The Church of Jesus Christ of Nazareth - A Ray of Hope in times of trouble

I read my newspaper to see what men are doing, and I read my Bible to see what men ought to do" .




" Lord renew thy church, beginning with me. Lord renew the church that the church may renew the nation(s)





No one big story in the news this week touched my soul in a dramatic way. But several ongoing issues did. The brutal slaying of a young policeman and the interview with a distraught mother; the shooting death of the wife of a farmer in a rural area of my country - the husband was also shot but not fatally; " an interesting story" as termed by a popular talk-show host, who shared a BBC story on the reported rise of atheists in Black America - a group known for its strong faith in God; Governor's Romney;s take on the 47% of Americans who according to him are in the back-pocket of the President on account of a dependency syndrome and his potentially explosive dismissal of the Palestinian cause in favor of the Jewish lobby; the ongoing bloody war in Syria. All of which makes one wonder if Bob Marley's observation, immortalized in song, that " everywhere is war", in the sense that things seems to be unraveling all of the world. Especially when you add to the mix, the severe financial stress that families and nations are being subjected to, along with often intractable relationship challenges within the family.

In all of this the Lord reminded of a feature on one of our local television station entitled : " A Ray of Hope". In the sense that Christians are called to be a ray of hope for all people everywhere in the midst of even " impossible situations". This is how the conversation developed as time and time again, the Lord would call my attention to His Word in various situations. The first message was triggered by a radio programme which is also aired on TV, and hosted by one of our most popular and well read journalist, but who happens also to be a Pastor of a church



THE FIRST MESSAGE



"Crowds gathered also from towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed". Acts5:16 NIV



As I read the passage above tonight, I remembered this one also :



" Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel. So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha's house". 2 Kings 4:8-9.



On Sunday evening I listened on radio to Ian Boyne's interview with a revivalist - the daughter of the late ( Kapo) Reynolds. Among other things, she spoke of regular healing of body and mind during the worship service at her church. And that members of other denominations, Pentecostals, Adventists, Church of God and even sects like the Jehovah's witnesses, would come for healing, not having had success in their church. She also spoke about " getting into higher heights in the Spirit" and traveling in the Spirit to other countries, the ability to " secure favorable judgments in court for persons, and the importance of certain colours of candles and garments. All of this she insisted was Biblical and she gave honor to Jesus Christ the Son of God, and to be fair spoke about the need for faith in Christ for the healing to take place. Further, she insisted that they were not into " reading up " people nor obeah...although the word was not mentioned.

Ian seemed quite comfortable with these " revelations", and in a sense, at the end, was almost

" recommending" the revivalists to the country. I must tell you that I feared for his soul, as he did not in any way refute or challenge this " version" of Christianity, which seems to have forgotten all about the " suffering servant" as prophesied in Isaiah. And the Word in Romans which speaks about " sharing in Christ's glory if we share also in His suffering".



Having said that though, there is great need for us to explore this issue of healing in the church. Healing of body, mind and soul, from evil spirits, as this was the practice and power of not only the early church, but from the Scriptures, the practice of the the forerunner of Christianity, Judaism. The question remains though, what is the role and function of the call to suffering even as we seek to experience the healing that the Holy Spirit does in and through His chosen servants, all to the glory of God Almighty. Perhaps one answer is that, these revivalists seem too " strong" to be powerful in the sight of God, especially having regard to Paul's experience of " being strong only when he was weak". As God's grace was sufficient for him.



It's a matter that should occupy a lot of our time in this hour of crisis in our nation when evil stalks the land...in the schools, in the cane fields, in the town square, in our music, and in our homes. And the church of Jesus Christ surely ought to be able to say to our suffering people like Elisha, "bring them to me and they will know that there is a prophet in Jamaica."

Peace

LWJ

Sent from my iPad



The strong Word in the first message was that the church was set up to heal and to drive our evil spirits and to call people to repentance. This is the essence of Elisha's Old Covenant experience with the God of Abraham, Jacob and Issac. That he Elisha, was a representative of that God, and therefore Naaman should be brought to him for healing rather than the King " throwing up his hands in the air" in defeat. This kind of attitude ought to be same within the church of the New Covenant in Christ Jesus, that wherever we are, healing ought to taking place. So there should be no need for despair in Jamaica, in Black America or White America for that matter, in Syria and in Palestine and Israel. The second point is that in this first conversation the importance of suffering emerges. A concept steeped in the age old attribute of patience. In the sense that all things happens in God's own time. So there is no need for panic even though things may seem to be out of control and hopeless. A point underscored by a Word which I read and which struck a chord deep in my heart thus triggering a text message to many folks whose numbers are stored on my cell phone.



" It does not therefore depend on man's effort or desire but on God's mercy. Romans 9:16. Ask God for mercy if you believe that Jesus died for you."

Then came four messages about suffering. The point here is that if Christians are going to carry out our God-given mandate to be a Ray of Hope in any society, we cannot plan to do so according to our own strength and wisdom but ony in keeping with God's purpose that when we are weak, we are strong and therefore His grace is sufficient for us. It's a lesson which the church of a " Suffering Servant" needs to be reminded about in this age of the " Prosperity Gospel". The kind of gospel which allows for " super-apostles" with mega churches, and a doctrine of " God blessing the faithful with material wealth". A doctrine, if truth be told, which led many of us in the church in Jamaica to invest, most unwisely, recently, in an regulated financial scheme run by a " scamp" who is now in jail in the USA, leaving behind broken hearts and broken dreams. A doctrine which has no place in the Kingdom of God, and has no power to rescue a people from murder, economic disaster and dysfunctional families. A doctrine which has leads to false ambitions, wrong concepts about God, and leaves out the foundation on which Christianity stands - God's grace and mercy. A point underscored in one of the all time great teaching hymns by Charles Wesley, and to which the Lord led me to read and to reflect, especially:



He left his Father's throne above,

So free, so infinite His grace;

Emptied Himself of all but love,

and bled for Adam's helpless race.

'Tis mercy all, immense and free,

For, O my God, it found out me





MESSAGE ABOUT SUFFERING



The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Acts 5:41 NIV



Peace

LWJ

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device from LIME.



"Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body which is the church." Colossians 1:24 NIV.

Peace

LWJ



Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. If indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager anticipation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay, and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

Romans 8:17-21 NIV



Sent from my iPad



On Sep 20, 2012, at 10:53 PM, Lucien Jones wrote:



>

> "But the Lord said to Ananias, Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." Acts 9:15-16

> Sent from my iPad

>

> We cannot escape the reality that to be effective in establishing God's kingdom here on earth there will be some kind of suffering according to God's will and purpose. More for some, less for others. But all are required to follow the way of the cross. Without which there is no power to carry out God's will. Only talk.

> LWJ



The final Word from the Lord this week spoke about the need for us to depend on the word of God, to love one another, and to have faith in Christ. These are three areas of Christian life which, if neglected, undermines the effectiveness of the prophetic voice of the church in any society and renders its witness worthless and powerless. Could it be that across the world and in Jamaica, we who are called to be the " Light of the World", and A Ray of Hope in any society, have not paid as much attention to the Word, our neighbour and trust in God as we go about being " busy for God"? Could this be the reason why Jamaica has no Elisha, who will call a people to the living God, in times of trouble as Naaman was called. Could this be the reason why in Black America or White America, despite the many many churches across the land and radio stations, people are turning away from the God of Abraham, Jacob and Isaac, and "creating", gods in their own likeness? Have we lost the zeal to win souls in distant lands, in hostile territories, as many missionaries did in the early years, amidst much suffering and even death? Are we guilty of " giving up too easily" in the face of trouble when we have an Almighty God to depend on, whose faithfulness is established in heaven itself according to the Psalmist. have we forgotten what Jesus said about His Word - that they are Spirit and life, and that flesh counts for nothing. My brothers and sisters we musT begin to pay close attention to Paul's word in Colossians, if we hope to be a Ray of Hope in this country. As spiritual wisdom and understanding, living a life worthy of the Lord, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power, patience and endurance, all comes when we have faith in Christ, and love one another. That's the only hope for Jamaica, for the USA and the entire world. Engaging in the basics of the faith and not following people who have "lost connection with the head', according to St. Paul, whether or not they come on public television, radio, cable or any other means of communication.



THE FINAL WORD



"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom., as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ giving thanks to God the Father through him."



Colossians 3:17 NIV



I woke up with that Word in my head this morning and reflected on the fact that, to meditate, to ponder deeply on the Word of God is the most important thing that a Christian needs to do regularly if we are to truly hear God speaking in this " noisy " world. For without that Word who can be sure what path to take, what decision to make, what to leave alone, what to run from, what glitters and is not gold, what seems like a good thing to do but will lead to our destruction, or worse, bring contempt on the name our our Savior.

Peace

LWJ

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God.....

1. To fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

2. And we pray this in order that:

a) you may live a life worthy of the Lord,

b)and may please him in every way;

c)bearing fruit in every good work,

d) growing in the knowledge of God,

e) being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might,

f) so that you may have great endurance and patience,

g) and joyfully giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints of the kingdom of light.

3. For he has rescued us,

a) from the dominion of darkness,

b) and brought us into the kingdom of the Son who he loves,

c) in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:9-14 NIV

For what reason?

" We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,

1. Because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus

2. and the love you have for all the saints

Colossians 1:3-4 NIV

I have been moved to number each blessings and observations and revelations separately, so that when we pray for each other and for others - which the objective of this message - we may do so according to God's Word, and with great specificity. Let us remember always to pray that others may hear about our faith in Christ and our love for each other. Which is what church is all about.

Peace.

LWJ

O, For a few Righteous Men ( and Women)

All around the world, educators face a huge problem. How to deal with the reality of young people who are sexually active, and are therefore at risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, especially HIV/AIDS. This week, in my country, hopefully in pursuit of that trying to solve that problem, although there are suspicions of another agenda, a very misguided, culturally inappropriate, and morally unacceptable family life education manual came to light in the full glare of the media. Have you ever had anal sex without a condom? How many sexual partners have you had? These and others, were some of the questions posed in the offending book, crafted for grade 7-9 students - first to third form. Predictably parents in particular, and the entire society in general, were " up in arms" and livid, that their children could have been exposed, if some had their way, to that kind of material. What were they thinking, and who was responsible, were some of the questions that people wanted answered. The present Minister of Education very promptly " pulled" the manual and issued a directive for the entire matter to be reviewed, while the former Minister bemoaned the fact that, during his tenure, he had had to make the same decision as this matter had surfaced before. So what is really going on here! Is there a " hidden hand" with a not so hidden agenda trying to force the Jamaican people to accept something which is completely foreign to us. This story was huge this week, even overshadowing, to an extent, the annual conference of the governing party, this weekend, during which the Prime Minister was expected to answer some of the critics who were of the opinion that she had been too silent, and not sufficiently specific, on her plans to deal with the critical issue of the economy. Even the discussion about the high murder rate, a constant feature of our life here in Jamaica, for a brief moment, took a back seat as people's emotions were riled up about this issue. There is another, not unrelated, as least in my view, matter which caught my attention, and that too is a problem worldwide. What is the Jamaican music culture? I listened this week, very carefully on radio , to a discussion between someone with a Phd and another pursuing a masters degree discussing this issue in the context of controversial lyrics by an up and coming dance hall artist, Tommie Lee, who is said, I don't listen to him, to be " glorifying", or " bigging up " demons in some of his songs. And further, that other well known international artistes, including Lady Gaga, are " into" this kind of association with demons and the dark side, and that many Jamaicans apparently appreciate this kind of music. So really, what is now our culture? There is supposed to be a part two on Beyond The Headlines with DJ Miller, on Radio-Jamaica ( RJR). Hopefully I will catch it. The closest I have come to that kind of discussion with one of " many sons" whose fingernails were painted black, and who in a response to my questioning, shared that it was the " Gothic Style". That conversation too, will continue.




So in the midst of this madness in my country, very clear madness, which overshadowed serious political and social issues, what did the Creator of Heaven and Earth, the One who the Psalmist declares:

" From heaven the Lord looks down

and sees all mankind;

from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth -

he who forms the hearts of all

who considers everything they do. ( Psalm 33:13. NIV)



what did He say this week?



The central message from the Lord this week is addressed to men in our society. To women also, but primarily to men. And the reason for this comes out in the first message below which was sent to three men in a church in the central part of my country, and copied to senior members of the church - man and women. The message came one morning as I was led to spend time reflecting on one of the all time great hymns of the church...Search me O God. Words which speak to the essence of our faith in God in and through Christ Jesus, as enunciated in the first line of the message. Why? The story is to long to be included here, but I would encourage everyone to read Numbers chapter 16, in where the main reason why Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and avert the wrath of God can be found. And which works of the evil one is still very present in my country both in the declared and hidden reasons why the offending manual was introduced into my country, and why this dangerous pre-occupation with demonic forces is emerging in our music. No wonder one of the founding fathers of the church Augustine of Hippo observed that: " in the old ( testament) the new ( testament) lies hidden and in the new the old is laid bare.



A MESSAGE TO MEN ( AND WOMEN)



There are several messages in this powerful hymn.

1. Search me O God.....as you are a Holy God and I cannot stand before you unless all my wickedness is removed.

2. Out of the heart of men flow all kinds of evil......The most dangerous aspect of our lives which need searching, cleansing and redeeming is that which flows out of or own hearts - our thoughts, desires, and ambitions.

3. A desire for cleansing begins and depends on God's Word - Christ The Living Word and The Written Word of Holy Scripture ......fulfill thy word and make me pure within. A desire to know God's Word must become paramount in our lives.

4. Even the sins of the past need cleansing.....fill me with fire where once I burned with shame

5. Absolute surrender, total obedience....my passion, self and pride.... to God should be our desire each day.

6. A Revival in the church and in the nation will only come with the absolute reign of the Holy Spirit in the lives and work of the men in our congregation. For far too long the women, for the most part, have been totally focused, without apology, on loving the Lord Jesus. We men need to join with them and then this nation will be truly blessed.

A message for me, which I share with you. Please, as you are moved, as leaders in your church, share with other men in need. Whether in your congregation or in another.

Peace

LWJ



Search me, O God,And know my heart today;Try me, O Savior,Know my thoughts, I pray.See if there beSome wicked way in me;Cleanse me from every sinAnd set me free.



I praise Thee, Lord,For cleansing me from sin;Fulfill Thy Word,And make me pure within.Fill me with fireWhere once I burned with shame;Grant my desireTo magnify Thy Name.



Lord, take my life,And make it wholly Thine;Fill my poor heartWith Thy great love divine.Take all my will,My passion, self and pride;I now surrender, Lord



In me abide.

O Holy Ghost,Revival comes from Thee;Send a revival,Start the work in me.Thy Word declaresThou wilt supply our need;For blessings now,O Lord, I humbly plead.









In respect of the second message below, when you do read the story of Kohath, Dathan and Abiram, who " rebelled against God", and how when they and their entire families perished, the whole assembly of Israel came under judgment, as they joined in the " grumbling against Moses", and how an " atonement" had to quickly made to stop the resultant plagued, we will get an idea of the kind of danger that hovers over my country. For the reality is that is that if we persist in " rebelling" against the Lord, culturally in our music, morally in what we teach our children, and socially in how we murder one another, then God will indeed " give us our to our own desires". And trust me, you don't want for that to happen to a nation, as the story of Sodom and Gomorrah is not fiction. So who will stand up for our nation in the midst of the madness. This is the question which the second message addressed.





THE SECOND MESSAGE - O FOR A FEW GOOD ( RIGHTEOUS) MEN



I usually read God's Word before my devotions at night after which I retire to bed. Tonight, I felt an urge to read again Charles Stanley's, " How To Listen To God". The first reference in the introductory chapter to the Bible was Psalm 81, and the following passage is underlined in my NIV Bible:

" But my people would not listen to me;

Israel would not listen to me;

So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow the their own devices".

vs 11-12.



Now this is a most dangerous state of affairs, as the very same phrase is used in Roman 1, when God " gave over" people to their own lusts and we all know the end of that story. If you don't read the chapter carefully. But that led me to mourn for my country and to wonder if God would really "give Jamaica over to our own devices", forever. Because, we, like the children of Israel, " would not listen to Him". And thus we would have no hope. Immediately, without any thought on my part, the Spirit of God reminded me of Abraham's call for mercy on Sodom and Gomorrah ....for the sake of a few righteous men. As recorded in Genesis 18.



It cannot be coincidence that this morning I was moved to send " A Message for Men( and Women) to a few men in St Gabriel's church in May Pen and then to members of my church. Essentially, based on the hymn " Search me O God...." to say to men that revival in Jamaica will only come when men decide to repent our own sins, and love the Lord Jesus Christ as women do, for the most part. And then, tonight, this message from the Lord comes so clearly. And so O my God, I pray that the men of this nation will stand up and be counted, so that our nation will not always be " given over to our own devices" by the Lord. But rather that the promised " times of refreshing " will come if we repent. And this " refreshing" is none other than that One Righteous Man Christ Himself, because of Whose sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary, the whole world is spared the wrath of God. That's why we love Him so...in the Name of Jesus, in the Name of Jesus, we shall have the victory....in the Name of Jesus. But we have to believe and be obedient to our Redeemer, and then our nation will have peace. Not before.

Peace

LWJ

Sent from my iPad



The third and final message to my church and other members of the wider church in Jamaica, took me back to the Sodom and Gomorrah story, and in particular how Abraham begged God, for the sake of a few righteous me, to spare the cities. Well, we all knew what happened! But the more important lesson, much more than the destruction of those two ancient cities, is that in fact, there was One Righteous Man who God sent, to avert His wrath for All mankind, And that God-man was and is Jesus. And this God-man who called unto Himself disciples and sent them out into the world to spread the good news ( the Gospel) of repentance and forgiveness of Sins, is still calling a " few righteous ( good) men to spread the very same good news in Jamaica, as He has not forgotten us, and our many challenges. Some of which surfaced in my country this week, publicly and privately. As I was moved to text this quote to one of my many " daughters" as a result of a private conversation, after being led to read John 1: 5-7 NIV.



Sin will keep you from this book. This book will keep you from Sin. - Dwight I. Moody.



" This is message we have heard from him and declare to you: god is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to to have fellowship with him, yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, e have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.



THE THIRD MESSAGE....O FOR A FEW RIGHTEOUS ( GOOD) MEN CONTD.



".......So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.



And so I prayed:



" Good Lord remember your Son Jesus and protect this nation from your wrath for we have done so much wrong. Good Lord remember the faithful in your church, the body of your Son and have mercy on this nation, as we know that the evil we have done is so grievous and the "outcry" against us has reached up to you. O God of mercy remember the remnant in your nation, even the few righteous men and women who are faithful to you, and have mercy on this nation."



As I prayed the words of this most profound hymn, which we, in the Anglican Church, sing before or during Holy Communion( Lord's Supper) came into my mind.



And now, O Father, mindful of the love,

that brought us, once for all, on Calvary's tree,

and having with him that pleads above,

we here present, we here spread forth to thee t

hat only offering perfect in thine eyes,

the one true, pure, immortal sacrifice.



Look, Father, look on his anointed face,

and only look on us as found in him;

look not on the misusings of thy grace,

our prayers so languid, and our faith so dim;

for lo! Between our sins and their reward

we set the passion of thy Son our Lord.



And then for those our dearest and our best( Lot was Abraham's nephew)

by this prevailing presence we appeal;

O fold them closer to thy mercy's breast,

O do thine utmost for their soul's true weal;

from tainting mischief keep them white and clear,

and crown thy gifts with strength to persevere.





O God, if we could really see our fellow Jamaicans, all of them regardless of their actions, as " one of our own", ...our dearest and our best......then we would pray more often for this nation. And God would hear our cry in and through Christ Jesus. And who knows that the God of justice would remember Jamaica and save us from catastrophe. What a challenge for the church!

Peace

Amen

Sent from my iPad





No doubt tomorrow's headlines will feature some aspect of the Prime Minister's speech, depending on the " agenda" of the particular news room. And the issue of what almost happened in our schools will once again take a " back seat" to the pressing economic an social agenda. The reality is however, that the kind of danger that confronts my country, and its citizens, as a consequent of its continued rebellion against the Lord, is far greater than the very real and challenging issues of poverty, a huge debt, weak economic growth and a high murder rate. And in fact is The Problem, although many cannot make the connection, why these " pressing issues" continue to " plague" our country. And I use the word deliberately in the context of Number 16. The one redeeming thing that we have going for us, is that which the Word of God reveals:

" My children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous one. " 1 John 2:1



The challenge for the church is not to isolate itself from the society, from the likes of Tommy Lee or he ill advised proponents of that controversial manual, in anger, or bitterness or in frustration. But to more and more accept that God has placed " a few Righteous men and women" in this nation, to serve and to call people back to God in and through Christ our Lord. Because they too are made in His image and likeness and God loves them all. And to accept that to suffer for the good of others, even though they may not understand it, nor appreciate it, is our lot to bear, even in the midst of the madness. A kind of madness that is well over two thousand years old, and for which at that time, He whose name we bear, Christ Jesus, died for a world that neither knew Him nor accepted him.

Amen

This Island Jamaica, and indeed the entire World need Jesus

Yes I was happy that Serena Williams won the USA Open this evening. Although to be honest I have a lot of respect for Victoria Azarenka and was hoping for a real match and so the three set final was just right. Yes, we welcomed back home Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce this week, and last night the " Golden " one Usain Bolt slipped quietly back into the island. To cap it all, against all the odds our Reggae Boyz stunned the might USA with a hard fought 2:1 win in a world cup qualifying match this week. But, O my God, despite all the joy that our sportsmen and women continue to bring us, the killings, the senseless loss of precious human life, regardless of the alleged circumstances, went on unabated. And in the midst of the murders, two more pregnant women together with children yet unborn lost their lives.




How can a nation then celebrate, when so much madness, so much grief, so much despondency surrounds us. Further, when one considers the ongoing tragedy in Syria, the 60 odd person who died in Iraq today, you wonder when is it all going to end. The consistent message that the Lord sent to me this week, as we struggled to deal with this recent upsurge in violence, was " Do not dress up the wound of my people". Time and time again I was led to consider the story of the children of Israel as recorded in the book of Jeremiah, how they rebelled against the Lord and how they suffered as a consequence. The narrative is compelling, as the Lord asks searching questions repeatedly such as:



" When men fall down, do they not get up?

When a man turns away, does he not return?

Why then have these people turned away?

Why does Jerusalem always turn away?

They cling to deceit; they refuse to return.

Jeremiah 8:4-5



The same question has been thrown out to the people of Jamaica, time and time again by the church. Why will we not listen? Why will we not return to the Lord? We cling on to worthless idols and look to man for a solution to deeply spiritual problems. The latest thing now that some foolish people are asking for, in the light of the "police killing of the pregnant woman last week", is the resignation of the Commissioner of Police. As if a " better " one, could help us to stop the madness! How sad, how sad, would my Pastor say. what sin, what a sin, when we have the Almighty God waiting, yes waiting to help. So just last night, when my " cup overflowed" the Lord led me to write this prayer to leaders of my church and in the wider society.



LAST NIGHT'S MESSAGE



The news tonight on the television, following the news for the entire week, triggered this.



Since my people are crushed, I am crushed.

I mourn and horror or grips me.

Is there no balm in Gilead?

Is there no physician there.

Why then is there no healing for the wound my people?

Jeremiah 8:21-22



Almighty God your Word encourages us to to cry out to you and you will show us great and wonderful things of which we know not. And so Lord mindful of your unfailing love, we cry out to you for mercy, for the wound of our people is great and very serious. We cry out to you for the rebellion which our people have carried out against you, and which has led to so much bloodshed in our country. And Lord you know how much " bloodshed follows bloodshed". O God we pray that you may turn the hearts of your people back to you, that we may repent as a nation, and that times of refreshing may fall on our people. For Lord, as they are crushed, as they are murdered, mothers, fathers, young men, old men, even pregnant mothers, we mourn and we too are crushed and horror grips us O God. O God do not be silent. Lord, according to the words of the Psalmist, O God be not quiet, be not still, for you see how your enemies are astir, how your foes rear their heads. O God your Word says that,



" In repentance and rest is your salvation;

in quietness and trust is your strength,

but you would have none of it.............

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;

he rises to show you compassion.

For the Lord is a God of justice.

Blessed are all who wait upon him".

Isaiah 35:15



O God hear the prayers of your people tonight, and forgive our people, for because we would " have none of it", because we have chosen to disobey you, and decided to flee, our pursuers have been swift and we cannot manage. Therefore our souls are distressed because of the continuing shedding of blood in our country. O God we look to you for mercy. O God we ask you for help, not because we are worthy O God, but because we, the remnant, trust in the Name of your Son Jesus Christ, who alone is the Balm that this country needs. We trust in your graciousness, your justice and your compassion. So as we go to bed this night O Lord, we pray according to the Word of the Psalmist, that you may satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love that we may rejoice in you. In Christ's mighty Name we pray.

Amen

Sent from my iPad





The one thing with which I struggle with, as a believer whose faith has been honed in the crucible of personal trials and challenges, is how can we as church, convince our fellow countrymen and women, that they really have no other option in life but to trust in the God of Abraham, the God of Issac and the God of Jacob. As there is no other god. No other power to which they can appeal in times of trouble. And according to God's holy Word, there will be trouble for every human being in the world. This God has chosen by grace, " what is man that you should be mindful of him", to reveal Himself through His written Word and and moreso through the Word made flesh in Jesus Christ. How can we convince our people, as Job came to understand, that there is a different conversation, there is another reality around us, over which we have no control, and about which we cannot learn from Twitter, CNN, or On The Ground News. Only by accepting the free gift of God's mercy in the Atonement wrought on the Cross of Calvary by the same Christ.

This is why the prophet called his people back to a God who " longs to be gracious unto us, and who rises ( from the dead) to show us compassion. This issue is dealt with in a powerful way in another letter to my church this week.



ANOTHER MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH AND STATE THIS WEEK



They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious.

Jeremiah 8:11 NIV



Jesus said,

" if you were blind; you would not be guilty of sin;

but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

John 9:41



Amazing grace.........that saved a wretch like me .....was blind but now I see.

Newton



" You say, ' I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.

But you do not realize that you are wretched;

pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire,

so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

Those I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.

Rev. 3: 17-19



The wounds of my people are serious....in the USA, Canada and in Jamaica. Tell them so. Do not dress up their wounds. The only context in which the gospel can be authentically presented, is when people realize that they cannot manage. That they are helpless. That they are blind. That they are in a desperate condition. Otherwise we are being traitors to Him who died for the Blind, the Naked, the Poor. the Pitiful, and the Wretched.....as this is what we once were, but thank God for Jesus. O my God there is indeed a Balm in Gilead.....to heal my sin-sick soul

Peace

LWJ

Sent from my iPaD





If my struggle to understand how my people continue to leave God out of the equation, is profound, even more serious is the struggle to understand why the church of the living God is not demonstrating the kind of power which ought to accompany those in whom Christ lives. Why aren't we being more effective in our witness? Why aren't we doing the " much more" that Christ promised for those who live by the Spirit? Why aren't we exhibiting the kind of power which would " turn the hearts" of our people back to God.



Is it the emphasis on " talking in tongues" rather than doing mighty works in the Name of Jesus? It is the "madness " of people being baptized, time and time again, when the Word speaks clearly about , " One faith, one Baptism, one Lord"? Are thee things weakening our power? Is it the " dressing up of the wound of my people", the unholy practice of " watering down sin" in the church, when immorality, greed and malice rear their ugly head? Is it the imported, or locally manufactured, doctrine of associating growth in the Christian faith with material wealth, and hence the desire of many is for the blessings of God, and not for God Himself. A teaching that has no place for suffering and obedience and faithfulness to Christ and Christ alone. No wonder then that the Lord sent this message.



THE THIRD MESSAGE FROM THE LORD THIS WEEK



In the morning I read this:

" I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your heart through faith."

Ephesians 3:16-17 NIV



And tonight I just read this:

" But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you: and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Acts 1:8 NIV



Then I recalled this passage: " For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power." 1 Cor. 4:20



Comment: if as a church we are not demonstrating this power, in some way, then something is wrong. Terribly wrong!

Peace

LWJ

Sent from my iPad





Finally, as I prepared myself for worship this morning, the Spirit of God led me to write to a young man who is under severe temptation from the evil one. In the same way that my countrymen and women are under attack by the devil and his " wicked ones". And this was the message:

Jesus, the very thought of thee

With sweetness fills the breast;

But sweeter still thy face to see

And in thy presence rest.



No Voice can sing,

no heart can frame,

Nor can the memory find,

A sweeter sound than Jesus' name,

The Savior of mankind.



O hope of every contrite heart,

O joy of all the meek,

To those who fall, how kind thou art.

How good to those who seek!



But what to those who find?

Ah, this. Nor tongue nor pen can show,

The love of Jesus, what is it,

None but whom love him know,



Jesus, our only joy be thou

As thou our prize wilt be;

In thee be all our glory now,

And throughout eternity.

Peace

LWJ



There is a popular gospel artiste, Carlene Davis, who wrote a song many years ago, and which lyrics speak well and profoundly but simply to what Jamaica needs now. This island needs Jesus....the hope of every contrite heart, the joy of all the meek. I pray God that we as a nation may come to understand, soon and once and for all, that the Word of God, which is living and active, is more precious and beneficial to us than any human wisdom, any joy, any material possession and any human relationship. As there is only One God, the Holy One of Israel, and He made the heaven and earth, and the sea and all that there is in it. And He created mankind for His own purpose, for His praise and glory. Our hearts will therefore always wander, make other gods out of idols , kill and destroy each other, until our hearts find rest in Him. It is not a mystery what is happening in my country and in the world, but entirely predictable and predicted. Hopefully we will find that rest in this world, as although God is eternally merciful, the opportunities to find Him elsewhere are extremely limited, and then the choice is not ours to make. So the Psalmist is correct: Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found. Psalm 32:6 NIV And God in His mercy, Rises in Christ to show us compassion, even now in the midst of the madness. Let us make that choice to follow Jesus now.

Amen

LWJ

Murder most foul and The Promises of God

This week was not a good one in my country. Murder most foul sent shock waves across the nation. First they killed a young trying used car dealer. Took the car for a test drive and then shot him and threw him on the road as if dispensing with garbage. Even now my soul rebels against this act of sheer wickedness. Then just two days ago they, the same forces of evil, masquerading as human beings, held up a celebrated gynecologist in the western part of the island and shot him to death. His colleagues tried but could not save him. Further east, a pregnant woman, allegedly on account of the use of expletives was accosted by a policeman, and when she resisted, some kind of madness ensued, we are not sure what. But when the smoke cleared she was dead and her sister injured by gunshots. The just tonight the television crew interviewed a woman whose two sons were murdered, along with a friend, in an inner city community. Her response? She felt as if she too could die at any moment. Why does a country, so blessed as ours is, so famous as ours is, so rich in human potential and God given natural beauty, why should we go through these spasms of brutality every so often with no end in sight. Every time someone adds up the numbers killed over a particular period, it seems so barbaric....6000 in how many years! God have mercy! Christ have mercy! How long my God, how long must we keep on mourning for our young ones, celebrated ones, pregnant ones, old ones! How long! God heard, and led me to write the following messages. Messages which do not give a direct answer to solving the problem at hand, but point in the direction that we need to take as nation and as individuals, if we are going to achieve any lasting peace.




FIRST TO MY CHILDREN AND OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES ARE CLOSELY INTERTWINED WITH MINE THROUGH MY PROFESSION.



As the deer pants for the water,

So my soul pants after You.

You alone are my heart's desire

And I long to worship you.



Refrain. You alone are my strength, my shield,

To You alone may my spirit yield.

You alone are my heart's desire

And I long to worship You.



I want You more than gold and silver,

Only You can satisfy.

You alone are the real joy-giver

And the apple of my eye.



You're my Friend and You are my Brother,

Even though You are a King.

I love You more than any other,

So much more than anything.



My prayer for you this morning, is that you may own the the words of this wonderful hymn for yourself. Now, even when young and filled with all kinds of passions and responsibilities. For the Lord is worthy is having the number one position in your life, as He alone died for you on Calvary. It may seem easy and obvious, and you may think that you do in fact love the Lord more than gold and silver and more than anything, but the truth is that if you are honest with yourself, the " old man", which loves self more than God, is hard to get rid of. So the hymn writer's plea, " O for grace to love you more", ought to be your constant prayer. And mine. Consider further, the words of the last verse, and link that thought with this verse of another wonderful hymn: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation......... Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee; surely his goodness and mercy shall daily attend thee; ponder anew what the Almighty can do, if to the end he befriend thee. And finally link this thought of God being a Friend and Brother to: What a Friend we have in Jesus.....

May your day be blessed as you consider these thoughts inspired by the Lord Himself.

LWJ Sent from my iPad



The central message here, and which continued throughout the week, is that though we mourn and pine for peace in our land, in Syria, in Afghanistan, in Mexico, in the minefields of South Africa and other trouble spots, such peace will only come when we are fully focused on the only One who can bring true peace. Even in the midst of the storms! Which is the subject of the next message. Does that mean that we become less vigilant in our search for justice, for security, for better housing for our people, for better education, for better family life, for more economic opportunities? No! But we recognize that even if we achieve those worthy objectives, they in and by themselves will not ensure peace.



TO SOME OF OUR NATION'S LEADERS IN POLITICS, CHURCH, THE MEDIA AND BUSINESS



I was giving thanks for thanks for God's Word this morning when He placed a phrase from the passage below in my heart. I had read the phrase before going to bed....." Those who live in accordance with the Spirit set their minds on what the Spirit desires". So I went and read the entire Romans 8:1-17 again this morning and the following things came to mind.

1. People who are not in Christ Jesus are under God' wrath, God's condemnation.

2.The law although righteous could not save sinful man, as it itself was weakened by the sinful nature of man.

3.God in His infinite wisdom sent His Son in the likeness of sinful man to do what the law was powerless to do....and thus allowed to righteous requirements of the law to be fully met in us who live by the Spirit and not by the sinful nature.

4. People who live by the sinful nature can never please God

5. Anyone who has the Spirit of Christ has his life controlled by the Spirit.

6. The question arises then if we who are baptized, and therefore, have the Spirit of Christ, why do we continue to do what's wrong as if we are still controlled by the sinful nature

7. The answer is given in a very profound way in vs 10-11. In the sense that if Christ is in us our bodies are dead because of sin..thus we continue to do what is wrong....but the promise is that the very same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to our mortal bodies through the Spirit of Christ who lives in us. And therefore empower us to live in accordance with the Spirit and please God.

8. We have to share in Christ' s suffering in order to live this new life.



Then on reflection I recalled that I read the following meditation from Oswald Chambers last night. Note then the encouragement that he provides about having the Life of Christ live within us, so that we may indeed live in accordance with the Spirit and not the sinful nature. As that life is not automatically associated with Baptism for as the Scriptures say we have " work out our salvation with fear and trembling". And Prayer is one method. Living by God's Word is another. Suffering with Christ is yet another.



THE GOOD OF PRAYER

"Lord teach us to pray." Luke 1:1 August 28



It is not part of the life of a natural man to pray. We hear it said that a man will suffer in his life if he does not pray. I question it. What will suffer is the life of the Son of God in him, which is nourished not by food, but by prayer. When a man is born from above, the life of the Son of God is born in him, and he can either starve that life or nourish it. Prayer is the way the life of God is nourished. Our ordinary views of prayer are not found in the New Testament. We look upon prayer as a means of getting things for ourselves ( as I write I can hear James 4:2-3 speaking); the Bible idea of prayer is that we may get to know God Himself. " Ask and ye shall receive." We grouse before God, we are apologetic or apathetic, but we ask very few things. yet what a splendid audacity a childlike child has! Our Lord says - " Except ye become as little children." Ask and God will do. Give Jesus Christ a chance, give him elbow room, and no man will do this until he is at his wit's end. When a man is at his wit's end it is not a cowardly thing to pray; it is the only way he can get into touch with Reality. Be yourself before God and present your problems, the things you know you have come to your wit's end over. As long as you are self-sufficient, you do not need to ask God for anything.

It is not true that " prayer changes things", as prayer changes me and I change things. God has so constituted things that prayer on the basis of Redemption alters the way in which a man looks at things. Prayer is not a question of altering things externally, but of working wonders in man's disposition. I was thinking yesterday that really and truly, that brutal murder of that young used car dealer, should occupy the minds of all Jamaicans. And as I write no doubt it should bring us to our wit's end. Much more than our economic crisis, much more than the crisis of poor math grades in our schools, and certainly much more than the headlines this morning about Buju Banton changing his lawyer.

Peace.

LWJ



The key question here is , " have we come to our wit's end" , in Jamaica, in the USA, in Europe, in Africa and the Middle East, and other trouble spots across the world in respect of the number of people who being killed daily. And the consequence for those societies. If not, we are really not ready for the kind of submission to a Holy God and to the only One who can help mankind with all its troubles. For at the end of the day it is the will of God that all humankind should come to know that there is no other God, no other Saviour, but the Holy One of Israel. And that he has revealed Himself through His written Word in the Bible and moreso in and though the Living Word Christ Jesus who died on the Cross of Calvary for Sin of all mankind.



PART TWO



My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.





Refrain



On Christ the solid Rock I stand,

All other ground is sinking sand;

All other ground is sinking sand.





When darkness seems to hide His face,

I rest on His unchanging grace.

In every high and stormy gale,

My anchor holds within the veil.





Refrain





His oath, His covenant, His blood,

Support me in the whelming flood.

When all around my soul gives way,

He then is all my Hope and Stay.





Refrain





When He shall come with trumpet sound,

Oh may I then in Him be found.

Dressed in His righteousness alone,

Faultless to stand before the throne.





Refrain





Last night the Lord woke me up to read:

" Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the King of Assyria and that vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help to fight our battles. And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the King of Judah said." 2. Chronicles 32:7-8. NIV

I cannot recall reading this version of the story, although I may have read it before, but definitely the version in Isaiah is well known, including the number of Sennacherib's army which was killed by one angel.

Earlier on in the night I had completed a reading a book on " Listening to God" by Charles Stanley. The penultimate chapter was entitled: " THE LIFE THAT LISTENS - A WELL BUILT LIFE". And the reflection was grounded in Matthew 7: 24-27:

'Therefore whoever hears these saying of Mine. and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. Now everyone who hears these sayings of Mine and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rains descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it fell. And great was its fall."

Stanley then goes on to make some great points in respect of the passage of Scripture...to which many of us could relate well, and perhaps, may have discerned ourselves. The more important contribution though was the statement following the Matthew passage.

STANLEY.... In this particular parable, Jesus confronts us with the simple truth that each one of us is building a life, and its soundness is hearing His voice and acting on it. Jesus wanted the multitudes who had gathered on the rocky hillside to understand that He wasn't delivering just a marvelous new pattern of for living. It wasn't to be a popular sermon that they all went home saying, " Boy, wasn't that a great message!". and then gradually for got about it. What He uttered was not meant to be the new spiritual fodder for debate in the synagogues or market place. He stated "Divine Truth", to be immediately implemented in every sector of existence.

Verse 29 says , " He taught them as having authority". It is as though He had said, " Men, women, and children, you have just heard My words, which come from God. You have listened to to My instructions concerning how to be blessed, how to forgive, and how to pray. You have heard great truths about My Kingdom and its principles. I leave you now with this final command.: Put these truths into practice, and your life will be like a man whose house was constructed on a solid foundation. Ignore, forget, or shelve these truths, and your life will be erected on worthless, porous sand. The choice is yours".



Listening to God and obeying Him are the only constructive methods that help us to survive the storms of the twentieth century. Hearing His voice and integrating it our value systems, behavioral patterns, thoughts, and conversations are prerequisites for for enduring lives. Staying alert and responsive to His speaking voice becomes the rock foundation that no tempest, temptation, or trial can erode. That's why it's dangerous to attend church, listen to religious broadcasts, or read Christian publications! It's dangerous, because Jesus said everyone who hears His truth and does not act upon it will be like the foolish man who built His house upon the sand. It's perilous, because each of us will be held accountable for acting upon every spiritual truth we hear......STANLEY



As I conclude his meditation, and recall how having read these things last night, I woke up this morning singing: "There is power in the Name of the Lord...Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the following thoughts entered my mind. Do the members of the cabinet realize how dangerous it is to invite a man of God to share the Word with them? Do the Christian members of the Press Association which is scheduled to have it's AGM this week understand how dangerous it is to hear the Word of God and not act on it, or share it with authority with the Nation. Or how dangerous it is for the non-believers of that body to listen constantly to God's Word and not believe. Perhaps the sector of society which is most in danger is the church. A church that does not preach with authority, but shares the Word of God as if it is one more element in a pluralistic society that can choose to debate it's worth, accept or reject it, without any consequences. The storms of life are upon us as a nation....the murder, the violence and immorality in the schools in particular, the poverty, the gross inequality in our society, the rebellion against any kind of authority, the ill temper and aggressiveness increasingly evident in both sexes but disconcertingly so in our women, the nurturing ones in the family, the poor performance of so many in our schools, the " low life" of many of our political and other leaders in our society, the " shocking revelations" every so often in the churches, the unbelievable slackness that passes for contemporary music. All have their root in the choice that this nation has made. To ignore the Word of God. And each one of us will be held accountable by God Himself. Who not only came to earth as Man, but died so that we may live and flourish as individuals and as nations. And left us, the church, with this great message and ministry of reconciliation. What have we done? Or more importantly, what have we left undone?

Peace.

LWJ



The final message that I was moved to write this week, is set out below, and has little of my thoughts in it. Mostly the Word of God. My conclusion is that all of this inspiration from the Lord is intended to underscore the fundamental importance of the Word of God in the life of every living soul in this world. There is no other source of God's revelation. Only the written Word and the Living Word. Every " inspiration", every " prophetic utterance", every " message from the Lord", has to be validated by God's Word. A great part of the problem in the world today, is that many who claim to " speak in the name of the Lord", have deprated from the simple but profound truths in the Bible. And have gone for the spectacular, the dramatic and the fascinating. But ultimately have no power, as the Word says in Colossians 2: 19..." they have lost connection with the head". And since the church is ordained by God to be the " salt of the earth", little wonder then that evil reigns supreme in many places , inlcuding my beautiful island of Jamaica.

The fact is that the only hope for mankind in every part of this troubled world is to come to the knowledge that " the thief has come to steal, and kill and to destroy", but Jesus has come " that we may have life and have it more abundantly". And the way the " thing is set up " according the young people, the way God has ordained it, it that it is only when we come to our wit's end, that we really and truly understand the need for Jesus in our lives. And God who is gracious and compassionate to the wicked and the ungtrateful, al of us, will forgive us and set us free from the bondage of Sin in and through belief in the life, death and resurrection of His Son Christ Jesus - the unseen bu very present in times of trouble, according the Psalmist.



FURTHER EARLY MORNING REVELATIONS.......in respect of the house built on solid rock...and the life of a Christian in any society...and news for the unbeliever....or the disobedient



" But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task. Unlike so many we do not peddle the word of God for a profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God...........

Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

For we do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, " Let light shine of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God, and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

It is written: " I believed; and therefore I have spoken". With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak...............

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. For we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

2 Corinthians 2:14-17 & 4:1-18 NIV

Without any doubt the final verse sums up the challenge for all Christians. How to live a life with " eyes fixed on the unseen". And not on the unseen. And the "distractions" are many. So that unbelievers may come know that God sent Jesus for them too. So that God's power may flow out of us and heal this nation. It is not easy, as we all have responsibilities...to our jobs...to our families...to church life...to attend to national affairs. But it is God who has given us these gifts and responsibilities, and He will provide the wisdom and resources and power. What He asks of us, is to first to be aware that " we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing". And " not to lose heart" in the struggles we will face in representing Him in ...national life....in family life....on radio or television ......in our jobs.....in our time of relaxation...in all our endeavors. Then this country of ours with all its problems will be renewed, as the battle is not ours but the Lord's. But we must be faithful.

Hours before I wrote yesterday, one who " kept her eyes fixed on He who is unseen" went back to the Lord who she loved dearly. One who was unheralded in this nation, but one whose witness for Christ in her quiet way, helped to shape the lives of many with her fine manners, quiet dignity, constant joy and incessant prayer. I was privileged to have known her and to have been loved by her and to have loved her. Her son is included in this message. May God's peace rest on he and his family.

Peace.

LWJ



No doubt in the ensuing weeks, many meetings will be held, analyses made, investigations pursued and statements made in an effort to try and reassure the nation and to bring comfort to the relatives and justice to the perpetrators of the kind of evil which flourished in my country this week. And those things must happen. But greater will be the benefit if more and more people chose to believe what Jesus told us on the night before He died. " If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him". John 14:23. So the question arises, if God, the Almighty God, The maker of Heaven and Earth, the sea and everything in it, has promised to live in us, if we believe and love His Son. How can silver and gold compete with this promise. How can all the pleasures of the world compete with this promise? How can all the power that this world has to offer compete with this pomise? And how can we not accept such a wonderful gift so that evil will no longer flourish in our land!

The benefits of Twitter and other more conventional media vs. The Word of God

Representative Todd Akin the Republican nominee from Missouri provoked the biggest firestorm this week with his comments about " legitimate rape" ; and that " a woman's body can block an unwanted pregnancy". What was he really thinking! And he further compounding the issue by quoting un-named medical sources he reached an all time low. Of course the " legitimate" medical sources were quick to point out that such thinking and comments had no basis in fact. Later this week, reports surfaced that President Obama intends to " stoke the fires of this controversy", I suppose in an effort to further consolidate his already strong position with the female vote. All of this happening at time when the Republican convention is about to kick off this weekend, and Isaac is already causing problems.


Back home, here in Jamaica, after the joy of Olympians " shell dung London" ( street talk among young people for " taking over the place") , life goes back to its unpleasant worst, as this week a prominent businessman, a well respected and loved Senior cop and a battle scarred prominent politician with a history of being in the public glare for the wrong reasons, were accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice and hauled before the courts. And of course Hurricane Isaac had many persons scared, and glued to the television anxiously awaiting the news about a system which would cause death in Haiti ( once again , Lord have mercy), briefly threaten Jamaica before passing over Cuba and now heading to the Florida Panhandle. All of this news coming to us within minutes courtesy of Twitter and then the conventional news media.



In the midst of this flurry of activity across the globe, the Lord led me to reflect more deeply on the importance of His Word, as compared to the information which is now at our veritable fingertips via the social media and other aspects of the worldwide web. The first part of the message on the importance of His Word came in a sermon I preached at church, just this evening, a part of which shared below:



EXTRACT FROM THE SERMON



But thank God in the midst of the difficulties, we come upon the goodness of and faithfulness of God, as the Psalmist cries out in Psalm 16:

" Keep me safe O God, for in you I have taken refuge."



Perhaps the hymn writer who was inspired to pen the lines for " Here O my Lord I see thee face to face.. and especially the last verse: I have no other help but thine, nor do I need another arm on which to lean, it is enough my Lord, enough indeed, my strength is in thy might thy might alone. Perhaps he was moved by this passage of Scripture which has comforted millions of believers over the centuries. And we know, again according to God's word, that we serve a compassionate God whose mercies a new every morning, so great is His faithfulness.

This brings me to the central point of this message that the Lord has laid on my heart tonight. How much do we yearn for the word of God? How important is the word for our daily living? Do we get up in the mornings anxiously looking forward to what God is going to say to us through His word in the mornings? Do we carry this word to guide us and protect us during the course of the day. Is the word of God central to our to every move we make , every thought we have, every plan we construct, every decision we make, every challenge we face? Further, is the word of God guiding our prayers for the nation for our families, for our communities, for our church and indeed for the whole world? The fact is my friends, and I am reading a book now on Listening to God, God speaks to each of us through circumstances, other people, directly in a still small voice, at different times and different ways, but always through His Word. And which Word was with God in the beginning, was God and became flesh in Jesus Christ.



So the number one priority of all children of God, all believers in the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ, all Baptized Anglicans and all who are searching and attend church regularly, is to become familiar with the Scriptures. But more importantly, as James points out, looking at the word is one thing, but being obedient to the word is the ultimate objective. I want to suggest that, in the very the act of crying out to God, " Keep me safe O God, for in you I have taken refuge", is an explicit statement, that the Psalmist had come to know by listening to God that He was a God who could protect and a God who was faithful to His word and His promises. This is a God who had performed mighty miracles by the Red Sea, in the desert, and by the Jordan river. This God had a history of keeping people safe, especially those who trusted in Him. The question is, does the God who you serve and I serve, does this God have a history of keeping us safe...... is this a dependable God? Is this a faithful God. Is this a God who can fix Jamaica's problems? Is this a God who can free us from the murderous sprit which is shed abroad in our land and which causes bloodshed to follow bloodshed? Is this a God who can stop the corruption in high places? Is this a God who can heal our diseases and raise our dead and comfort us in times of trouble? Does our God have a such a history. What kind of God is your God, and my God. If the God you serve can heal the woman with the issue of blood, if your God can heal all ten lepers, even though only one came back to say thanks, if your God can raise Lazarus from the dead, if your God can do abundantly more than you can ask or imagine, then I would suggest that we consider briefly tonight the following three examples in the word of God appointed for this week. END OF EXTRACT





This week I was reflecting upon the state of my country: the high murder rate; the current debate about the high rate of failure in CSEC mathematics and English and the unacceptable just plain " out of order" ( uncouth and ill mannered behavior of many of our citizens) this thought came into my mind. That if Jamaicans began to do three things, consistently, then our country would change overnight.

1. Go to church...and by extension, read God's Word regularly and be obedient to His Word.

2. Read much more - and by extension, watch less television, text less, and listen to less music which place all kinds of evil and negative things in one's mind.

3. Exercise regularly - and by extension, eat more healthily and develop a more disciplined approach to everything in life.





The second part of the message about God's Word was the receipt of a meditation from The UCB Word For Today which comes out of the UK. This was one of three that dealt with satan and his defeat by God. The knowledge of the kind of spiritual warfare about which most unbelievers are unaware, and even some believers, and which lack of knowledge, based on God's Words, is the source of much evil and trials in this world. Thus I was moved to send this message by e-mail to others for their own reflections.





24 Aug 2012 Satan Is Defeated (2) You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32

Satan is a deceiver, but Jesus is a revealer. So any time you bring Jesus into the situation, satan is unmasked and his plans for your life are exposed and foiled. Satan is referred to in Scripture as 'darkness,' and Jesus as 'light.' The moment the light moves in, the darkness has to move out. So your first priority is not to conquer satan, but to move closer to Jesus; to line up your will and your word with His will and His Word. Instead of just lying down, taking it, and saying, 'I guess there's nothing I can do about this,' rise up in faith and say, 'satan, it is written...' Faced with a level of temptation none of us will ever be exposed to, that's what Jesus did to satan in the wilderness. The Bible says, 'Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him' (Matthew 4:11 NKJV).



Recently we witnessed bankers and brokers take people's money, lose it, then later come back and say, 'Here's another good plan; invest in it.' But now we know better, don't we? We no longer believe an investment is good just because somebody says so. Don't miss the spiritual analogy here. When you know the truth of God's Word and you use it as a weapon, satan's walls crumble, his plans for you come un-glued, and his schemes fall apart. When you understand who you are 'in Christ,' you are more than a match for the devil and he can no longer control your life.





The third part of the message about God's Word came in the form of a reflection on two hymns, which one of my bishop's refers to as " beyond the sacred page". In the sense that although not God's Word per se, the inspired hymns of the church have great value if we discern God's voice in the midst of the hymn writer's struggles.

One was " Hark my soul! it is the Lord, the last verse of which provided great inspiration for me and for those to whom it was sent. The second one, is a less well known hymn but contains within it powerful words and a great message for those who are seeking a deeper knowledge of Christ. there was a great insistence in my reading this second hymn, even in the middle of the night the Lord woke me up to read and reflect and find great comfort in the words.



HYMN ONE 1. Hark, my soul! It is the Lord; ............



6. Lord it is my chief complaint

that my love is weak and faint;

yet I love thee and adore;

O for grace to love thee more.



May the Lord's peace be with you today, in a special way, as you reflect upon, and pray according to this last verse of a wonderful hymn. Much love

LWJ

Sent from my iPad



HYMN TWO





Glorious things of thee are spoken

Zion, city of our God

he whose word cannot be broken

formed thee for his own abode.

On the Rock of ages founded,

what can shake thy sure repose?

With salvation's walls surrounded,

thou mayest smile at all thy foes ( what a wonderful assurance)



See, the streams of living water,

springing from the eternal love,

well supply thy sons and daughters,

and all fear of want remove.

Who can faint while such a river

ever flows to assuage our thirst;

grace, which like the Lord the Giver

never fails from age to age?



Round each habitation hovering,

see the cloud and fire appear,

for a glory and a covering -

showing that the Lord is near.

Thus they march, the pillar leading,

light by night and shade by day;

daily on the manner feeding

which he gives then when they pray.



Saviour, since of Zion's city

I, through grace a member am,

let the world deride or pity,

I will glory in thy name.

Fading is the world's best pleasure,

all its boasted pomp and show;

solid joys and lasting treasure

none but Zion's children know.





The reality is that though just yesterday, the Manchester United fans were cheering Usain Bolt, one of their biggest fans, and singing ,

" sign him up Fergie ( the Manager Sir Alex Ferguson), sign him up, that kind of fame is fading. And only the solid joys and lasting treasure, known only by Zion's children...baptized believing and obedient children of God ...will last forever.





Finally, a Word from a famous Saint of old, and from the Bible, for those who are struggling to believe and to join up with Zion's children and make this world a better place. Much more than Michael Jackson can hope for or imagine. And a Word which speaks to the hearts of those who long for the grace to love Christ more. And which Word was sent to others for their own reflection



No man ever believes with a true and saving faith unless God inclines his heart; and no man when God does inclines his heart can refrain from believing - Blaise Pascal



" I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparable great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ Jesus when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age, but also in the one to come." - St. Paul. Ephesians 1:17-21.



I pray God that according to Pascal He may incline your heart to believe, and according to St. Paul that He give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you may not only believe, but know Him better.

Peace.

LWJ





I pray that all who follow God's Word and seek to obey Him, may realize that what twitter and facebook and other social media offer is only immediate information about current events and happenings. But what the Word of God offers is the true knowledge of Christ, and Who alone, by belief in and obedience to the Gospel - His life, death, resurrection and ascension - can protect us from spiritual, physical and material disaster. Amen.

Life after the olympics: Life without Christ

Whether we like it or not the Olympic Games are well and truly over. Life has gone back to normal. The world is no longer ( or at least 2 billion people)  waiting with baited breath for the 100M men's final, nor for that matter the 200M. All the athletes are back home or will be shortly, after making some more money in Europe. People are now back to pursuing their own interests. Usain Bolt now has no immediate plan for his life. Yohan, " the beast", Blake is reportedly going to play cricket in Australia. The Nigerian government is "hopping mad" that the most populous country in Africa and one with a rich tradition of performing well in the Olympics, did not win a single medal. The Americans, mindful of the success of Great Britain, are hoping to have the same " home advantage" again very soon. No doubt other great "powers' will pull out all the stops to ensure that their teams do well in four years time. And the Samba type life-style of the Brazilians will have go, if they are get ready and surpass the achievements of the British in four years time. Meanwhile in our "neck of the woods", in the Caribbean, the Trinidadians are still celebrating, having showered their young javelin star with " million dollar" gifts; the people in " Kirani James" country - Grenada - got a national holiday; and the Jamaicans are wondering how the government is going to reward Bolt, Shelly-Ann and company for giving the country such a fabulous " birthday" gift.


Across the world, we note that the Syrian people are still suffering at the hands of their Government. Romney and Obama are still "at it" in the USA, and the drought in the Midwest is threatening to wreak havoc on small economies dependent of corn, soy and other food products from the USA. Murder is still a major problem in Jamaica - just tonight news broke of the murder of a lawyer whose violent death has sent shock waves through the profession and no doubt through the entire society. In the same way that so many other murders, though on the decline according to the police blotters, continue to traumatize our people. People are still being wrongly convicted of murder in the USA, and earthquakes still continue to shatter lives in Iran.



This week, in my journey with Christ, ongoing conversations with two individuals occupied my mind as I read the Scriptures and reflected on the word of God. One is seeking the truth about life, and God, by means of the intellect. The other is crying out to God for mercy. One wishes to know God on his/her terms. The other is just so grateful that God is God of compassion. Two contrasting situations. And in the midst of that the Lord spoke about unity, and maturity, so that " people may know that Christ was sent by God". As whether we live in the Industrialized relatively affluent North, or are surviving in the challenging situation of the South, we all need to know the Lord.

Whether we think that we have achieved much materially and intellectually, or whether we know how much we are in need, some day, some time soon, we will all come to understand that we all need the Lord. God knows this well, and hence, shortly, in fact the night, before His death, Jesus His Only Son who was sent by the Father to save all mankind, prayed for his disciples, and for those who come to know Him through their witness. And as I read the prayer, again for the "umpteenth" time, it really came home to me how badly we have responded to this call for unity - so that people, desperate people, needy people, people who don't even know that they need God, may know for certain that God sent His Son Jesus, for the redemption of all mankind.



" My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be one so that the world may believe that you have sent me.". John 17:20-21 NIV



This passage triggered the reading of another one:

" But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of knowing Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ my Lord. for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that i may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so , somehow, to attain to the resurrection of the dead.



Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ has taken hold of me. Brothers i do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.



All of us who are mature should take such a view of things". Philippians 3:7-15 NIV.



The point here is that regardless of how many Gold medals a country or individual wins at the Olympics, or goals they score in the English, European, or South American league, on account of sin which pervades the entire human race, everybody needs to know the Lord Jesus. Therefore the life of a Christian disciple is no private affair between God and yourself. As in the same way that the Christ who we call Master, died for the sins of all mankind, so too we are called sacrifice our own ambitions - die to self - and overcome our own tendencies to divide the children of God into competing denominations and personalities. The world which waited and watched Bolt run the 100M in 9.63 seconds has been waiting a life time, whether they know it or not, for the disciples of Christ to live in unity with their Saviour, so that suffering and dying and hungry and out of control and unaware-of -their-sins-people, and rebellious people may come to know God.

And that kind of unity with Christ can only happen when the disciples of Christ have no other ambition in life, no other objective in life, but to know Christ, and the power of His resurrection.

So does it matter if Romney wins the election or Obama? Perhaps in the short term yes, but in the grand scheme of things - arranged by God, no. Does it matter if the people of Syria continue to suffer and no one cares? Yes, as Christ died for them too; Gentiles and Jews, Muslims and Buddhists. Does it matter if people continue to be abducted and killed in cane-fields in Jamaica? Does it matter if police carrying our extra-judicial killings for whatever reason? Yes as God's word declares that he does not take any pleasure in the death of a sinner but rather that they should repent and turn to him - Ezekiel 33:11. And the Psalmist reminds us that though weeping take place at night ,joy cometh in the morning



Perhaps the most important question we need to pose as church to ourselves, as we lament the state of our various nations, is: Does it really matter whether or not one belongs to the Anglican tradition, or the Adventist, or the Roman Catholic, or the Pentecostal, or the Evangelical or Baptist? Does it really matter, if people around you, people under your direct influence, are not aware that God sent His Son to die for them. And was raised from the dead with power, has ascended into heaven and now ever lives to intercede for us. And has not left us as orphans but has sent His Holy Spirit to live us so that we may live by the Spirit and not by the flesh. Does it really matter if that understanding, with power does not flow from your life, whether or not you are aware of it? Does it really matter then, whether you worship on the Sabbath or on Sunday; whether or not you can " speak in tongues"; whether or not you can " prophesy in church", whether or not you are a " prayer warrior".

No the only thing that matters, is if like St. Paul, you forget about what has happened before and seek to take hold of Christ; seek to know him; seek to let others know him through your life and mine. For the Word of God, which is very active, says that:



" All men are like grass,

and all their glory is like the

flowers of the field;

the grass withers and the flowers fall

but the word of God stand forever."

1 Peter 1:24.



So Obama, whether or not he wins a second term, is like grass. And will one day wither and perish if he does not know God in and through Jesus Christ. So too Romney. So too Usain Bolt, whether or not he is a legend. So too are all the evil persons causing mayhem in my country - one day they too will come face to face with the Almighty God. So too the people in Great Britain, in Brazil and wherever on the globe mankind is to be found. From the steppes of Russia, to the great plains in Argentina; from the mountains of of Switzerland to the arid desert of Somalia; from the great city of New York to the ghettos of Calcutta, and from the windy city of Chicago to the irie city of Kingston Jamaica. All need to know that Christ died for them. And it is only the disciples of Christ who can, by their lifestyle, help to carry out this ministry of reconciliation. What a challenge! What a joy - as the Word says that " there is rejoicing before the angels of the Lord over one sinner who repents! ( Luke 15:10) What a hope to know that mankind does not have to live like this, and that God has so ordained things that we have a role to play in the rescuing of our sisters and brothers. I pray God that all who read and contemplate these words, whether or not you are a believer, or even a seeker of the truth, will become so convicted of sin that you may turn and repent and join in this great adventure, together with Christ "on high", to rescue the souls of men and women.

In the name of Jesus.

Amen

Olympic fever and Spiritual realities

So the Olympic Games are finally over, and the athletes of Jamaica and the wider Caribbean community brought the curtain down on this fabulous event in fine style. A world record by the Jamaicans in the men's sprints - the final event on the track; a gold medal for the Bahamians in the men's 4x400 and the first ever gold medal for T&T in the Javelin. Events over which other countries have ruled for years. But the vanquished Americans and Europeans had their many moments of glory, not the least of which was the world record run by the American female sprinters in the 4x100 relay and the great double gold medal in the 5000, and 10,000 achieved by the British long distance runner. Questions and debates over Bolt's status as a Legend will continue. The issue of drug use raised its ugly head again, not surprisingly by a peeved and disgruntled former American champion. How do we transfer all this goodwill, tremendous achievements, and a significant lift for " Brand Jamaica", into increased production and productivity and a better life for our people are legitimate questions? So too, the question of the further development of sports in the Caribbean so that we can also perform well in the non traditional events. But for the time being, like good coffee or fine wine, most folks just wish to savor the moment and look forward to have a repeat in Rio in Brazil in four years time -right after we welcome back home our athletes with a grand party. This week perhaps more than another, the quotation, which I have used before, and which guides these reflections, brought into very sharp focus the difference between what God considers important and that which concerns humankind. " I read my Bible to know what people ought to do, and my newspaper to know what they are doing" - John Henry Newman. As whilst the world was idolizing, and hero worshiping Usain Bolt, the up and coming Yohan Blake, the long overdue for great things Allison Felix, the man with the great human interest story Mo Farah, the simply unbeatable Rudisha, the phenomenal Michael Phelps and company limited, The Holy One of Israel, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, spoke about death to the " old sinful man", subject to the wrath of God, and new and abundant life in Christ Jesus. In whom there is no longer any condemnation. And as I was led to read the first 6 chapters of the book of Romans, in which there is to found such great truths, a couple of things became clear to me. I list them for clarity. 1. This constant focus on, and and debate about the gay and lesbian life-style, as important as it undoubtedly is in some respects, can become a huge smokescreen, a distraction and a great danger if not understood carefully. Why? When one reads the first few chapters of Romans, the central message is how sinful all mankind became because of the Sin of one man Adam. " All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" is a well known passage of Scripture. But it occurs within the context of grace and righteousness in Christ Jesus. " You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same thing. Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth ( lest we forget that as we proceed). So when you, mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same thing, do you think you will escape God's judgment. Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you towards repentance. But because of your stubbornness and your repentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God will give to each person according to what he has done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger." Romans 2:1-11. The reality is that even though the first chapter of Romans speaks very clearly about the evil of homosexuality, almost in a sense that God is amazed at the evil..." even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another" Romans 1 : 26-27 NIV. The term " even" is important as it marks the extent to which " God has given over mankind to shameful lusts", because all mankind , " although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks. And so "their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened" . vs 21. The reality is that this mindset and state before God ...subject to God's wrath, and subject to being given over to our own "wickedness", was and continues to be the state of anyone who has not accepted the grace that Christ Jesus wrought - a free gift for all mankind - by His death on the Cross of Calvary. Hence the reason why I believe that an undue focus on the homosexual lifestyle, which may prevent some from understanding the extent our own wickedness and sinful state before God, can become a snare. And something which the devil is very good at doing - creating distractions. So all of us need to recognize and share with some of these athletes, that regardless of their fantastic and very rewarding for achievements, " if they reject the truth - the Atoning death of Christ for all who have sinned - and follow evil", there will be trouble and distress for everyone of them. It would be a classic validation of the Scriptural truth which poses the question, " what does it profit a man to gain the world and lose his very soul. I pray God that those around Bolt in particular, who has truly attained superstar status, if not his much coveted Legend, and others, will seek to guide him spiritually so that His soul may not be in danger, despite his impressive track and field credentials. 2. The focus on grace, which is only truly understood if we know how sinful we are, triggered an e-mail to members of my church in the area where I work, and not where I worship. Which was followed by the forwarding of a meditation which I have recently encountered and which has been of great spiritual blessing for me. THE E-MAIL For those of you who pay close attention to the weekly Internet Ministry which the Lord has placed on my heart, you will recall that quite regularly, I am led to write to my church family, or senior members of wider church. This week I tried to send a message to my church family at St. Andrew's, but for some reason the e-mail would not go through. This morning I am led to write to my church family in May Pen. May I suggest that you forward this note to those who may need to read it, as you are led by the Holy Spirit. It concerns the matter of living a holy life - to which we are all called to do in and through Jesus Christ. And not for ourselves alone, but for Him who died for us and so that the world may know that God sent His Son for all mankind. The message is in one single powerful passage of Scripture, but the Lord led me also to read and reflect on Colossians 3:1-17. This particular passage in the NIV is captioned, not by coincidence, " Rules for Holy Living". I would urge you to read this passage also and be obedient to the Word of God. And which obedience the Lord reminded me about as I went for my morning walk yesterday as He placed in my mind the refrain, " Trust and obey! For there's is no other way To be happy in Jesus, But to trust and obey. Last night when I came home and read the entire hymn, " When we walk with the Lord, in the light of his word, What a glory he sheds on our way He abides with us still, And with all who would trust and obey!.........I received a great blessing and a reassurance of His love in midst of my own struggles in life. Praise God. Finally, in terms of context, this week I have been led to struggle with Romans chap 1-8. Not yet finished, but within these passages of Scripture you will find great truths and deep understanding of what Sin is all about, and thank God, what the grace of God is all about. As one cannot truly understand grace unless one has a full understanding of Sin, and it's consequences. And that's why the Lord also placed on my heart this week the words of that great hymn, Amazing Grace. THE PASSAGE " What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin, how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus, were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." Romans 6: 1-4. NIV May the Lord's peace be with you. In Christ LWJ Sent from my iPad THE MEDITATION For many years now I have been convicted of the fact that I don't meet people by chance but by God's design. Hence this message to you who I met this morning in church. Feel free to circulate it to others, if it touches your heart, as it did mine. Assuming of course that you have not already in receipt of this online ministry. Peace. LWJ Sent from my iPad Begin forwarded message: From: webmaster@ucb.co.uk Date: August 11, 2012 8:18:49 PM EDT To: lucien_maypen@yahoo.com Subject: UCB Word For Today - Abounding Help us to send The Word for Today to more people 12 Aug 2012 Abounding Always abounding in the work of the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58 In Scripture the word 'abounding' means 'to overflow.' Today let's look at three 'abounding' Scriptures and see what we can learn: 1) Abounding iniquity. 'Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold' (Matthew 24:12 KJV). The word 'iniquity' means 'lawlessness.' Do you remember your life before you met Jesus? You had no boundaries. You were ruled by your impulses. You'd go anywhere, do anything, and say whatever you pleased. Now, we're not bringing up your past to make you feel bad, but to make you grateful and to show you how far God has brought you. And what was God's solution to your sin problem? 2) Abounding grace. 'Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more' (Romans 5:20 NKJV). God's grace cannot be earned or merited. And that's a good thing, because we were all spiritually bankrupt. But as Martin Luther said, 'The recognition of sin is the beginning of salvation.' It's feeling bad about your sin that leads to feeling good about God's grace. Do you remember the day Jesus found you, saved you, brought you into His family and showered you with His blessings? What should your response to such grace be? 3) Abounding in the work of the Lord. 'Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.' You were saved to serve! When you don't, you'll feel like a fish out of water. So pray, 'Lord, today I give myself fully to You, to be used in Your service as You see fit. ' Bible in a Year: Ezek 37:1-14; 1 Thess 4:13-18; Matt 27:50- 53?; Did you enjoy reading this? We'd love you to share it with a friend Can we send you a copy of this quarterly devotional? © 2012: This devotional is produced by UCB, free of charge through the generosity of our supporters. As a gift to the body of Christ, permission is given to Churches and Christian organisations to copy up to a maximum of 52 daily excerpts per year. Excerpts must acknowledge The Word For Today as the source, give the UCB address and inform that free issues of the daily devotional are available for the UK and Republic of Ireland. The Word For Today is written by Bob and Debby Gass, with Ruth Gass Halliday. New here? Subscribe to this email Unsubscribe from this email My prayer is that we will all come to a true understanding of Sin brought by one man - Adam, and Grace brought by one God -Man, Christ Jesus. So that whether we be Americans, Russians, Nigerians, Kenyans, Chinese, from the the UK, from the Caribbean, South America, the far-east, the middle east; whether we be gold medalists, arm chair experts on all matters relating to sports, enthusiastic spectators, administrators, former greats; whether we be Anglicans, of the Roman Catholic denomination, Pentecostals or Evangelicals or Sabbath-Keepers; Muslims, Buddhists, Jews or followers of the Confucian ethic we may all come to accept that all of sinned before God Almighty, and all have been given the free gift, Salvation, that removes all condemnation and wrath from God, in and through Christ Jesus. It will profit a man and a woman much to consider these things, as, at the end of the day, it will not be the Olympics to which we look forward, but eternal life or eternal trouble and distress. We need to chose carefully, as a life in Christ leads in one direction, and a life without Christ Jesus, in another. For everyman woman or child. No matter how much we love and adore them.