likewise no matter how much joy and blessing that family bring us, if they, anyone of them, no matter how sweet, do not have " the Son of God", then they too are in deep trouble and subject of the wrath of God.
Secondly, for us who have come to believe in, and therefore " have the Son", if we continue to " Misuse" the grace of God, continue with languid prayers and dim faith, continue to relegate the Word of God to second, third and fourth place, behind the Television and other pursuits, if we continue to neglect going to church regularly and participating in Holy Communion, without repentance, then we too may be subject to judgment.
Both of which issues require urgent attention from those who love the Lord with all their heart.
I pray God that all of us may learn to put into right perspective the joys of life, and truly learn to " seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness". And accept that " all these things will be given to you as well."
The final message "heard" in the middle of the night. " Grace and mercy and by extension, his righteousness ", is not something to be explained, but a person to be accepted, even Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Amen
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Death and mayhem in Colorado: Peace in Christ Jesus
The battle between President Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney for the 2012 presidential elections is truly joined. And one of the many debates they have been engaged in over the media, is the most recent issue concerning entrepreneurship and it's owner. What really drives business in America? Is is the bright young creative mind like Steve Jobs of Apple fame, or does the infrastructure provided by the government which started the information highway which we now know as the Internet, the real key to all of this. In a sense this is the very same question that needs to be posed in trying to understand the horrific event which took place in Aurora, Colorado this week, where 12 persons were shot to death and 70 injured, one of the worse tragedies in the recent American history. Was this a simple random act of violence carried out by a mad man? Or is there an infrastructure of Sin in the world in general, and in America in this instant case, which allows evil to flourish and manifest itself in this spasm of violence which has shattered the lives of so many and disturbed the tranquility of life in the USA.
How did the Lord speak to me about this and other issues during this week? This week commencing on July 19, during my early morning devotions and reading of God's Word during the day, I was led to write on at least three occasions to senior members of my church, the first of which deals with the the Anglican/Episcopalian church to which I belong, and the wider church family, about the need to call upon the Name of Jesus continually and why. As I reflect on the relevance of this message in the context of the Colorado massacre, the key issue is Oswald Chambers' assertion that, the basis of life is tragic on account of sin. Also that the first verse of the hymn quoted below has been ' in my head " all week" and speaks clearly about the battle - against evil and temptation- that all Christians will encounter. As we are called to be holy in God's sight, and that can only happen when we are truly " in Christ".
"Early morning thoughts in Miami as the battle continues" July 19.
O Jesus, I have promised to serve thee to the end;
be thou forever near me, my master and my friend;
I shall not fear the battle if thou be by my side,
not wander from the pathway,
if thou wilt be my guide.
Oswald Chambers asserts that the basis of life is tragic ( on account of sin) and thus we live in peace only by the grace of God - through the Redemption wrought on the Cross of Calvary by Christ Jesus. It's the same message, or rather a reflection of that which Jesus sent, when at the end of John 16, He said: " I have told you these things so that in me you will have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but do not be afraid, I have overcome the world". It's a lesson which our Anglican community, in particular, needs to take on board, and call upon the Name of Jesus often. Not just during morning devotions and at nights, and on a Sunday morning. That's for young Christians, as the " tempting sounds, sights that dazzle, foes, the world, according to the hymn writer in verse two,, are " around and within", and the only hope is to cry out continually , " Jesus draw thou nearer and shield my soul from sin". And from evil. I would suggest based on my own struggles and revelations from the Lord, that It is the failure, at least in part, to appreciate and to be obedient to this basic fact of the Christian life, why the Anglican/Episcopalian church is embroiled in so much turmoil; why it is losing membership...in the face of trials...and David Kuck is correct, it cannot be simply on account of the quality of leadership in and by itself, at whatever level...but rather when people cease to concentrate of Jesus and Him crucified; and why is it having less and less effect on the moral fibre of the society...at least in the Western world. And as St. Paul asserts, "the Kingdom of God is not about talk, but about power". So we need to have Jesus near us at all times, lest we " wander from the pathway, or begin to fear when the battle is joined". In this respect I have come to appreciate Isaiah's words; " He will keep in perfect peace, he whose mind is steadfast of him as he trusts in him." Chambers asserts that it is a matter of will, of making a determination to concentrate on Jesus at all times, of believing that God is in the midst of everything, of willing that all that is unacceptable to the will of God be, " identified with the death of Christ", immediately.......As ultimately, as Uzzah found out, as recorded in 2 Samuel 6: 6-7 God is holy, " and just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do" ( 1 Peter 1:15) And " God chose us in...Christ Jesus..before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight". Ephesians 1:4. So if we live in peace, and protection from evil only by the grace of God, then it is only a life lived in completely, and not partially or sometimes, crucified to the world and world to us, in Christ Jesus, that can be blameless and holy before God. And not suffer that fate that Uzzah suffered. May God give us the grace to ponder on those things and seek to be holy in all that we so as Christ is holy. Then and only then as David asserts...." will I teach transgressors your ways and sinners turn back to you". Psalm 51: 13.
Peace.
LWJ
Sent from my iPad
The second message is a direct follow-up to the first and reminds us about the need to " present the gospel in all it's fullness", to all whom we encounter along life's journey. Both the love of God for the entire sinful and lost world which is the reason why " in the fullness of time" Christ came as a Savior. And the anger of God which burns against all those who have rejected His Son and elect to continue to live in their sinful state, and who will one day face judgment. Thus St.Paul when he was leaving his disciples for the last time and facing death could declare with confidence that, " I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God". ( Acts 20:26-27) In the sense that he proclaimed the whole gospel to all whom he met in life. We have no idea what is going to happen to people from one moment to the other and therefore are called to " preach the word in season out of season".
" Early morning thoughts in Miami as the battle continues" July 19
In this context then, the question Jesus posed to his early disciples, " You give them something to eat", is quite intriguing. Clearly He must have meant for them to tell those who were " without a Shepherd", some good news about Him as much as they knew at that time - as that's the essence of the gospel. So what are we called in this age to " give them something to eat"? The truth about life in Christ - a life of suffering and self-denial; a life of constant praise and thanksgiving; a life of loving God and neighbor ; a life of being broken bread and poured out wine; a life of being " broken" for Christ and not just called; a life of " be of good courage, do not be terrified or afraid, for the Lord thy God is with you wherever you go; a life of faith in God and also in Christ with Whom all things are possible for those who believe. For His faithfulness is established in heaven itself. Amen And as they chanted in the early days of the Angolan revolution...a luta continua.....the struggle continues, wherever; in Miami, in Kingston, at St. Andrew's or St. Thomas' or Holy Family or Holy Sacrament, with Bishop Frade or with Bishop Gregory.
Sent from my iPad
The third message was sent on the actual morning of the massacre and it is all about mercy. For us the " gentiles" to whom the message of grace has come in and through Jesus, and to the children of Abraham, "from whom the human ancestry of Christ is traced". An issue about which I was moved to make a post on my Facebook page later that day. We pray God for grace and mercy for all of us as we reflect on this massacre, but pray especially that through this evil people may come to understand how much they are in need of salvation - which can only be gained by believing that Christ died for us and repent of our sinful ways and become obedient to God.
"There is a kind of madness here in America which is unbelievable ...the Colorado movie killer colored his hair red, as he were The Joker. And then proceeded to create mayhem. if this is not sheer evil then my God what is! May the Lord have mercy on the souls of those of those who died; may He have mercy on the injured. But may He have a special mercy on a nation out of which this kind of evil merges every so often.
The very morning that news began to filter through about the Aurora disaster, during my devotions, I was led to read and then to write the following :
" Early morning thoughts in Miami as the battle continues...part 111
As I opened the i Pad I was greeted with the news of a gunman killing 14 and injuring 50 in Colorado at a Friday screening of the new Batman movie. And I began thanking God for mercy last night as I commenced my early morning devotions, the Spirit of God reminded me about mercy in Romans 11: 32 (The most recent reminder of many others) . Actually that's the reason why I opened the iPad - to write, and found the message from CNN. Is there a connection between the massacre in Colorado and this message? Always! As God is in the midst of everything. "For God has bound over all men to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all." And as I was led read the two chapters concerning God's Sovereign choice, 9-11 and then the first part of 12, two thoughts came into my mind. One is that is that praying for the children of Abraham ought to be a regular feature of every Christian's private and public worship. Secondly I don't understand parts of what I am reading, it is actually a bit puzzling, as even John Stott's monumental work, " The Cross of Christ", makes no mention of " making Israel envious", but I am trusting in God's word, and usually that which is " difficult", the Lord makes clear in due course. There is a third matter, and a fourth too, and perhaps they represent the "keys" to all of the above. " Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship". (Chap 12:1) And , " For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you." ( 12:3) There are all kinds of messages here for us as we seek to avoid the pervasive influence "of the gods of the nations around us", In the same way that God warned Joshua and the children of Israel when He led them into the promised land and drove out many nations before them " destroying everything that breathed", so that they would not be led astray by foreign gods. And we all knew what happened, and the consequences which followed.
THE WORD OF GOD
I speak the truth in Christ - I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit - I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adopt as sons; theirs the the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised. Amen.......... Chap 9:1-5 Again, I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgressions, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgressions means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring...... If some of the branches have been broken off, and you,though a wild olive shoot, have been grated in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, " Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in." Granted. But they were broken off because of their unbelief , and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider the kindness and sternness of God ( a much forgotten principle in this modern age): sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief ( a basis for prayer) , they will be grated in, for God is able to graft them in again......... I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited; Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my convenient with them when I take away their sins........ Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they may now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you. For God has bound......... Chap 11: 11-32
Peace
LWJ
Sent from my iPad
Finally in the context of the disobedience which is so pervasive in my country and in these United States of America, a Meditation on this issue " caught my eye".
A PERSONAL PRAYER FOR OBEDIENCE
John Baille ( 1886-1960... a Scottish theologian, educator and ecumenical leader and author of " A Diary of Private Prayer".
Holy God, to whose service I long ago dedicated my soul and life, I grieve and lament before thee that I am so prone to sin and so little inclined to obedience:
So much attracted to the pleasures of sense; so neglectful of things spiritual:
So prompt to gratify my body, so slow to nourish my soul:
So greedy for present delight, so indifferent to lasting blessedness:
So fond of idleness; so indisposed to labor:
So soon at play, so late at prayer:
So brisk in the service of self, so slack in the service of others:
So eager to get, so reluctant to give:
So lofty in my profession, so low in my practice:
So full of good intentions, so backward to fulfill them :
So severe with my neighbors, so indulgent with myself:
So eager to find fault, so resentful at being found with:
So little able for great tasks, so discontented with small ones:
So weak in adversity, so swollen and self-satisfied in prosperity:
So helpless apart from thee, and yet so little willing to to be bound to thee.
O merciful heart of God, grant me yet again thy forgiveness. hear my sorrowful tale and in thy great mercy blot it out from the book of thy remembrance. Give me faith so to lay hold of thine own holiness and so rejoice in the righteousness of Christ my Savior that, resting on his merits rather than on my own, I may more and more become conformed to his likeness, my will becoming one with his in obedience to thine. All this I ask his holy name's sake. Amen.
May the Lord have mercy on us all in these troubling times and grant us the grace to be obedient to His will in this dying world.
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