As I write a cloud hangs over the city as torrential rain has been falling for some time now. In the same way a pall of gloom has overshadowed the nation as the brutal murder and abuse of our children over the past week has placed everyone in a state of depression and confusion. How did we get here is the cry? From whence cometh these animals who would so callously kidnap and murder our precious little ones? The death of Ananda Dean and the teen who was dismembered was closely followed by the " death by sodomy" of a baby, allegedly done by a relative of unsound mind. Regardless of the circumstances however, this was just too much for an already beleaguered nation and the headlines of our major Daily Newspaper reflected the mood of us all: " Have you seen my childhood?".
But what was perhaps most disturbing was the report from someone who has been tracking the behaviour of our criminal gangs that," when the game gets boring you kill a woman, or you kill an old person or you kill a child". In the sense that such random acts of wicked originate in the minds of gang leaders to demonstrate their power and to visit vengeance on rival gangs and their communities.
The question is, how does one challenge and combat that kind of mindset in the short term, and then seek to reverse the thinking which leads to such barbarous activities in the long run? Very difficult if not impossible by mankind, as the fact is that suddenly the old argument that crime and poverty are inextricably linked has to be "thrown out the window". As clearly the kind of wickedness which is so pervasive in our land, and which has led to " 398 children dying by violent means since 2003", as reported in the Sunday Gleaner today, has very little if anything do with need, deprivation or injustice. No, for the truth to revealed, we must look a bit deeper,
listen more carefully and become more obedient to a power higher, much higher than we can ever attain by ourselves. God Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
Each time I am led to write these messages I cannot help but marvel at the wisdom of the God who knows long before time, what shall burden the hearts of those to whom this Internet Ministry is sent, and therefore what is the timely Word to be sent. So this week, in the midst of despair and gloom, of anger and confusion, and the pain of the death of our children, the Lord led me to read about and reflect deeply on the singular importance, above everything else in life, of knowing Jesus - but which knowledge is attainable only by dying to self.
" I want to know Jesus 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 resurrection from the dead"
Philippians 3: 10-11. NIV
This verse, for some time now, has become for me, the ultimate "Mission Statement" of life.
I want to know Jesus. Not about Jesus. Not only about His mission here on earth or about His kingdom, or about the doctrine or the Scriptures, as important as those undoubtedly are.
No, that's not enough says St Paul. I want to know Jesus Himself. Because only in Him and through His Holy Spirit can I achieve, " resurrection from this dead way of life". As living in Christ grants us the power to live a different kind of existence that would lead us to murder and maim and rape and steal and lie and cheat our way through life. Listen to some other words from St Paul which God Almighty led me to consider this week as the nation grieved for its children and searched for solutions:
" Since then you have been raised with Chris, set your hearts on things above.......not on earthly things. For you died and your life is now hidden with Christ.....
Put to death therefore whatever belongs to your earthly nature, sexual immorality,impurity, lust evil desires and greed, which is idolatry........
But now you must rid yourself of such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips.....
Therefore as God's holy people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience...forgive as the Lord forgave you....And be thankful....
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the father through him.
Colossians 3:1-17 NIV
The good news which all of us who have been Baptized into Christ, having died to self by God's power through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus, is that human beings do not have to
live the kind of life which leads to so much pain and suffering in the nation. So, as our Rector pointed out today, when these heinous crimes take place, events which are beyond our ability to comprehend much less to correct in our own human strength and wisdom, we the Baptized children of God ought not to throw up our hands in despair. But rather, to recommit ourselves to sharing the good news with others and the nation, that in Christ Jesus, the way is open for any individual, regardless of his or her past, to become a new productive and useful citizen of any nation.
Therefore the reason why the nation suffers so much is as follows. Too many people have, and continue to reject the Salvation offered by God in and through Jesus Christ. Too many Christians are not prepared to die to their former way of life, and to participate in the fellowship of his suffering", in order to get to know Christ. And others who have attained this knowledge, do not bear fruit - change the lives of others through the power of the Holy Spirit - because they regard the salvation offered by God as something to " hug up " for themselves, and not to share with others. Therefore as warned in the OT reading for today in Isaiah 5, God looked for justice and found bloodshed. Looked for righteousness and found cries of despair. And the warning continues in the gospel reading from Matthew 21, that if we the baptized children of God do not take our mandate to share the good news with others, such "salvation will be taken away and given to others.
I was so moved by these revelations that I sent out the following text message in memory of Ananda Dean to many who are in positions of power in this country. And thank God a dear Christian friend placed it on her blog.
" Knowing doctrine is not the same as knowing God. Knowing God is not possible without knowing Him through Jesus" - Chris Tiegen. " I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his suffering becoming like him in his death..." Phil. 3:1O-11. Only this kind of faith can rescue our nation."
So as we continue to grieve for our nation's children in particular, the Baptized and the unredeemed have two different spiritual roles, although we must join forces together to
fight this scourge in our land. The Baptized people of God, who have died to self must accept their calling that the single most important task at hand is to build God's kingdom by sharing the good news about Christ Jesus with others. But in order to achieve that objective we must cultivate in our hearts an unwavering desire to know Christ. On the other hand, for those who grieve as if there is no hope, and continue to search for solutions based on their own strength and wisdom, we pray God that He will give us the power, through faith and prayer and persistence to so touch their lives that they may be convicted of sin and then want to know Jesus. As then and only then, will the grieving for Ananda Dean and others cease and peace descend on the land and lift the pall of gloom.
But this desire to know Christ and to share Him with others so that our nation may be rescued from the " enslavement " of bloodshed and cries of distress, will not come easily nor overnight.
Why? Consider first of all the words of Scripture from the book of Exodus which came into my mind as I pondered the death of, by all reports, a good Christian woman who along with her husband was shot and then burnt to death in the parish where I work, two weeks ago. And then, which verse was accompanied by a reflection on the passionate outcry to God from a giant from the past. The context was different - the struggle against racism in the USA - but the depth of the cry for understanding and for help is the same in the minds of our people today. And which passion is needed to enlist the help of God and not some wishy washy lukewarm cry.
THE WORD OF GOD
" During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry went up to God. God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about then".
Exodus 2:23-25 NIV
God is indeed concerned about this nation and the world as He has remembered the convenant He made with Jesus Christ - " For God so loved the world.........so that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life" John 3:16 KJV
FROM A LITANY OF ATLANTA - BY W.E.B. DUBOIS
Verse Exodus 2:23
A city lay in travail, God our Lord, and from her loins sprang twin Murder and Black hate. Red was the midnight, clang, crack and cry of death and fury filled the air and trembled underneath the stars where church spires pointed silently to thee. And all this was to sate the greed of greedy men who hide behind the veil of vengeance!
Bend us thine ear O Lord!
In the pale, still morning we looked upon the deed. We stopped our ears and held our leaping hands, but they - did they not wag their heads and leer and cry with bloody jaws. Cease from Crime! The word was mockery for thus they train a hundred crimes while we do cure one.
Turn again our captivity, O Lord!
Behold this maimed and broken thing; dear God, it was an humble black man who toiled and sweat to save a bit from the pittance paid him. They told him to: Work and Rise. He worked. Did this man sin? Nay, but some one told how someone said another did - one whom he had never seen nor known. Yet for that man's crime this man lieth maimed and murdered, his wife naked to shame, his children to poverty and evil.
Hear us, O heavenly Father!
Doth not this justice of hell stink in thy nostrils, O God! How long shall the mounting flood of innocent blood roar in thine ears and pound in our hearts for vengeance? Pile the pale frenzy
of blood-crazed brutes who do such deeds high on thine altar, Jehovah Jireh, and burn it in hell forever and forever!
Forgive us, good Lord; we know not what we say!
Bewildered we are, and passion-tossed, mad with the madness of a mobbed and mocked and murdered people, straining at the armposts of thy throne, we raise our shackled hands and charge thee, God, by the bones of our stolen fathers, by the tears of our dead mothers, by the very blood of thy crucified Christ: What meaneth this? Tell us the plan; give us the sign.
Keep not thou silence, O God!
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Did you read about the city in travail? Yes I did too. Did you see the reason for death - to satisfy greed? Did you read the mocking cry from the wicked about " We want justice". I did too. Did you read about " informer fe dead" and leave behind his wife and children to suffer! Did you read about the cry for vengeance and for hanging to be resumed, and then the answer, " Forgive us Lord we know not what we say"! Perhaps the most touching was the cry for help, and for an answer in the name of suffering fathers, suffering mothers and crucified ( suffering ) Christ.
Let us then, who are Baptized, in the name of the Crucified Christ, appeal to a God who is concerned about His people. And who knows, maybe He will turn and have mercy on us and our children.
Finally a Word from Deuteronomy. No doubt an answer as it came into head immediately.
" O that their hearts may be inclined to fear me, and to obey all my commands all the time, so that it may go well with them and their children, forever."
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
What good is it for a man to place all his investments on Wall Street and lose not only the money but his soul as well.
The biggest news this week for me was the financial meltdown in the USA. Yes, I watched the debate between Obama and McCain, but nothing new came out. And since I am hoping that Obama will win, I really don't like watching anything to do with McCain. Plus my children, four
of them ( two by birth, and two others by marriage) and my grandchild, all reside in the USA. So the repercussions of the Wall Street 'madness' could affect them too. But apart from the economic woes, what struck me most, was, the "change of mind", the change of philosophy of the American government. Moving from a unapologetic capitalist state, allowing the market free reign, to one which is now behaving, in a sense, like one of the European socialist states, as is manifest in the plan to "bail out", the once famous, but now, struggling banks, insurance companies and investment firms - rather than let the market dictate if they go bankrupt and risk the possibility of shutting down the US economy.
Back here in Jamaica, the polls are showing that, after a short time, the voting population is already having a " change of mind" about the ruling party. And powerful elements within the opposition party, had a "change of mind", about the leader and unsuccessfully challenged her, leading to recriminations which could affect its fortunes at the next elections.
However despite all of these very topical and substantive international and local happenings, unfortunately, there has been no cessation of the violence, no change of heart of the wickedness of our criminals, as just tonight there was a news report that a young teenage girl, who went missing last week, may be the one found dead on a hillside earlier in the day. And later in the news, came a report of an elderly couple, who were killed and then thrown into their home and which house was then torched and the bodies burnt. So our hearts continued to be burdened by the unabated "madness" taking place in our country, and which mayhem is causing so much pain and grief on the one hand, and provoking so much fear on the other.
In the midst of all of this the Lord led me to reflect on a meditation on, ( believe it or not)
" Consider Your Investments", and a sermon on " Repentance; changing your mind from sin to
righteousness in Christ Jesus", based on the gospel reading for today.
CONSIDER YOUR INVESTMENTS SEPTEMBER 16 CHRIS TIEGEN
" What good is it for a man to gain the whole world yet forfeit his soul". Mark 8:36
IN WORD If someone has a sum of money to invest, he or she will have to make some choices. The money can be put full into one investment, or it can be divided among more than one. Many people chose this latter option in order to hedge their bets. But when one option is considered far superior to to all the others, diversification takes a back seat to opportunism. Attractive investment opportunities draw all of our attention and all of our money for the possibilities they entail. We want to capitalize.
In the economy of God, one investment is clearly superior to all others. it's a sure thing. And Jesus calls us to place all our resources, time and talents there - exclusively. Why? Because He knows the return it will yield, and He knows that we will not be disappointed. But there is often a part of us that wants to diversify. We want to invest some in God's kingdom, certainly, but also some in this world. We're afraid to put our resources only in one place. Whether we put a lot or a little into the temporal, Jesus says, it's bad deal. The world will end in bankruptcy, and the kingdom of God will inherit all wealth. And it's wealth will be everlasting.
IN DEED Human beings pursue comfort and pleasure with an alarming passion. It isn't that comfort and pleasure are wrong.; God created both for us to enjoy. But He never called us to pursue them. He never asked us to focus our attention on our earthly life span in order to make it as easy or profitably as possible. To the contrary, He constantly calls His disciples to take everything they have now and invest it in everything they know about God's eternal kingdom.
" Whoever wants to save his life ( live for the now) will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel( lives for the kingdom) will save it".. Consider your investments well and avoid the pursuits of this world. Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A few months ago we had our our " financial melt down in Jamaica", where many people including Christians, placed all, a major part, or significant sums, with unregulated investment firms. And when they went bust, a lot of people lost their money. " This one option was considered far superior to others and so diversification took a backseat to opportunism".
Many people wished to capitalize on the 120% annual, and more, interest offered on their investment.
At the end of the day, I think the key question ought have been: " Will it bring God glory"?
This week some words of a well known hymn, " restored to life and power and thought", have been on my mind. Especially in the morning. It's from the first verse of:
New every morning is the love
Our wakening and uprising prove;
Through sleep and darkness safely brought,
Restored to life and power and thought.
New mercies, each returning day,
Hover around us while we pray;
New perils past, new sins forgiven,
New thoughts of God, new hopes of heaven.
If on our daily course our mind
Be set to hallow all we find,
New treasures still, of countless price
God will provide for sacrifice.
The trivial round , the common task,
Will furnish all we need to ask,
Room to deny ourselves a road
To bring us daily nearer God.
Only, O Lord, in thy dear love
Fit us for perfect rest above;
And help us this and every day,
To live more nearly as we pray.
The point is that, we owe so much to God - for life itself, day by day. As so many people fail to wake in the morning, and many others are alive but have "no life , no power, or thought". And
therefore our only role in life, the only investment to be made, is to " hallow " all we find.
In the sense of bringing God glory and praise in all that we do - no matter how common place it may seem. The danger to many, and especially to Christians, is the desire to " hedge our bets".
Love God but, " pursue comfort and pleasure", at the same time. Pursue power and fame. Pursue our own dreams. Trust in our own judgements. Fall prey to pursuing " my will" and not God's will. Becoming impatient with God, and taking matters into our own hands. The problem is, that kind of attitude, always , every single time, leads to disaster and ruin, if not in this world, certainly in the eternal kingdom. This attitude is what led to the financial meltdown in the USA - greed conquering prudence. And so in America, so in Jamaica and all over the world.
High expectations and greed holding sway over prudent financial management. Further, this same kind of attitude is the fundamental reason for the madness and mayhem currently destroying my country. As increasingly, my beloved nation is falling prey to the empty and unsustainable philosophy of , " my will" and not "God's will" be done. Pursuing comfort and pleasure at all levels is now the national past time, and therefore no wonder people no longer "fear God", and have no regard for the "things of God". And then " having opened the gates and let in the pirates", we wonder why Jamaica and Jamaicans have become so violent.
The problem is further compounded by the fact, that even within certain parts of the church,
is to be found this unsound and unscriptural theology - pursuing comfort and pleasure.
It is in this context that two sermons this morning - I went to the regular 7:30 and stayed on for the 9:30 for the Baptismal service - challenged me greatly especially considering a reflection
I read this week on, " being near to the kingdom of God", entitled " Close but not quite".
And the quote that stayed with me was, " To be ' not far' from the kingdom of God, is still to be outside of it. Something more is needed"
And that "something more" is Repentance - a change of mind. We in Jamaica have much of which to repent . We in the church have even more about which we need to repent. And I am convinced that when this change of heart takes place, our country will begin to recover.
The story of the gospel was most instructive. The man had two sons. One initially refused to be obedient, but eventually " changed his mind". The other promised to be obedient, but never fulfilled the promise. The quality of our present lives, and our future will be determined by which side of this simple story reflects our attitude. Repentance, a change of mind, or stubbornness born of arrogance and a lack of " fear of God". Our decisions will have eternal consequences.
No wonder that the Lord placed the following prayer in my heart. " Will thou not turn again and quicken us O Lord, that thy people may rejoice in thee". Why? We need to cry to God for a renewing of His Holy Spirit which resides in us, the Baptised people of God, so that thus empowered, we may not only spread the good news, but be the good news to our people, so that all of us may, " change our minds", repent, and ask God for mercy, as He has been , and continues to be our only " Investment option".
Amen.
of them ( two by birth, and two others by marriage) and my grandchild, all reside in the USA. So the repercussions of the Wall Street 'madness' could affect them too. But apart from the economic woes, what struck me most, was, the "change of mind", the change of philosophy of the American government. Moving from a unapologetic capitalist state, allowing the market free reign, to one which is now behaving, in a sense, like one of the European socialist states, as is manifest in the plan to "bail out", the once famous, but now, struggling banks, insurance companies and investment firms - rather than let the market dictate if they go bankrupt and risk the possibility of shutting down the US economy.
Back here in Jamaica, the polls are showing that, after a short time, the voting population is already having a " change of mind" about the ruling party. And powerful elements within the opposition party, had a "change of mind", about the leader and unsuccessfully challenged her, leading to recriminations which could affect its fortunes at the next elections.
However despite all of these very topical and substantive international and local happenings, unfortunately, there has been no cessation of the violence, no change of heart of the wickedness of our criminals, as just tonight there was a news report that a young teenage girl, who went missing last week, may be the one found dead on a hillside earlier in the day. And later in the news, came a report of an elderly couple, who were killed and then thrown into their home and which house was then torched and the bodies burnt. So our hearts continued to be burdened by the unabated "madness" taking place in our country, and which mayhem is causing so much pain and grief on the one hand, and provoking so much fear on the other.
In the midst of all of this the Lord led me to reflect on a meditation on, ( believe it or not)
" Consider Your Investments", and a sermon on " Repentance; changing your mind from sin to
righteousness in Christ Jesus", based on the gospel reading for today.
CONSIDER YOUR INVESTMENTS SEPTEMBER 16 CHRIS TIEGEN
" What good is it for a man to gain the whole world yet forfeit his soul". Mark 8:36
IN WORD If someone has a sum of money to invest, he or she will have to make some choices. The money can be put full into one investment, or it can be divided among more than one. Many people chose this latter option in order to hedge their bets. But when one option is considered far superior to to all the others, diversification takes a back seat to opportunism. Attractive investment opportunities draw all of our attention and all of our money for the possibilities they entail. We want to capitalize.
In the economy of God, one investment is clearly superior to all others. it's a sure thing. And Jesus calls us to place all our resources, time and talents there - exclusively. Why? Because He knows the return it will yield, and He knows that we will not be disappointed. But there is often a part of us that wants to diversify. We want to invest some in God's kingdom, certainly, but also some in this world. We're afraid to put our resources only in one place. Whether we put a lot or a little into the temporal, Jesus says, it's bad deal. The world will end in bankruptcy, and the kingdom of God will inherit all wealth. And it's wealth will be everlasting.
IN DEED Human beings pursue comfort and pleasure with an alarming passion. It isn't that comfort and pleasure are wrong.; God created both for us to enjoy. But He never called us to pursue them. He never asked us to focus our attention on our earthly life span in order to make it as easy or profitably as possible. To the contrary, He constantly calls His disciples to take everything they have now and invest it in everything they know about God's eternal kingdom.
" Whoever wants to save his life ( live for the now) will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel( lives for the kingdom) will save it".. Consider your investments well and avoid the pursuits of this world. Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A few months ago we had our our " financial melt down in Jamaica", where many people including Christians, placed all, a major part, or significant sums, with unregulated investment firms. And when they went bust, a lot of people lost their money. " This one option was considered far superior to others and so diversification took a backseat to opportunism".
Many people wished to capitalize on the 120% annual, and more, interest offered on their investment.
At the end of the day, I think the key question ought have been: " Will it bring God glory"?
This week some words of a well known hymn, " restored to life and power and thought", have been on my mind. Especially in the morning. It's from the first verse of:
New every morning is the love
Our wakening and uprising prove;
Through sleep and darkness safely brought,
Restored to life and power and thought.
New mercies, each returning day,
Hover around us while we pray;
New perils past, new sins forgiven,
New thoughts of God, new hopes of heaven.
If on our daily course our mind
Be set to hallow all we find,
New treasures still, of countless price
God will provide for sacrifice.
The trivial round , the common task,
Will furnish all we need to ask,
Room to deny ourselves a road
To bring us daily nearer God.
Only, O Lord, in thy dear love
Fit us for perfect rest above;
And help us this and every day,
To live more nearly as we pray.
The point is that, we owe so much to God - for life itself, day by day. As so many people fail to wake in the morning, and many others are alive but have "no life , no power, or thought". And
therefore our only role in life, the only investment to be made, is to " hallow " all we find.
In the sense of bringing God glory and praise in all that we do - no matter how common place it may seem. The danger to many, and especially to Christians, is the desire to " hedge our bets".
Love God but, " pursue comfort and pleasure", at the same time. Pursue power and fame. Pursue our own dreams. Trust in our own judgements. Fall prey to pursuing " my will" and not God's will. Becoming impatient with God, and taking matters into our own hands. The problem is, that kind of attitude, always , every single time, leads to disaster and ruin, if not in this world, certainly in the eternal kingdom. This attitude is what led to the financial meltdown in the USA - greed conquering prudence. And so in America, so in Jamaica and all over the world.
High expectations and greed holding sway over prudent financial management. Further, this same kind of attitude is the fundamental reason for the madness and mayhem currently destroying my country. As increasingly, my beloved nation is falling prey to the empty and unsustainable philosophy of , " my will" and not "God's will" be done. Pursuing comfort and pleasure at all levels is now the national past time, and therefore no wonder people no longer "fear God", and have no regard for the "things of God". And then " having opened the gates and let in the pirates", we wonder why Jamaica and Jamaicans have become so violent.
The problem is further compounded by the fact, that even within certain parts of the church,
is to be found this unsound and unscriptural theology - pursuing comfort and pleasure.
It is in this context that two sermons this morning - I went to the regular 7:30 and stayed on for the 9:30 for the Baptismal service - challenged me greatly especially considering a reflection
I read this week on, " being near to the kingdom of God", entitled " Close but not quite".
And the quote that stayed with me was, " To be ' not far' from the kingdom of God, is still to be outside of it. Something more is needed"
And that "something more" is Repentance - a change of mind. We in Jamaica have much of which to repent . We in the church have even more about which we need to repent. And I am convinced that when this change of heart takes place, our country will begin to recover.
The story of the gospel was most instructive. The man had two sons. One initially refused to be obedient, but eventually " changed his mind". The other promised to be obedient, but never fulfilled the promise. The quality of our present lives, and our future will be determined by which side of this simple story reflects our attitude. Repentance, a change of mind, or stubbornness born of arrogance and a lack of " fear of God". Our decisions will have eternal consequences.
No wonder that the Lord placed the following prayer in my heart. " Will thou not turn again and quicken us O Lord, that thy people may rejoice in thee". Why? We need to cry to God for a renewing of His Holy Spirit which resides in us, the Baptised people of God, so that thus empowered, we may not only spread the good news, but be the good news to our people, so that all of us may, " change our minds", repent, and ask God for mercy, as He has been , and continues to be our only " Investment option".
Amen.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Politics, Wall Street, Murder and Temptation: Thank God for the Lord's Prayer. " Lead us not into temptation"
Is there any limit to the kind of evil that man is capable of doing? We in Jamaica came face to face with that question this past week. And many others continue to do so around the world. Not being satisfied with "ordinary" murder, which continues unabated in the land, a group of teenagers went a step further this week, and dismembered another teen, much to the horror
of the entire nation - and we are past being shocked easily, having, "walked in the shadow of death", for so long. And to add insult to injury, a rumour was spread that the boy had also been sodomised. So much so, that when the autopsy results were released, the father was quick to point out, almost in relief, that no such thing happened. But his son was still very dead!
And while the nation grieved, it also held its collective breath, as another youngster was reported missing and a massive manhunt was carried out searching for a little girl, eleven years old, who did not come from school. Sadly that situation which remains unchanged as I write. Then this week news broke of the massive bomb blast in The Marriott Hotel in Pakistan's capital city, killing scores of people, including a female security guard leaving behind four, now motherless children.
Certainly mankind has been faced with evil throughout our existence: the civil war in Rwanda;the Holocaust in Germany; the slave trade out of Africa; Apartheid in South Africa, to name a few. But why would teenagers, hack to death, with machetes, another teenager? Why do people abduct children and either kill, them or demand money in exchange for their lives? Why do fanatics main and kill innocent people in their quest for revenge or what they consider
" justice"?
Those are serious questions that as a nation and as a world we grapple with. But there are even more profound questions that we need to pose to ourselves. Are we capable of carrying out such heinous crimes? Do we have it within us to inflict such pain on another human being and his or her family, given the "right " circumstances? What makes us different? And are we that far removed when we hurt others with our deadly barbs, lies, malicious rumours, and snide remarks? Are we that different when we allow anger, bitterness, and a sense of vengeance to dominate our thoughts? Is there any less pain in the heart of wife or husband, when, after many years of conjugal bliss, unfaithfulness rudely - or some other activity which affects the relationship - interrupts the joy of marriage, because there is no physical abuse? Is 'consensual' sex with a young foolish, easily influenced and needy, teenager worse than rape? Is pornography a private matter or does it, " fly the gate and let in the pirates", in a home and in a community? Does internecine fighting and squabbles, name calling, the hurling of insults, the assassination of character, within and between political parties remain in that arena, or are there consequences for the wider society? Is there an element of greed in the meltdown of the US financial markets, and what does that say about how individual economic decisions can affect an entire nation and in fact the whole world? Finally as we reflect on these things, are thoughts, though unwelcome and unprovoked, and not acted upon, just as bad?
So, from whence cometh all this evil, which cannot be constrained, restrained or privatized, but works through every facet of life, once released, to affect the nation, the community, the homes, the mind with potential and very real, devastating consequences?
As these questions float into my mind, based on the events which took place locally and internationally this week, it cannot be a coincidence that the Lord provided a meditation on Temptation for my reflections and which answers, in some measure some of the questions posed.
TEMPTATION'S ADVERSARY CHRIS TIEGEN SEPT. 2
" Lead us not into temptation". Luke 11:4
IN WORD Temptation is a struggle for all who have ever tried to live a godly life. Godliness doesn't come naturally to us, and we are constantly tempted with what does: ambition, lusts,
bad habits, self interest, conflicts and more. The natural self is much harder to live with once we have decided not to follow it anymore. It just won't go away. Most of us will go through stretches when we can successfully subdue it. But those stretches don't last. We give out, and the sinful nature is still there. All we have to do is let down our guard and relax for a minute, and it quickly reminds us of the old thing it offers us.
Much of " Christian living" literature tries to address this problem. We are encouraged to starve the sinful nature, ignore it, talk back to the devil who feeds it, beat it into submission, and more.
These can all be helpful and effective techniques. But there is another that should come before all of them. We should ask God to lead us away from tempting situations. We often determine to subdue the flesh and then live in a climate that cultivates it. We decide to abandon lust, but watch programmes that provoke it. We decide to break a habit of food or drink or other substance, but we do not rid our environment of that substance. We want to starve the flesh, but we don't really want to.
IN DEED Jesus gives us an acceptable - even commanded - model prayer. Ask God to lead you away from temptation. Cooperate with Him. Ask yourself why can you be so embracing of temptation and be so hesitant in faith, when it really should be the other way around. The deceitfulness of the sinful nature is subtle. The only effective counterattack is a firm " no" and an appeal for divine assistance. It's OK to ask for that; Jesus tells us to. Don't hide your temptations from the One who is glad to oppose them. Point them out and let Him steer you away.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As I reflected on the events of this week in church this morning, the joy of taking part in Holy Communion was very special. I pondered deeply on the fact that, in Christ Jesus, in the act of remembering His death and Resurrection, in taking part in His Body and His Blood, and in
" seeing Him face to face", in the Holy Sacrament, all of my sins, every single one of them, done or left undone, every action or every unwanted evil thought, was washed away. And further, because the Spirit of Christ is being formed in me, more and more each day, so too, the power to resist temptation. It was a very liberating thought and I wondered, why were people so reluctant to enjoy this fellowship with Christ and so find rest for their souls, and escape from the evil which is so pervasive in the land and has the potential to lead one into all kind strange behaviour.
No doubt this is why the words from the following hymn came into my mind this week, and I had to Google it, as only the first line of the third verse came to mind.
The King of love my Shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am his
And he is mine forever.........
Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
but yet in love he sought me.
And on his shoulder gently laid,
And home rejoicing brought me.....
The great reality of life is that though because of our sinful nature, foolish though we are, we continue to stray. But according to Jonah, in the OT reading for today, " God who is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger an abounding in love, and who relent from sending calamity", is always calling us back to Himself in Christ Jesus to forgive us of our foolish ways. The sad thing in my view, is that so many people continue to resist opening themselves up to the God to whom "all hearts are open and all desires known". Who continue to resist the call to repentance, and through whom then, the evil that abounds in the land, continues to bring weeping and much pain, as sin is not a private matter, but one which wreaks havoc across the entire land. And if we as Christians have such a hard time dealing with the temptations caused by sin, how much more difficult it is when there is no God Almighty to rescue those who do not call upon His name in truth, and thus protect the land from it's consequences.
Let us then renew our efforts to be faithful in worship and in our private devotions so that the Christ Who is being formed in us more and more each day, will enable us to pray to the Father, to lead us away from temptation, and to share the good news with others, for the glory of God, and the rescue of our nation.
This is the essence of the message contained in verse in the Psalm for today and which struck me most forcibly. It is best read using the NIV:
" One generation will will commend your works to another".
Psalm 145: 4
Amen.
of the entire nation - and we are past being shocked easily, having, "walked in the shadow of death", for so long. And to add insult to injury, a rumour was spread that the boy had also been sodomised. So much so, that when the autopsy results were released, the father was quick to point out, almost in relief, that no such thing happened. But his son was still very dead!
And while the nation grieved, it also held its collective breath, as another youngster was reported missing and a massive manhunt was carried out searching for a little girl, eleven years old, who did not come from school. Sadly that situation which remains unchanged as I write. Then this week news broke of the massive bomb blast in The Marriott Hotel in Pakistan's capital city, killing scores of people, including a female security guard leaving behind four, now motherless children.
Certainly mankind has been faced with evil throughout our existence: the civil war in Rwanda;the Holocaust in Germany; the slave trade out of Africa; Apartheid in South Africa, to name a few. But why would teenagers, hack to death, with machetes, another teenager? Why do people abduct children and either kill, them or demand money in exchange for their lives? Why do fanatics main and kill innocent people in their quest for revenge or what they consider
" justice"?
Those are serious questions that as a nation and as a world we grapple with. But there are even more profound questions that we need to pose to ourselves. Are we capable of carrying out such heinous crimes? Do we have it within us to inflict such pain on another human being and his or her family, given the "right " circumstances? What makes us different? And are we that far removed when we hurt others with our deadly barbs, lies, malicious rumours, and snide remarks? Are we that different when we allow anger, bitterness, and a sense of vengeance to dominate our thoughts? Is there any less pain in the heart of wife or husband, when, after many years of conjugal bliss, unfaithfulness rudely - or some other activity which affects the relationship - interrupts the joy of marriage, because there is no physical abuse? Is 'consensual' sex with a young foolish, easily influenced and needy, teenager worse than rape? Is pornography a private matter or does it, " fly the gate and let in the pirates", in a home and in a community? Does internecine fighting and squabbles, name calling, the hurling of insults, the assassination of character, within and between political parties remain in that arena, or are there consequences for the wider society? Is there an element of greed in the meltdown of the US financial markets, and what does that say about how individual economic decisions can affect an entire nation and in fact the whole world? Finally as we reflect on these things, are thoughts, though unwelcome and unprovoked, and not acted upon, just as bad?
So, from whence cometh all this evil, which cannot be constrained, restrained or privatized, but works through every facet of life, once released, to affect the nation, the community, the homes, the mind with potential and very real, devastating consequences?
As these questions float into my mind, based on the events which took place locally and internationally this week, it cannot be a coincidence that the Lord provided a meditation on Temptation for my reflections and which answers, in some measure some of the questions posed.
TEMPTATION'S ADVERSARY CHRIS TIEGEN SEPT. 2
" Lead us not into temptation". Luke 11:4
IN WORD Temptation is a struggle for all who have ever tried to live a godly life. Godliness doesn't come naturally to us, and we are constantly tempted with what does: ambition, lusts,
bad habits, self interest, conflicts and more. The natural self is much harder to live with once we have decided not to follow it anymore. It just won't go away. Most of us will go through stretches when we can successfully subdue it. But those stretches don't last. We give out, and the sinful nature is still there. All we have to do is let down our guard and relax for a minute, and it quickly reminds us of the old thing it offers us.
Much of " Christian living" literature tries to address this problem. We are encouraged to starve the sinful nature, ignore it, talk back to the devil who feeds it, beat it into submission, and more.
These can all be helpful and effective techniques. But there is another that should come before all of them. We should ask God to lead us away from tempting situations. We often determine to subdue the flesh and then live in a climate that cultivates it. We decide to abandon lust, but watch programmes that provoke it. We decide to break a habit of food or drink or other substance, but we do not rid our environment of that substance. We want to starve the flesh, but we don't really want to.
IN DEED Jesus gives us an acceptable - even commanded - model prayer. Ask God to lead you away from temptation. Cooperate with Him. Ask yourself why can you be so embracing of temptation and be so hesitant in faith, when it really should be the other way around. The deceitfulness of the sinful nature is subtle. The only effective counterattack is a firm " no" and an appeal for divine assistance. It's OK to ask for that; Jesus tells us to. Don't hide your temptations from the One who is glad to oppose them. Point them out and let Him steer you away.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As I reflected on the events of this week in church this morning, the joy of taking part in Holy Communion was very special. I pondered deeply on the fact that, in Christ Jesus, in the act of remembering His death and Resurrection, in taking part in His Body and His Blood, and in
" seeing Him face to face", in the Holy Sacrament, all of my sins, every single one of them, done or left undone, every action or every unwanted evil thought, was washed away. And further, because the Spirit of Christ is being formed in me, more and more each day, so too, the power to resist temptation. It was a very liberating thought and I wondered, why were people so reluctant to enjoy this fellowship with Christ and so find rest for their souls, and escape from the evil which is so pervasive in the land and has the potential to lead one into all kind strange behaviour.
No doubt this is why the words from the following hymn came into my mind this week, and I had to Google it, as only the first line of the third verse came to mind.
The King of love my Shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am his
And he is mine forever.........
Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
but yet in love he sought me.
And on his shoulder gently laid,
And home rejoicing brought me.....
The great reality of life is that though because of our sinful nature, foolish though we are, we continue to stray. But according to Jonah, in the OT reading for today, " God who is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger an abounding in love, and who relent from sending calamity", is always calling us back to Himself in Christ Jesus to forgive us of our foolish ways. The sad thing in my view, is that so many people continue to resist opening themselves up to the God to whom "all hearts are open and all desires known". Who continue to resist the call to repentance, and through whom then, the evil that abounds in the land, continues to bring weeping and much pain, as sin is not a private matter, but one which wreaks havoc across the entire land. And if we as Christians have such a hard time dealing with the temptations caused by sin, how much more difficult it is when there is no God Almighty to rescue those who do not call upon His name in truth, and thus protect the land from it's consequences.
Let us then renew our efforts to be faithful in worship and in our private devotions so that the Christ Who is being formed in us more and more each day, will enable us to pray to the Father, to lead us away from temptation, and to share the good news with others, for the glory of God, and the rescue of our nation.
This is the essence of the message contained in verse in the Psalm for today and which struck me most forcibly. It is best read using the NIV:
" One generation will will commend your works to another".
Psalm 145: 4
Amen.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Bless the Lord O my soul; let all that is within me bless his holy name. Now we can celebrate Bolt.
Two things left indelible impressions on me this week. The return of Usain Bolt - our super athlete. And a deeper understanding, based on my own experience, of the pervasiveness of the culture of vengeance and reprisal in our society. It's not just a " downtown thing", and it is by far, the biggest contributor to the frightening spectre of crime and violence in our nation. The sad, if not ironic reality, is that these two seemingly quite different issues are not unrelated. What's the evidence?
They came from near and far, waited in the sun and then in the rain, on a work day, in fact the first day of the week, to catch, even a glimpse of " king Bolt". Perhaps even to touch the" hem of his garment". And he did get a few scratches. Even the Prime Minister was not to be outdone in paying homage to this "son of the soil", who, by his exploits on the track in Beijing, placed our small and important country firmly on the world stage - once again. So he greeted Usain on the tarmac at the airport, and at one stage pandemonium broke out, as the crowd surged forward, breaking all protocol, in their desire and determination to see and to touch this remarkable young man.
Celebrating our sporting heroes is nothing new in Jamaica and the West Indies. I still remember the joy of going to Sabina Park to watch the West Indies Cricket team thrash the visitors - be they Indians, Pakistanis, or the Englishmen. And we would stay up all night, when our team was playing " down under" in Australia and especially if Garfield Sobers was at the crease. I even recall, as a young sports fan, and a professional, leaving work early one evening, to go home and drown my sorrows, when Brazil exited the World Cup finals prematurely. And it was not, and that practice continues, unusual for two of my former Rectors to announce the cricket score in church, if the match was "delicately poised". Certainly when Asafa ran his first sub ten seconds 100 metres at our national Stadium, I was there. And so was I earlier in the year, when he and Bolt clashed at our trials, and the girls gave a hint of what was to happen in Beijing, when the three "would be " medalists, shut out Veronica Campbell-Brown in the 100 M, and who up until then was considered our top performer over that distance.
So even though I am a time honoured sporting fan, and not a "waggonist", I could not help but reflect on the fact, that so many Jamaicans, would quite rightly, " pull out all the stops", to honorthis young superstar, on a workday, but would never consider, even on a day of rest, paying honor, and giving glory to the King of all Kings, and their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
I was so disturbed by my reflections that I send out a text message to that effect, to many of the folks on my cell phone directory. One wit, and a relative, suggested, in jest, that perhaps the King, should send down " bolts of lightening" on these people. And as I write, I am thinking that we should not make those kinds of jokes when the Hurricane season is not yet finished.
Then this week I was confronted on two separate occasions by the reality of the culture of vengeance and reprisals in my country. So much so that I sought audience and spent some time with my pastor discussing the issue, as he had recently devoted a sermon to this evil which is affecting the minds of our people and wreaking havoc on the nation, as " bloodshed follows bloodshed and the land mourns". So what's the connection between vengeance and reprisals and the " crowning of king Bolt"? The sad reality of life is that if we do not give God all the Glory and all the Praise, which belong to Him and Him alone, then we will be forever seeking to elevate ordinary, even extraordinary human beings, and worse of all, ourselves, as kings upon our hearts. Thus fulfilling one of the great observations of all times, that " the hearts of men are restless until they find rest in God". It is a restless heart which is an unforgiving heart and which moves so easily to seek revenge for real and even perceived wrong - " like the dissing of a mother, or father, or girlfriend, or community, or political leader or worse of all the "don". And the reality is that, it is not just the "wicked inner city misguided youths", who are manifesting this restless nature, thus leading to all kinds of anti-social behaviours. Yes they may have ready access to weapons of death, but the same murderous intentions are " alive and well" in the homes and communities of middle and upper class Jamaicans. In the hearts of children, siblings, lovers, adults, and leaders in all spheres of life.
And God, who is the God who alone knows the full extent of the condition of the human heart, drew my attention to the this unforgiving nature of man, in what should have been the Old Testament reading for this Sunday - they changed it for a special festival .
" The wrong a man does recoils on him, and he does not know where it has come from.
An arrogant man deals in mockery and insults, but retribution lies in wait for him like a lion.
Those who rejoice at the downfall of good men will be trapped and consumed with fire before they die.
Rage and anger, these also I abhor, but a sinner has them ready at hand.
The vengeful man will face the vengeance of the lord, who keeps strict accounts of his sins.
Forgive your neighbour his wrongdoing; then when you pray, your sins will be forgiven.
If a man harbours a grudge against another, is he to expect healing from the Lord?
If he has no mercy on his fellow-man, is he still to ask forgiveness for his own sins?
If a mere mortal cherishes rage, where is he to look for pardon.
Think of the end that awaits you, and have done with hate;
think of mortality and death, and be true to the commandments;
think of the commandments, and do not be enraged at your neighbour;
think of the covenant of the Most High, and overlook faults".
Ecclesiasticus 27:27-28:7
It is not often that I get to read the books of the Apocrypha, but having reflected deeply on this remarkable passage of Scripture, I was moved to send a message to the " movers and shakers" of this land, asking why have we disregarded such wisdom, why have we not placed a priority on teaching our people this kind of attitude and thus relieving our land of the suffering caused by vengeance? Yes by all means celebrate the exploits of " lightening" Bolt, VC ( Veronica Campbell-Brown), Melaine, Kerry-Ann and others, but for God's sake , and for the salvation of this land let us bow down and worship Him who died for all mankind on the Cross of Calvary.Let us give Him all the honor and praise. Let us come out in the rain and in the sunshine, let us travel from far and wide, let us bring our children and grandchildren, let us urge our leaders, our friends and neighbours to, come and worship God Almighty, the King of all Kings, on a Sunday morning or on a Sabbath - depending on your denomination.
The importance of giving God glory was also validated in a meditation I was led to read and contemplate this week - so much so that I have been singing, or making a joyful noise, all week " Hallowed be Thy name".
PRAYER AGENDA CHRIS TIEGEN AUGUST 26TH."
Father, hallowed be your name". Luke 11:2
IN WORD We fly by the words with little recognition of what they mean. We know they are about the glory of God, but they are a formality, a ritual part of a ritual prayer. Once we've said them -- or the whole prayer, for that matter -- we can get on with the real prayer, the real reason we are coming to God in the first place. We need something. The " hallowed" part acknowledges who He is before we acknowledge what we need. It's the proper protocol.
But wait. Why did Jesus start with this? Why is it the first line of His model prayer after that beautiful, comforting address to "Father"? And why, after starting with such intimate familiarity, does He go straight to this holy, formal language we have come to expect and ignore? " Father" is a good start to the prayer, but we lose Him soon after. We pray " hallowed be your name" much more often than we mean it.
So what does it mean? Obviously, it's about high and holy things, like the glory of God and bringing honor to His name. But what is Jesus trying to tell us with this ultra formal lead sentence? Could it be that this is somehow to be our emphasis in our praying?
Yes, Jesus is setting the agenda for us. When we pray, we are to begin with a clear statement that what we seek above all else is God's honor and and His kingdom. We're not here in this prayer conversation primarily for us, though we will surely benefit; we're here primarily for Him. We're setting our agenda by explicitly stating that we desire His. We bend our knees and bow our heads because there is something higher at stake here than our own desires du jour ( of the day).We must confess that our interests --as legitimate as they may be -- are consistent with the highest value in the universe: God's glory.
IN DEED Is this where your prayers begin? Not with that particular statement, necessarily, but with that attitude? It's an essential key in unlocking the mystery of prayer.
God's glory is the point of all creation. it should be the point of our prayers as well
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The original Psalm for this week, 103 encourages us to bless the Lord:
" Bless the Lord O my soul, and let all that is within me bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits.
Who forgives all our iniquities; who heals all your diseases"
Ps. 103 1-3 KJV
This too should be our attitude, as it is only a heart which has elevated God to the highest place that will find favor with Jesus Christ. And it is only a heart in which Christ lives, that can be transformed and leave behind the murderous intentions of the vengeful, the wicked and the unforgiving, who are at the epicentre of the " storms of reprisals", which are destroying our people and affecting the wonderful work which our sports ambassadors are performing on behalf of our nation. Amen
They came from near and far, waited in the sun and then in the rain, on a work day, in fact the first day of the week, to catch, even a glimpse of " king Bolt". Perhaps even to touch the" hem of his garment". And he did get a few scratches. Even the Prime Minister was not to be outdone in paying homage to this "son of the soil", who, by his exploits on the track in Beijing, placed our small and important country firmly on the world stage - once again. So he greeted Usain on the tarmac at the airport, and at one stage pandemonium broke out, as the crowd surged forward, breaking all protocol, in their desire and determination to see and to touch this remarkable young man.
Celebrating our sporting heroes is nothing new in Jamaica and the West Indies. I still remember the joy of going to Sabina Park to watch the West Indies Cricket team thrash the visitors - be they Indians, Pakistanis, or the Englishmen. And we would stay up all night, when our team was playing " down under" in Australia and especially if Garfield Sobers was at the crease. I even recall, as a young sports fan, and a professional, leaving work early one evening, to go home and drown my sorrows, when Brazil exited the World Cup finals prematurely. And it was not, and that practice continues, unusual for two of my former Rectors to announce the cricket score in church, if the match was "delicately poised". Certainly when Asafa ran his first sub ten seconds 100 metres at our national Stadium, I was there. And so was I earlier in the year, when he and Bolt clashed at our trials, and the girls gave a hint of what was to happen in Beijing, when the three "would be " medalists, shut out Veronica Campbell-Brown in the 100 M, and who up until then was considered our top performer over that distance.
So even though I am a time honoured sporting fan, and not a "waggonist", I could not help but reflect on the fact, that so many Jamaicans, would quite rightly, " pull out all the stops", to honorthis young superstar, on a workday, but would never consider, even on a day of rest, paying honor, and giving glory to the King of all Kings, and their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
I was so disturbed by my reflections that I send out a text message to that effect, to many of the folks on my cell phone directory. One wit, and a relative, suggested, in jest, that perhaps the King, should send down " bolts of lightening" on these people. And as I write, I am thinking that we should not make those kinds of jokes when the Hurricane season is not yet finished.
Then this week I was confronted on two separate occasions by the reality of the culture of vengeance and reprisals in my country. So much so that I sought audience and spent some time with my pastor discussing the issue, as he had recently devoted a sermon to this evil which is affecting the minds of our people and wreaking havoc on the nation, as " bloodshed follows bloodshed and the land mourns". So what's the connection between vengeance and reprisals and the " crowning of king Bolt"? The sad reality of life is that if we do not give God all the Glory and all the Praise, which belong to Him and Him alone, then we will be forever seeking to elevate ordinary, even extraordinary human beings, and worse of all, ourselves, as kings upon our hearts. Thus fulfilling one of the great observations of all times, that " the hearts of men are restless until they find rest in God". It is a restless heart which is an unforgiving heart and which moves so easily to seek revenge for real and even perceived wrong - " like the dissing of a mother, or father, or girlfriend, or community, or political leader or worse of all the "don". And the reality is that, it is not just the "wicked inner city misguided youths", who are manifesting this restless nature, thus leading to all kinds of anti-social behaviours. Yes they may have ready access to weapons of death, but the same murderous intentions are " alive and well" in the homes and communities of middle and upper class Jamaicans. In the hearts of children, siblings, lovers, adults, and leaders in all spheres of life.
And God, who is the God who alone knows the full extent of the condition of the human heart, drew my attention to the this unforgiving nature of man, in what should have been the Old Testament reading for this Sunday - they changed it for a special festival .
" The wrong a man does recoils on him, and he does not know where it has come from.
An arrogant man deals in mockery and insults, but retribution lies in wait for him like a lion.
Those who rejoice at the downfall of good men will be trapped and consumed with fire before they die.
Rage and anger, these also I abhor, but a sinner has them ready at hand.
The vengeful man will face the vengeance of the lord, who keeps strict accounts of his sins.
Forgive your neighbour his wrongdoing; then when you pray, your sins will be forgiven.
If a man harbours a grudge against another, is he to expect healing from the Lord?
If he has no mercy on his fellow-man, is he still to ask forgiveness for his own sins?
If a mere mortal cherishes rage, where is he to look for pardon.
Think of the end that awaits you, and have done with hate;
think of mortality and death, and be true to the commandments;
think of the commandments, and do not be enraged at your neighbour;
think of the covenant of the Most High, and overlook faults".
Ecclesiasticus 27:27-28:7
It is not often that I get to read the books of the Apocrypha, but having reflected deeply on this remarkable passage of Scripture, I was moved to send a message to the " movers and shakers" of this land, asking why have we disregarded such wisdom, why have we not placed a priority on teaching our people this kind of attitude and thus relieving our land of the suffering caused by vengeance? Yes by all means celebrate the exploits of " lightening" Bolt, VC ( Veronica Campbell-Brown), Melaine, Kerry-Ann and others, but for God's sake , and for the salvation of this land let us bow down and worship Him who died for all mankind on the Cross of Calvary.Let us give Him all the honor and praise. Let us come out in the rain and in the sunshine, let us travel from far and wide, let us bring our children and grandchildren, let us urge our leaders, our friends and neighbours to, come and worship God Almighty, the King of all Kings, on a Sunday morning or on a Sabbath - depending on your denomination.
The importance of giving God glory was also validated in a meditation I was led to read and contemplate this week - so much so that I have been singing, or making a joyful noise, all week " Hallowed be Thy name".
PRAYER AGENDA CHRIS TIEGEN AUGUST 26TH."
Father, hallowed be your name". Luke 11:2
IN WORD We fly by the words with little recognition of what they mean. We know they are about the glory of God, but they are a formality, a ritual part of a ritual prayer. Once we've said them -- or the whole prayer, for that matter -- we can get on with the real prayer, the real reason we are coming to God in the first place. We need something. The " hallowed" part acknowledges who He is before we acknowledge what we need. It's the proper protocol.
But wait. Why did Jesus start with this? Why is it the first line of His model prayer after that beautiful, comforting address to "Father"? And why, after starting with such intimate familiarity, does He go straight to this holy, formal language we have come to expect and ignore? " Father" is a good start to the prayer, but we lose Him soon after. We pray " hallowed be your name" much more often than we mean it.
So what does it mean? Obviously, it's about high and holy things, like the glory of God and bringing honor to His name. But what is Jesus trying to tell us with this ultra formal lead sentence? Could it be that this is somehow to be our emphasis in our praying?
Yes, Jesus is setting the agenda for us. When we pray, we are to begin with a clear statement that what we seek above all else is God's honor and and His kingdom. We're not here in this prayer conversation primarily for us, though we will surely benefit; we're here primarily for Him. We're setting our agenda by explicitly stating that we desire His. We bend our knees and bow our heads because there is something higher at stake here than our own desires du jour ( of the day).We must confess that our interests --as legitimate as they may be -- are consistent with the highest value in the universe: God's glory.
IN DEED Is this where your prayers begin? Not with that particular statement, necessarily, but with that attitude? It's an essential key in unlocking the mystery of prayer.
God's glory is the point of all creation. it should be the point of our prayers as well
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The original Psalm for this week, 103 encourages us to bless the Lord:
" Bless the Lord O my soul, and let all that is within me bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits.
Who forgives all our iniquities; who heals all your diseases"
Ps. 103 1-3 KJV
This too should be our attitude, as it is only a heart which has elevated God to the highest place that will find favor with Jesus Christ. And it is only a heart in which Christ lives, that can be transformed and leave behind the murderous intentions of the vengeful, the wicked and the unforgiving, who are at the epicentre of the " storms of reprisals", which are destroying our people and affecting the wonderful work which our sports ambassadors are performing on behalf of our nation. Amen
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Christ died to make men holy: let us live to make men free
Following the excitement of the Olympics came the trials of Hurricane Gustav. When we recovered, it was back to the excitement of the US presidential race as is being played out on CNN. But even Barack Obama and Palin - where is McCain - took a backseat this week for the US Open , where we witnessed some amazing tennis from both Serena and her sister Venus Williams in the quarter finals - perhaps the best match they have ever played. And now, as I write, my wife and I just just finished watching the finals, and once again Serena reigned supreme, despite a gutsy performance from Jankovic. So what's next on the excitement trip?
Bolt's homecoming tomorrow, when no less than the Prime Minster will meet him on the tarmac at the airport! The Reggae Boyz trying to qualify for the World Cup in South Africa next year? The next holiday weekend coming up? Add to that the constant cell phone calls, the text messaging, and the e-mailing, the long hours at work. And I have not yet factored in spending quality time with family! Or music on the iPod in the car or on the computer - no, definitely not when I am exercising in the mornings!
What does this all add up to? This is one very busy world, and if we are not careful the constant demands on our time will not only overwhelm us, but more importantly set the tone for our relationship with God - just enough to get by.
So no doubt with all this excitement in the air the Lord led me to read two very important meditations. One about prayer - which is the foundation of out relationship with our Father in heaven. And the other about the role of a Christian in this world. The second one sets up the need for the first and so that one precedes the other.
KEEP WATCH AUGUST 22 CHRIS TIEGEN
" Stay here and keep watch" MARK 14:34
IN WORD Peter, James and John had surely noticed Jesus' distress on their walk to the garden of Gethsemane, but they were blissfully unaware of the nature of the battle raging around them. They see only with their eyes. But Jesus is nearing the conclusion of a long warfare with the enemy, and the unseen war is most intense in the garden. Whether the Cross of Christ will or will not occur hangs in the balance between the bitterness of Jesus' assignment and His submission to the Father. We know the outcome, of course, and all the suspense is lost on us. But the three disciples in the garden didn't even know suspense was in the air. They slept.
life can give us the same illusion. We know it has its struggles, and we are distressed on occasion. But we are often blissfully unaware that there is a cosmic warfare going on around us, and it is always intense.. We have been told to stay awake and keep watch, but we keep falling asleep. Like the disciples, we may be thinking only about tomorrow's issues while our enemy is waging a war over eternal issues. We think we're taking a midnight stroll in the garden; but our Commander has led us into a high-stakes battle. Regardless of our apathy or exhaustion, this is not a time to sleep.
IN DEED Whether we like it or not, when we put our faith in Christ we left civilian life. We try to revert to a peacetime lifestyle whenever we can, but the attacks of the enemy have a way of reminding us where we are. We are on the battlefield, and though we know the outcome already, our opponent, Satan, forestalls his final defeat as long, and as vengefully as he can.
That's why the New testament emphasizes faith and prayer as much as it does. Faith is our weapon against the enemy, and prayer is our communication with the head-quarters from which come all our resources. And until we have been called home to Jesus, His orders for us remain the same -- stay here and keep watch.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It just cannot be coincidence that this week's Scripture reading in my church focuses on the need the Redeemed people of God to act as " watchmen" for the nation and indeed for the church.
" Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from e. When I say to the wicked, " O wicked man, you will surely die, and you do not speak out to dissuade from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sins and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself"
Ezekiel 33:7-8 NIV
Or that the gospel reading highlights Jesus' promise that " Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and that whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven".
Matthew 18:18
Our Pastor in a fiery sermon this morning was at pains to point out that there is culture of revenge and reprisal in the land, and which is manifest even among the children, and is the cause of much mayhem and murder in the country. Further, that this kind of warfare - my words - can only be "loosed' by the church demonstrating God's love as manifest in His mercy and grace - thus leading to forgiveness and reconciliation in the church when members are wronged by others. having practiced that kind of love, then we will, in the name of Jesus, be able to
" bind up" the sin of reprisal in the nation, and "set loose" the spirit of forgiveness in the country.
This is the very same message from Chris Tiegen's meditation. That for far too long we have lost sight of the eternal spiritual battles taking place in the world, and have focused primarily on dealing with tomorrow's pressing issues. Issues which if successfully conquered leads to a sense of accomplishment and letting down of the guard and allowing " the excitement " of life to distract us from constant prayer and reflection. In short to "keep watch". This metaphor of those who choose to follow Christ having to leave civilian life behind, is a very apt one. For if we think otherwise, and fail to keep watch, fail to be a watchman for the society, the demands of a busy life and the temptation of the world, will lead both society and church astray -as the church is the only salt and light for any society as without it, nations and civilizations crumble and die. The Roman and Greek civilizations being prime examples.
This then leads to the subject of prayer and our expectations of God, often coloured by our busy fast paced lives. If we live a good life, and inundate God with our requests, He is sure to grant us the blessings we demand - and very quickly so that we can get back to our pleasures and pursuits. I need a wife - right now Lord! A new car -right now Lord! A house would be good Lord - just in time for Christmas. I need deliverance from sickness Lord - right now. So what is the Lord saying this week to us His " busy" people.
I had one of three meditations on the following passage of Scripture from which to choose.
What swayed me? Just a strong feeling in my soul.
PERSISTENCE REWARDED AUGUST 21 CHRIS TIEGEN
Everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
Matthew 7:8
IN WORD As much as we hate to admit it, we are never more tuned to God's voice than when we are in desperate need. We search our hearts for obstructive sins; we examine our relationships for hindrances or conflicts or bitterness; we diligently dig into God's Word for His promises and assurances; and we hang on to any little word of His faithful and unfailing character. We grow during those times more than any other. Most people looking back on their lives will readily admit that the times of need were the times of flourishing in their relationship with God. ( one such need drove my wife and myself to our knees in prayer in the morning before leaving for work many years ago and which practice continues in good times and in bad times until now) And God built us exclusively for relationship.
Given this, why would God possibly want to rush us through that process? Why would He hasten to answer our prayers and subvert the purpose of this experience? We often think His delay is due to some divine indifference, a lack of caring on His part for those He says he loves. But it is just the opposite. His delays are granted us precisely because he cares so much. Immediate answers to fleeting prayers would never bring us this close to Him, no matter how much we try to assure Him that they would. he knows how we work. he knows we can learn from Him and be conformed to His image in no other way.
IN DEED We see our need as a desperate situation. God designs it for an opportunity to know Him more intimately. When we are truly needy, we learn of Him as Provider. When we are really sick, we learn of Him either as Healer or as Comforter --whichever role He wants to reveal to us. We might think we are being punished by His silence. We are not. We are being rewarded. He is drawing us close to Him saying ," Come nearer, learn from Me, know me as your Strength, your Defender, your Refuge". Keep praying. That is a far greater blessing than an immediate answer.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So let us "keep watch". Let us not follow the pattern of this world and become too busy to listen to God's Word. Let us understand that we have left the civilian life behind and are not involved in an intense warfare for the souls of men and women around us. Involved in a struggle to rescue our nations and indeed the world.
No doubt this is why the Lord led me to meditate on some words of the glorious hymn
" Mine eyes have seen the glory of the
coming of the Lord.........
In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me,
As he died to make men holy, let us live to make men free,
While God is marching on.
Glory glory Alleluia.......
So let us keep watch with God in Christ who died to make men holy,
so that we can live, like watchmen, to make men free from reprisal, murder and mayhem,
in the name of Christ Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit.
This is not a time for sleeping. Amen
Bolt's homecoming tomorrow, when no less than the Prime Minster will meet him on the tarmac at the airport! The Reggae Boyz trying to qualify for the World Cup in South Africa next year? The next holiday weekend coming up? Add to that the constant cell phone calls, the text messaging, and the e-mailing, the long hours at work. And I have not yet factored in spending quality time with family! Or music on the iPod in the car or on the computer - no, definitely not when I am exercising in the mornings!
What does this all add up to? This is one very busy world, and if we are not careful the constant demands on our time will not only overwhelm us, but more importantly set the tone for our relationship with God - just enough to get by.
So no doubt with all this excitement in the air the Lord led me to read two very important meditations. One about prayer - which is the foundation of out relationship with our Father in heaven. And the other about the role of a Christian in this world. The second one sets up the need for the first and so that one precedes the other.
KEEP WATCH AUGUST 22 CHRIS TIEGEN
" Stay here and keep watch" MARK 14:34
IN WORD Peter, James and John had surely noticed Jesus' distress on their walk to the garden of Gethsemane, but they were blissfully unaware of the nature of the battle raging around them. They see only with their eyes. But Jesus is nearing the conclusion of a long warfare with the enemy, and the unseen war is most intense in the garden. Whether the Cross of Christ will or will not occur hangs in the balance between the bitterness of Jesus' assignment and His submission to the Father. We know the outcome, of course, and all the suspense is lost on us. But the three disciples in the garden didn't even know suspense was in the air. They slept.
life can give us the same illusion. We know it has its struggles, and we are distressed on occasion. But we are often blissfully unaware that there is a cosmic warfare going on around us, and it is always intense.. We have been told to stay awake and keep watch, but we keep falling asleep. Like the disciples, we may be thinking only about tomorrow's issues while our enemy is waging a war over eternal issues. We think we're taking a midnight stroll in the garden; but our Commander has led us into a high-stakes battle. Regardless of our apathy or exhaustion, this is not a time to sleep.
IN DEED Whether we like it or not, when we put our faith in Christ we left civilian life. We try to revert to a peacetime lifestyle whenever we can, but the attacks of the enemy have a way of reminding us where we are. We are on the battlefield, and though we know the outcome already, our opponent, Satan, forestalls his final defeat as long, and as vengefully as he can.
That's why the New testament emphasizes faith and prayer as much as it does. Faith is our weapon against the enemy, and prayer is our communication with the head-quarters from which come all our resources. And until we have been called home to Jesus, His orders for us remain the same -- stay here and keep watch.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It just cannot be coincidence that this week's Scripture reading in my church focuses on the need the Redeemed people of God to act as " watchmen" for the nation and indeed for the church.
" Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from e. When I say to the wicked, " O wicked man, you will surely die, and you do not speak out to dissuade from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sins and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself"
Ezekiel 33:7-8 NIV
Or that the gospel reading highlights Jesus' promise that " Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and that whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven".
Matthew 18:18
Our Pastor in a fiery sermon this morning was at pains to point out that there is culture of revenge and reprisal in the land, and which is manifest even among the children, and is the cause of much mayhem and murder in the country. Further, that this kind of warfare - my words - can only be "loosed' by the church demonstrating God's love as manifest in His mercy and grace - thus leading to forgiveness and reconciliation in the church when members are wronged by others. having practiced that kind of love, then we will, in the name of Jesus, be able to
" bind up" the sin of reprisal in the nation, and "set loose" the spirit of forgiveness in the country.
This is the very same message from Chris Tiegen's meditation. That for far too long we have lost sight of the eternal spiritual battles taking place in the world, and have focused primarily on dealing with tomorrow's pressing issues. Issues which if successfully conquered leads to a sense of accomplishment and letting down of the guard and allowing " the excitement " of life to distract us from constant prayer and reflection. In short to "keep watch". This metaphor of those who choose to follow Christ having to leave civilian life behind, is a very apt one. For if we think otherwise, and fail to keep watch, fail to be a watchman for the society, the demands of a busy life and the temptation of the world, will lead both society and church astray -as the church is the only salt and light for any society as without it, nations and civilizations crumble and die. The Roman and Greek civilizations being prime examples.
This then leads to the subject of prayer and our expectations of God, often coloured by our busy fast paced lives. If we live a good life, and inundate God with our requests, He is sure to grant us the blessings we demand - and very quickly so that we can get back to our pleasures and pursuits. I need a wife - right now Lord! A new car -right now Lord! A house would be good Lord - just in time for Christmas. I need deliverance from sickness Lord - right now. So what is the Lord saying this week to us His " busy" people.
I had one of three meditations on the following passage of Scripture from which to choose.
What swayed me? Just a strong feeling in my soul.
PERSISTENCE REWARDED AUGUST 21 CHRIS TIEGEN
Everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
Matthew 7:8
IN WORD As much as we hate to admit it, we are never more tuned to God's voice than when we are in desperate need. We search our hearts for obstructive sins; we examine our relationships for hindrances or conflicts or bitterness; we diligently dig into God's Word for His promises and assurances; and we hang on to any little word of His faithful and unfailing character. We grow during those times more than any other. Most people looking back on their lives will readily admit that the times of need were the times of flourishing in their relationship with God. ( one such need drove my wife and myself to our knees in prayer in the morning before leaving for work many years ago and which practice continues in good times and in bad times until now) And God built us exclusively for relationship.
Given this, why would God possibly want to rush us through that process? Why would He hasten to answer our prayers and subvert the purpose of this experience? We often think His delay is due to some divine indifference, a lack of caring on His part for those He says he loves. But it is just the opposite. His delays are granted us precisely because he cares so much. Immediate answers to fleeting prayers would never bring us this close to Him, no matter how much we try to assure Him that they would. he knows how we work. he knows we can learn from Him and be conformed to His image in no other way.
IN DEED We see our need as a desperate situation. God designs it for an opportunity to know Him more intimately. When we are truly needy, we learn of Him as Provider. When we are really sick, we learn of Him either as Healer or as Comforter --whichever role He wants to reveal to us. We might think we are being punished by His silence. We are not. We are being rewarded. He is drawing us close to Him saying ," Come nearer, learn from Me, know me as your Strength, your Defender, your Refuge". Keep praying. That is a far greater blessing than an immediate answer.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So let us "keep watch". Let us not follow the pattern of this world and become too busy to listen to God's Word. Let us understand that we have left the civilian life behind and are not involved in an intense warfare for the souls of men and women around us. Involved in a struggle to rescue our nations and indeed the world.
No doubt this is why the Lord led me to meditate on some words of the glorious hymn
" Mine eyes have seen the glory of the
coming of the Lord.........
In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me,
As he died to make men holy, let us live to make men free,
While God is marching on.
Glory glory Alleluia.......
So let us keep watch with God in Christ who died to make men holy,
so that we can live, like watchmen, to make men free from reprisal, murder and mayhem,
in the name of Christ Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit.
This is not a time for sleeping. Amen
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Are Hurricanes " Acts of God"? What is the will of God.
At first we did not taken Storm Gustav, this "Act of God", seriously. We actually began to wonder why we had drawn the shutters, bought extra food and stored water, as the first few
hours were " nothing much to write home about". But then things got decidedly worse, as the wind began to howl, and torrential rain began falling. And fall it did, as if it would never stop.
All night long and far into the following day. We did not have to wait for the news to inform us that ten people were missing and presumed dead, and that many had lost their homes and that a few bridges were down, and that many many road were impassable. This was one " hell of a storm" - pardon the expression. The question of course is, was this really an "Act of God"?
Would a God who, many Jamaicans, including pastors,, were of the firm conviction that our success in the Olympics was due to His divine intervention, would this God then turn around,
within days and wreak havoc on this MFN - most favoured nation? We are taking about Billions of dollars of damage to our infrastructure and who can ever assign a monetary figure to the loss of a loved one!
Furthermore, what was so special about the Cayman islands, that seemingly so miraculously,
Gustav cut a path right through the middle of those two Islands, leaving relatively little damage in its wake? Is Haiti under a curse why so often so much suffering is visited upon that poverty stricken country by these "Acts of God. I have heard the theory that New Orleans is such a
" wicked city", perhaps pretty much like our capital city Kingston in the days of Henry Morgan,
when it copped the prize for the "wickedest city" in the new world, that God is so displeased with
" Big Easy" and hence its destruction by Katrina. So as Gustav, which has now morphed into a dangerous Category 3 Hurricane, once again threatens this city, is this further proof of God's will? Or perhaps being on the side of the Democrats, He just wishes to mess with the Republican Convention! That's a joke, but with all seriousness, many Americans, who perhaps assume that because their politicians constantly pronounce " God's blessing on America", are convinced that they are a MFN, and wondered where was God when that infamous attack on 9/11 took place. No doubt the present day Jews, even the secular non-believing ones, may feel that they too, and in fact, all Western countries, unlike Muslims ones are MFN's, in God's eyes. Of course, we in Jamaica know only too well how many of our politicians behave as if God is in their corner, and have even fallen prey to "prophets" who encourage such belief.
So the God, who is always way ahead of us, began teaching me, and all of us from the Old Testament reading, appointed for this Sunday.
" I f you repent, I will restore you
that you may serve me;
if you utter worthy, not worthless, words,
you will be my spokesman.
Let this people turn to you,
but you must not turn to them".
Jeremiah 15:19-20 NIV
And it continued with the Lord leading me to a special prayer in the book of Colossians.
" For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of HIS WILL through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way; bearing fruit in every good work.
Colossians 1:9-10 NIV
So three points are of importance here, in knowing God's will. One that the will of God is revealed by revelation from God. Not by speculation, theorising and by intellectual superiority. Two, that such revelation comes through prayer, by those, and to those, who have a repentant heart - those who continually ask God for mercy for their sinful state, their rebellion against God, and their disobedience. In short, those who have a different kind of worldview than non-believers - those who cannot, will not, and refuse to accept, the sanctifying blood of Christ on the Cross of Calvary. This renewing of the mind, this new worldview, that it is by God's mercy that we have been brought from darkness into light, that it is by God's mercy that we come to know HIS WILL, that it is by God's mercy that we are protected by storms and not because of any MFN status, that is the essence of the reading from the Epistle for this Sunday.
And three, that the purpose of God's will being revealed to those with a renewed mind, is that they may bear good fruit - not to enjoy public acclaim, or to reap personal reward, but to
bring glory to God's Son - the image of the invisible God.
" For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
Oh, the depths of the riches of the wisdom and the knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are his judgements,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counsellor?..........
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 of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to to test and to approve of what God's will is --- his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 11:32-34: 12:1-2 NIV
One of the great tragedies in the history, both recent and distant, of the Christian church is the
extent to which the " teachings of man" has replaced revelations from God. How many of us have been conforming to the pattern of this world, rather than being transformed by the renewing of our minds. So we glibly ascribe to the Lord all kinds of behaviours and promises that our puny little minds can dream up, and proudly pronounce them , with assurance, as God's perfect and pleasing will. Ignoring the Scriptures which warn us , " How unsearchable are his judgements, and his paths beyond tracing out" - recently I heard, with my own ears, a pastor, blaming the recent fires in California on the fact that the state had recently passed a law allowing same sex marriages ! Yes same sex marriages, in my understanding of the Scriptures, are against God's holy will and purpose, but does that necessarily translate into God's immediate judgement of California? What then would become of us here in Jamaica, the murder capital of the world!
Finally on this issue of God's will, the gospel reading for today places everything in perspective.
GOD'S WILL is discovered and sustained only through our sacrificing our very lives and following the life of His Son Jesus Christ.
" Then Jesus said to his disciples, " if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up the cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it". Matthew 17:24-25 NIV
So will Gustav destroy "wicked " New Orleans? Will an earthquake, in a few seconds, destroy Jamaica - the murder capital of the world - one day? Is it the will of God that Obama ( or Portia or Peter or Bruce in the Jamaican context ) should become the next President of the USA? Has HIV/AIDS come to teach us that those who willfully oppose God's teachings about sex - fornication and homosexuality - and marriage are under judgement? Was it the prayers of the Christian right wing that resulted in George W. Bush becoming the President of the USA, and then to lead his country into - a most unjust and unpopular - war in Iraq? Is it the will of God that the communion of the Anglican church worldwide is now in jeopardy on account of the ordination of a practising and unrepentant homosexual to the high post of Bishop? Is it the will of God that all murderers should be executed? Is it the will of God that some of our struggling young people should migrate to greener pastures, or that those who have succeeded should return home? Is it the will of God that I should marry that lady or that man? Is it God's will that I should end this marriage and leave this abusive husband or bad tempered wife? Was it God's will that my child, the many starving children in Africa, or a sibbling, or my spouse, should die so young and so suddenly, and before me? Why could we not live together into a ripe old age and do His Work? Did God send alternative investment schemes to benefit his church, especially those working in the inner cities? Is it the will of God that I should have Diabetes or Cancer, or should I, in the name of Christ "rebuke it"?
Many people struggle with these personal, national and world issues! How do I really know God's will is a frequent question?
The answer from this message may not satisfy all the questions, but there are some important principles for us to consider. First you have to believe that He really exists and to trust Him with our lives as He is our Creator and loving Father. And we know that He loves us because His Son Jesus died on the Cross of Calvary for your sins and for mine. That by this great act of mercy we have been rescued from the sin and death unto everlasting life. Therefore we should live a life of repentance and seek to renew our minds through prayer, the reading of His Word, worship, and self-denial. Then ask for mercy, not only for personal or national needs, but that through us, the Name of His Son may be glorified through His church.
In other words, just like Gustav, do not take this matter of life lightly. Jesus raised a profound issue in the gospel today ," For what good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world and yet forsakes his soul". Like Gustav, it may seem a simple matter at first blush, but life sometimes comes at us very quickly and we have no answers and no defence, except to appeal to God for mercy. So this issue of the reality and well-being of our souls, which belong to God, should be paramount in our minds and our plans for life. As life is not merely about the physical, the predictable, the obvious, but equally so about the mysterious, the transcendental, the spiritual, the eternal. Someone in a Bible study class today raised the question of whether, during Gustav, God was saying to Jamaica, caught up in the euphoria of our success at the Olympics:
" Pay attention here! Celebrate yes, but do not go overboard. Do not worship these people. Worship me only, as all things have been created by me and to me belong all honor and glory. And I am your only protector"! . Equally so, God is saying to us in this message, do not judge, as judgement belongs to the Lord, but rather carry out good works in keeping with our call to repentance, to deny self and to follow Christ.
Let us resolve then, to keep our mind fixed on the author and perfecter of our faith, Christ Jesus and to guard our souls against evil, for as the Scriptures remind us:
" For who has known the mind of the Lord,
that he may instruct him?"
But we have the mind of Christ"
1 Corinthians 2:16 NIV
Amen.
hours were " nothing much to write home about". But then things got decidedly worse, as the wind began to howl, and torrential rain began falling. And fall it did, as if it would never stop.
All night long and far into the following day. We did not have to wait for the news to inform us that ten people were missing and presumed dead, and that many had lost their homes and that a few bridges were down, and that many many road were impassable. This was one " hell of a storm" - pardon the expression. The question of course is, was this really an "Act of God"?
Would a God who, many Jamaicans, including pastors,, were of the firm conviction that our success in the Olympics was due to His divine intervention, would this God then turn around,
within days and wreak havoc on this MFN - most favoured nation? We are taking about Billions of dollars of damage to our infrastructure and who can ever assign a monetary figure to the loss of a loved one!
Furthermore, what was so special about the Cayman islands, that seemingly so miraculously,
Gustav cut a path right through the middle of those two Islands, leaving relatively little damage in its wake? Is Haiti under a curse why so often so much suffering is visited upon that poverty stricken country by these "Acts of God. I have heard the theory that New Orleans is such a
" wicked city", perhaps pretty much like our capital city Kingston in the days of Henry Morgan,
when it copped the prize for the "wickedest city" in the new world, that God is so displeased with
" Big Easy" and hence its destruction by Katrina. So as Gustav, which has now morphed into a dangerous Category 3 Hurricane, once again threatens this city, is this further proof of God's will? Or perhaps being on the side of the Democrats, He just wishes to mess with the Republican Convention! That's a joke, but with all seriousness, many Americans, who perhaps assume that because their politicians constantly pronounce " God's blessing on America", are convinced that they are a MFN, and wondered where was God when that infamous attack on 9/11 took place. No doubt the present day Jews, even the secular non-believing ones, may feel that they too, and in fact, all Western countries, unlike Muslims ones are MFN's, in God's eyes. Of course, we in Jamaica know only too well how many of our politicians behave as if God is in their corner, and have even fallen prey to "prophets" who encourage such belief.
So the God, who is always way ahead of us, began teaching me, and all of us from the Old Testament reading, appointed for this Sunday.
" I f you repent, I will restore you
that you may serve me;
if you utter worthy, not worthless, words,
you will be my spokesman.
Let this people turn to you,
but you must not turn to them".
Jeremiah 15:19-20 NIV
And it continued with the Lord leading me to a special prayer in the book of Colossians.
" For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of HIS WILL through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way; bearing fruit in every good work.
Colossians 1:9-10 NIV
So three points are of importance here, in knowing God's will. One that the will of God is revealed by revelation from God. Not by speculation, theorising and by intellectual superiority. Two, that such revelation comes through prayer, by those, and to those, who have a repentant heart - those who continually ask God for mercy for their sinful state, their rebellion against God, and their disobedience. In short, those who have a different kind of worldview than non-believers - those who cannot, will not, and refuse to accept, the sanctifying blood of Christ on the Cross of Calvary. This renewing of the mind, this new worldview, that it is by God's mercy that we have been brought from darkness into light, that it is by God's mercy that we come to know HIS WILL, that it is by God's mercy that we are protected by storms and not because of any MFN status, that is the essence of the reading from the Epistle for this Sunday.
And three, that the purpose of God's will being revealed to those with a renewed mind, is that they may bear good fruit - not to enjoy public acclaim, or to reap personal reward, but to
bring glory to God's Son - the image of the invisible God.
" For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
Oh, the depths of the riches of the wisdom and the knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are his judgements,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counsellor?..........
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 of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to to test and to approve of what God's will is --- his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 11:32-34: 12:1-2 NIV
One of the great tragedies in the history, both recent and distant, of the Christian church is the
extent to which the " teachings of man" has replaced revelations from God. How many of us have been conforming to the pattern of this world, rather than being transformed by the renewing of our minds. So we glibly ascribe to the Lord all kinds of behaviours and promises that our puny little minds can dream up, and proudly pronounce them , with assurance, as God's perfect and pleasing will. Ignoring the Scriptures which warn us , " How unsearchable are his judgements, and his paths beyond tracing out" - recently I heard, with my own ears, a pastor, blaming the recent fires in California on the fact that the state had recently passed a law allowing same sex marriages ! Yes same sex marriages, in my understanding of the Scriptures, are against God's holy will and purpose, but does that necessarily translate into God's immediate judgement of California? What then would become of us here in Jamaica, the murder capital of the world!
Finally on this issue of God's will, the gospel reading for today places everything in perspective.
GOD'S WILL is discovered and sustained only through our sacrificing our very lives and following the life of His Son Jesus Christ.
" Then Jesus said to his disciples, " if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up the cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it". Matthew 17:24-25 NIV
So will Gustav destroy "wicked " New Orleans? Will an earthquake, in a few seconds, destroy Jamaica - the murder capital of the world - one day? Is it the will of God that Obama ( or Portia or Peter or Bruce in the Jamaican context ) should become the next President of the USA? Has HIV/AIDS come to teach us that those who willfully oppose God's teachings about sex - fornication and homosexuality - and marriage are under judgement? Was it the prayers of the Christian right wing that resulted in George W. Bush becoming the President of the USA, and then to lead his country into - a most unjust and unpopular - war in Iraq? Is it the will of God that the communion of the Anglican church worldwide is now in jeopardy on account of the ordination of a practising and unrepentant homosexual to the high post of Bishop? Is it the will of God that all murderers should be executed? Is it the will of God that some of our struggling young people should migrate to greener pastures, or that those who have succeeded should return home? Is it the will of God that I should marry that lady or that man? Is it God's will that I should end this marriage and leave this abusive husband or bad tempered wife? Was it God's will that my child, the many starving children in Africa, or a sibbling, or my spouse, should die so young and so suddenly, and before me? Why could we not live together into a ripe old age and do His Work? Did God send alternative investment schemes to benefit his church, especially those working in the inner cities? Is it the will of God that I should have Diabetes or Cancer, or should I, in the name of Christ "rebuke it"?
Many people struggle with these personal, national and world issues! How do I really know God's will is a frequent question?
The answer from this message may not satisfy all the questions, but there are some important principles for us to consider. First you have to believe that He really exists and to trust Him with our lives as He is our Creator and loving Father. And we know that He loves us because His Son Jesus died on the Cross of Calvary for your sins and for mine. That by this great act of mercy we have been rescued from the sin and death unto everlasting life. Therefore we should live a life of repentance and seek to renew our minds through prayer, the reading of His Word, worship, and self-denial. Then ask for mercy, not only for personal or national needs, but that through us, the Name of His Son may be glorified through His church.
In other words, just like Gustav, do not take this matter of life lightly. Jesus raised a profound issue in the gospel today ," For what good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world and yet forsakes his soul". Like Gustav, it may seem a simple matter at first blush, but life sometimes comes at us very quickly and we have no answers and no defence, except to appeal to God for mercy. So this issue of the reality and well-being of our souls, which belong to God, should be paramount in our minds and our plans for life. As life is not merely about the physical, the predictable, the obvious, but equally so about the mysterious, the transcendental, the spiritual, the eternal. Someone in a Bible study class today raised the question of whether, during Gustav, God was saying to Jamaica, caught up in the euphoria of our success at the Olympics:
" Pay attention here! Celebrate yes, but do not go overboard. Do not worship these people. Worship me only, as all things have been created by me and to me belong all honor and glory. And I am your only protector"! . Equally so, God is saying to us in this message, do not judge, as judgement belongs to the Lord, but rather carry out good works in keeping with our call to repentance, to deny self and to follow Christ.
Let us resolve then, to keep our mind fixed on the author and perfecter of our faith, Christ Jesus and to guard our souls against evil, for as the Scriptures remind us:
" For who has known the mind of the Lord,
that he may instruct him?"
But we have the mind of Christ"
1 Corinthians 2:16 NIV
Amen.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
What time is it? Time for the Olympics. What time is it? Harvest time.
What time is it? Time for the Olympics on television. Time for Usain Bolt to smash another world record and then to perform the " gully creeper" and the "nuh linga." - two of the latest moves in the dancehall scene in the island. Time for the Jamaican women sprinters to sweep the 100 m race. Time for a relatively unknown young lady from a tough inner city community to cause pandemonium to break out, not only in her neighbourhood, but across the length and breath of an entire country. Time for her mother to send a strong message to all Jamaica, and especially the gunmen, that with hard work , everybody's child can achieve what her daughter did. Time for this simple but very wise mother to give thanks to God Almighty for Kerry-Ann's success. What time is it? Time for VC ( Veronica Campbell - the princess of athletics in Jamaica) to retain her 200m title and to send a message to the entire world, that her God comes first. Did you notice that her first act after winning the historic race was to stoop and clasp her hands in prayer. Time for Asafa Powell, one of the favourites to win the 100m final, but who failed again to medal, to win a well deserved gold medal in the relays. Time for Melaine Walker, another young lady from a tough inner city, to bring glory to herself, her country and her community by winning the 400m hurdles in an Olympic record. Time for her people to celebrate wildly. Time even for a moment of disappointment when arguably, the four faster women in the world, failed too carry the baton around the track in the women's sprint relay. Time for Half-Way-Tree, with the help of a big screen TV, to become the country's " Beijing", where masses of people gathered everyday to witness the success of the Jamaican stars and to share in the vibes.
What time is it? Time for the news about crime and violence to take a backseat to the events in Beijing. Hopefully time for the gunmen to take a permanent break from their wickedness and give Jamaica a chance to really achieve its full potential both on and off the sporting arenas of the world. What time is it? All too soon, time for the athletes to return home to what will no doubt be a tremendous reception, as a grateful nation, pours out its love and appreciation for the exploits of these men and women. Time to savor the sweetness of the Track and Field section of the Olympics being dominated by the Jamaican stars - third behind the USA and the Russian federation. Time to give thanks to the coaches and the administrators. Time for the Government and the private sector to" step up to the plate" and harness this momentum of an outpouring of national pride and unity, for the long term benefit of nation desperate for good news.
What time is it? It's celebration time here on the "rock".
But during the course of the week, as we celebrated with wild abandon the victories in Beijing, jumping up and down like mad people, donning the national colours, festooning even our vehicles with the national flag, the Lord reminded us that there is another imperative, another time that we must not lose sight of - Harvest time. As for Christian people, for the Redeemed people of this world, our role is to spread the good news, as we were reminded in church this morning, that in the Eternal Kingdom, unlike in the Olympics, there are no winners and losers, no stars, but we are all rescued from sin and death, by the mercy of God, in and through Christ Jesus. What time is it then? Time to tell the story of Jesus' death on the Cross of Calvary, of the wonderful love of God, poured out in the Blood of the Lamb, for Adam's helpless race. Time to reassure all peoples, that just as how Jesus was raised from the dead, with power ( of the Holy Spirit) so all who have sinned, all who are under God's righteous judgement, can, in Baptism, rise to a new life in Christ Jesus. What time is it? Time to remind people that the time to accept Christ is now, as " no man knoweth when the Son of Man shall come". That Christ has died, Christ is risen and Christ shall come again. And that nearer and nearer draws the time when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God as waters cover the sea. Time to share the good news with Bolt and Phelps, with the Chinese and with the Russians, with the top class coaches, the high performing media personalities at TVJ, CMC, NBC, CVM, the ill informed President of the IOC Jack Rogge and even with the Prime Minister of Jamaica, who is speaking to the nation even as I write this message from the Lord.
Where did I get this message about Harvest time?
HARVEST EYES CHRIS TIEGEN AUGUST 4
" Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest" John 4:35
IN WORD The contrast between Jesus and His disciples in this passage is stark. Jesus is busy telling a sinful woman of eternal truths. The disciples are focused on their physical needs. Jesus sets off a spark and sees a whole town ablaze with spiritual hunger. The disciples are obsessed about their daily bread. Jesus was ready to minister to people. The disciples were ready for lunchtime.
Don't we see a similar contrast in our own lives? Sometimes we can be outward focused, seeing other people's needs and trying to meet them. More often we are just trying to to get through the day, feeding ourselves and our families, and trying to earn enough to pay the bills. We get caught up in our own agenda and neglect the more urgent need of a hurting world -- perhaps not in principle, but certainly in practice.
Jesus urges His disciples to look beyond themselves. He tells them to thrive on a different kind of food -- the will of God and His passion for people who need the gospel. They are to be outward focused, filled with vision. Their ambition should be to see the gathering of the Kingdom of God, not just to get through the daily grind.
IN DEED We tend to neglect the eternal purposes of God and hone in on the peripherals of life. But life isn't about going into town to shop ( John 4:8) or about lunchtime ( vs 31). Those are the necessities of sustaining life, not its substance. The substance of life is eternal, and we can invest it in either the kingdom or in the world. Jesus points us to His kingdom.
Are your eyes filled with visions of harvest? Do you understand why we are here? Do not be distracted by the daily routine or by the needs of the hour. learn to recognise moments for reaping. Jesus has given us a mission and told us to have a vision for what's going on around us. Focus outward, not inward. Lift up your eyes and look at the fields. It's harvest time.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some of special moments for me, as a Christian, at the Olympics were Veronica Campbell's public act of thanksgiving; Bolt and the many others, including the Brazilian 50 m swimming champion, consistently making the sign of the Cross and thus giving God the glory; the eight finalists in the 100m men race gathering for prayer before the race; Bolt's donation of US 50,000 to the victims of he earthquake in China - what effect this might have on millions of Chinese and others in the far east, who have never heard the gospel, only God knows. But no doubt these were special moments for "sowing the seed".
Looking back I can understand how and why, as a nation, we have elevated these men to super star status. And celebrate we should and must. But as the Redeemed people of God, we should always be celebrating and giving thanks, every day, every hour, to the One who set us free from slavery to sin and rescued us unto Everlasting Life. This is what must excite us to worship and to tell the good news, in season and out of season. When there is excitement and celebration in the nation and when there is pain and sorrow and grief. Let us then be obedient to our calling, and follow the example of Christ. Let us not be overly concerned about our nation's achievement, the successes of Bolt and VC, but rather use very moment as an opportunity to witness for Christ. This is what the final message from the Lord through His servant Martin Luther is all about.
QUICKENING GRACE MARTIN LUTHER
Zechariah 12:10
When a Christian begins to know Christ as his Lord and Saviour, through whom he is redeemed from death and brought into his kingdom and inheritance, his heart is aglow with a flaming love of God and he would gladly help everyone to the same experience. For he knows no greater joy than that he possesses this treasure, that he knows Christ. Therefore he goes out and teaches and exhorts other people, praising and testifying to it before all men, praying and yearning that they too might attain to such grace. That is a restless spirit enjoying the highest rest in the grace and peace of God, for it cannot be silent or idle, but is always striving with all its power to spread the honor and glory of God among the people, that others too may receive this spirit of grace and may then help with the work of prayer. For where the Spirit of grace is, he quickens our hearts, so that we can, and may, and must begin to pray.
Amen
What time is it? Time for the news about crime and violence to take a backseat to the events in Beijing. Hopefully time for the gunmen to take a permanent break from their wickedness and give Jamaica a chance to really achieve its full potential both on and off the sporting arenas of the world. What time is it? All too soon, time for the athletes to return home to what will no doubt be a tremendous reception, as a grateful nation, pours out its love and appreciation for the exploits of these men and women. Time to savor the sweetness of the Track and Field section of the Olympics being dominated by the Jamaican stars - third behind the USA and the Russian federation. Time to give thanks to the coaches and the administrators. Time for the Government and the private sector to" step up to the plate" and harness this momentum of an outpouring of national pride and unity, for the long term benefit of nation desperate for good news.
What time is it? It's celebration time here on the "rock".
But during the course of the week, as we celebrated with wild abandon the victories in Beijing, jumping up and down like mad people, donning the national colours, festooning even our vehicles with the national flag, the Lord reminded us that there is another imperative, another time that we must not lose sight of - Harvest time. As for Christian people, for the Redeemed people of this world, our role is to spread the good news, as we were reminded in church this morning, that in the Eternal Kingdom, unlike in the Olympics, there are no winners and losers, no stars, but we are all rescued from sin and death, by the mercy of God, in and through Christ Jesus. What time is it then? Time to tell the story of Jesus' death on the Cross of Calvary, of the wonderful love of God, poured out in the Blood of the Lamb, for Adam's helpless race. Time to reassure all peoples, that just as how Jesus was raised from the dead, with power ( of the Holy Spirit) so all who have sinned, all who are under God's righteous judgement, can, in Baptism, rise to a new life in Christ Jesus. What time is it? Time to remind people that the time to accept Christ is now, as " no man knoweth when the Son of Man shall come". That Christ has died, Christ is risen and Christ shall come again. And that nearer and nearer draws the time when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God as waters cover the sea. Time to share the good news with Bolt and Phelps, with the Chinese and with the Russians, with the top class coaches, the high performing media personalities at TVJ, CMC, NBC, CVM, the ill informed President of the IOC Jack Rogge and even with the Prime Minister of Jamaica, who is speaking to the nation even as I write this message from the Lord.
Where did I get this message about Harvest time?
HARVEST EYES CHRIS TIEGEN AUGUST 4
" Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest" John 4:35
IN WORD The contrast between Jesus and His disciples in this passage is stark. Jesus is busy telling a sinful woman of eternal truths. The disciples are focused on their physical needs. Jesus sets off a spark and sees a whole town ablaze with spiritual hunger. The disciples are obsessed about their daily bread. Jesus was ready to minister to people. The disciples were ready for lunchtime.
Don't we see a similar contrast in our own lives? Sometimes we can be outward focused, seeing other people's needs and trying to meet them. More often we are just trying to to get through the day, feeding ourselves and our families, and trying to earn enough to pay the bills. We get caught up in our own agenda and neglect the more urgent need of a hurting world -- perhaps not in principle, but certainly in practice.
Jesus urges His disciples to look beyond themselves. He tells them to thrive on a different kind of food -- the will of God and His passion for people who need the gospel. They are to be outward focused, filled with vision. Their ambition should be to see the gathering of the Kingdom of God, not just to get through the daily grind.
IN DEED We tend to neglect the eternal purposes of God and hone in on the peripherals of life. But life isn't about going into town to shop ( John 4:8) or about lunchtime ( vs 31). Those are the necessities of sustaining life, not its substance. The substance of life is eternal, and we can invest it in either the kingdom or in the world. Jesus points us to His kingdom.
Are your eyes filled with visions of harvest? Do you understand why we are here? Do not be distracted by the daily routine or by the needs of the hour. learn to recognise moments for reaping. Jesus has given us a mission and told us to have a vision for what's going on around us. Focus outward, not inward. Lift up your eyes and look at the fields. It's harvest time.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some of special moments for me, as a Christian, at the Olympics were Veronica Campbell's public act of thanksgiving; Bolt and the many others, including the Brazilian 50 m swimming champion, consistently making the sign of the Cross and thus giving God the glory; the eight finalists in the 100m men race gathering for prayer before the race; Bolt's donation of US 50,000 to the victims of he earthquake in China - what effect this might have on millions of Chinese and others in the far east, who have never heard the gospel, only God knows. But no doubt these were special moments for "sowing the seed".
Looking back I can understand how and why, as a nation, we have elevated these men to super star status. And celebrate we should and must. But as the Redeemed people of God, we should always be celebrating and giving thanks, every day, every hour, to the One who set us free from slavery to sin and rescued us unto Everlasting Life. This is what must excite us to worship and to tell the good news, in season and out of season. When there is excitement and celebration in the nation and when there is pain and sorrow and grief. Let us then be obedient to our calling, and follow the example of Christ. Let us not be overly concerned about our nation's achievement, the successes of Bolt and VC, but rather use very moment as an opportunity to witness for Christ. This is what the final message from the Lord through His servant Martin Luther is all about.
QUICKENING GRACE MARTIN LUTHER
Zechariah 12:10
When a Christian begins to know Christ as his Lord and Saviour, through whom he is redeemed from death and brought into his kingdom and inheritance, his heart is aglow with a flaming love of God and he would gladly help everyone to the same experience. For he knows no greater joy than that he possesses this treasure, that he knows Christ. Therefore he goes out and teaches and exhorts other people, praising and testifying to it before all men, praying and yearning that they too might attain to such grace. That is a restless spirit enjoying the highest rest in the grace and peace of God, for it cannot be silent or idle, but is always striving with all its power to spread the honor and glory of God among the people, that others too may receive this spirit of grace and may then help with the work of prayer. For where the Spirit of grace is, he quickens our hearts, so that we can, and may, and must begin to pray.
Amen
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