Friday Reflection February 11, 2022

Good morning everyone, our text for reflection is St. John chapter 14:23.

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. John 14:23 NIV
https://john.bible/john-14-23

In this verse Jesus was answering the question asked in the verse before. One of the disciples had asked ” what do you mean you will show yourself to us and not to the world?” In answering said question, Jesus made two very important statements.

1. If a man love me, he will obey my teachings

This is the condition necessary for us as believers in order to see the manifestation of God. We cannot see/ experience/ understand Jesus if we are disobedient to his teachings! Without the spirit of love, we are unable to experience Jesus in the way he intends for us to. In other words, we have a part to play! It is our duty to do the will of God through Jesus Christ here on earth and to keep his commandment as far as is possible! The surest evidence of our love to Christ is obedience to his teachings. We cannot say we love God and we are not keeping his commandments.

In answering the question Jesus went on to say:

2. My father will love them, and we will come into them and make a home with them Let’s break this down, if you keep my commandments my Father (God) will love you! AND…. We (Jesus and God) will come into you and make a home (dwelling place) with you!

Many believers (saved) and even unbelievers ( unsaved) will say “God is with me” however, it is not just so so so as we Jamaicans would say. In order for God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit to live within you , you must keep his commandments! That is not just going to church on a Sunday and paying your tithes and offerings! It’s loving your neighbor as yourself, it’s visiting the sick and shut , showing Kindness to all people and feeding the poor etc…

Final thoughts

Those who love Christ, and have the Holy Spirit, will adhere to His commands. This is what allows us to “see” God, and to know Him. The more love you have for Christ the more you will experience and understand Him and his will for your life.
God bless you all, have a great weekend!

Shaneka Raymore Euphfa

Dominion & Power

His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and to the ends of the earth. Zachariah 9:10

Greetings friends, today’s watchword bids us to reflect on a time in history; much similar to present day.

The people, God’s chosen people, the Israelites, returned from exhile after King Cyrus of Persia granted them permission to leave. What they returned to was a place of ruin and devastation. Their homeland had been destroyed by invading armies and the city as well as the temple were demolished. Their family members and friends, their neighbors had either been kilked or taken away to other foreign lands.

Imagine for one second, how these people first felt having been granted their release, imagine their longing for their home whilst held captive, think about the journey back to their homeland and consider how they felt upon getting to their destination. I think their emotions would have been all over the place. I think there was disappointment, anguish, fear of the unknown, joy short lived and also arguable cause for many to abandon their faith.

Zachariah was literally tasked with talking some sense into the people. Knowing the Israelites, it was not easy. He prophesied to the discouraged Israelites, announcing that a change had come for God’s people. He impressed upon them the importance of not only rebuilding the temple but also rededicating their lives to the Lord.

Friends, how much ruin have we known in our time? How much devastation have you witnessed? And since through Christ, our bodies have become temples, what shall or have we done with the ruins? Has our faith wavered?

The New Testament text reminds us thus, God gave Jesus the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under earth. Phillipians 2:9-10

Brothers and sisters, the Lord our God remains in control, Zachariah’s encouragement focussed on a reversal of God’s judgement, but also called for a reversal of the people’s behavior. He foretold Jesus’ coming but reminded the people and us of God’s complete control and sovereignty.

If you today have seemingly been released from exhile and have had to return to ruins be encouraged because God is not slack concerning His promises. He who brought you out is faithful and able to restore and to keep you. Stand fast and do not waver in your faith.

Amen

Kerone Lamoth

Keep The Faith

Today’s watchword is from Isaiah 51: 7. Do not fear the reproach of others, and do not be dismayed when they revile you. Here the prophet is looking ahead to the time when the Children of Judah would be captured and carried away to exile in Babylon. The Lord seeks to assure them even before it takes place and to comfort them while they experience this tragedy of oppression. They were not to be afraid neither were they to lose hope. They were to keep the faith.

Fear and dismay destroy the comfort and confidence we have in serving and hoping in God. Fear comes in the face of danger, whether this is actual or perceived. Dismay is ‘a sudden or complete loss of courage or firmness in the face of trouble or danger.’ (Dictionary meaning) Dismay is being terrified, it is the sinking of the heart or spirit that leaves one completely helpless. The Lord is telling His people not to be fearful in the presence of the Babylonians. Not to let their condition sap them of their hope in God. He is encouraging them and us, not to become so terrified of their situation that they forget who their God is. Fear and dismay can blind us to the reality of the power of God to change our situations. Thus, God’s people are encouraged not to fear the reproach of others. Reproach are deceptive remarks that have the power to hurt or insult while not appearing to do so. To revile, on the other hand, is to ‘cuss out’ someone. While the language of reproach may be veiled, there is no doubt in the language of reviling. It’s telling in no uncertain terms with the harshest and most unkind words.

Words are powerful. They can make or break us. No wonder the Children of Judah were told from early, not to let what they hear destroy their spirits. Even so however, this is what happened to them. We read about it in Psalm 137. The Babylonians mocked them, ‘our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”’ This mocking drove them to silence. ‘How can we sing the songs of the Lord in a strange land?’ The words of today’s text are as relevant to us today as it was to God’s people then. In times of tribulation and affliction, we should not lose heart, we should not lose hope, rather we should become more firmly rooted in our faith for the God who has faithfully kept us to this point in our existence will be true to His promises. He will keep us until He presents us before His Father in glory. When we are obedient to the Lord and His way, we do not have to be afraid. The entire verse in the New Living Translation says: ‘Listen to me, you who know right from wrong, you who cherish my law in your hearts. Do not be afraid of people’s scorn, nor fear their insults.’ Why should we be unafraid? It is because God promises in the next verse that those who dare to insult God, or the people of God, will meet their own bitter end. In due time they will reap their bitterness. We in the meantime, are to keep the faith.

As I close, let us remember that Jesus did warn us in John 15: 18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.” You are not the first and you won’t be the last. There is good news for us too. 1 Peter 4: 14 tells us, If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. We will attract the insults and hatred of the world because of the Spirit of God at work in us, but let us be Christlike in our response. Again Peter guides us with the example of Christ. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 1 Peter 2: 23. Let others say what they will but let us hold fast to our faith in God, let us keep the faith. Amen.