Tuesday Reflection – August 04, 2020 Positioned to Praise

A reading of today’s Watchword puts us in the mindset of worship. Psalm 26 is a Psalm of David in which he places himself before the Lord as his vindicator. David clothed himself in the mercy and grace of God declaring that he would remain upright and would never lose hope in his God regardless of what came his way. He declared total dependence and complete confidence in the Lord as he sought God’s guidance to keep him on the right path. The final statement of the Psalm is our Watchword for today. In the great congregation I will bless the Lord. Psalm 26: 12 The entire verse 12 reads, ‘My foot stands in an even place; In the congregations I will bless the Lord.’ David is speaking from a position of confidence. In the Psalm he declared the intention of his heart not to become involved in evil practices. His purpose is clear. He will not allow any mitigating circumstances to shift him from his resolution to serve God. Whatever comes, even with all that he was experiencing at the moment, his perspectives would not change because he looked forward to that moment when he would be able to share his testimony of God’s deliverance with the community. David was assured of God’s keeping. He knew that the God he served would be true to his covenant. “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people …” Exodus 19:5. David knew that his faithfulness would be rewarded and he would be able to proclaim it to the people. He was also assured of divine protection. As long as he remained true to God, as long as his trust was unwavering, God would never allow him to fall to the forces that surrounded him, that were coming at Him.  Dear friends, let me ask you today, what is the source of your confidence in God? What gives you the certainty of a testimony regardless of what is happening around you? Like David we have to be resolute, unflinching in our faith regardless of the uncertainties that surround us. James encourages us in 1: 12, Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Our confidence should never be in ourselves or any worldly system. Our confidence should be in God alone. Indeed, he will keep us in perfect peace when our minds are stayed on Him. Isaiah 26: 3. When we are so positioned, we will have the assurance and protection we need to face any challenge and still come out praising our God, knowing that He and only He could have brought us through. Our faithfulness will always be rewarded by God’s deliverance, provision and protection. When we live in this way, we are not only building up ourselves spiritually, but we also build up the entire congregation of God’s people through our testimony. Like David we should be resolute in our commitment to be unwavering in the certainty of God’s faithfulness. I strongly encourage you dear friends, ensure that you stand firmly rooted and grounded where you are positioned to offer total and complete praise to Him who will never leave or forsake those who are faithful to Him. Amen   
Bevon White

Monday Reflection – August 03, 2020Humility – A Bi-Product of Wisdom
To the humble he shows favour. Proverbs 3:34

Today’s text is yet another appropriate follow up from the last two weeks. Two weeks ago, the Watchword challenged us to rid ourselves of fool-heartedness and being stubborn. Last week we were invited to recognize the importance of divine wisdom offered to us by the Lord. Such wisdom is revealed in God’s word for the guidance of our lives. Proverbs 3 is really about the wisdom we get from trusting God. Solomon begins this chapter by charging his son to walk rightly with God. This walk involves valuing God’s word and truly trusting him. Verses 5 and 6 contain one of Christians’ favourite text: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” For Solomon, he found that God was worthy to be trusted. We also walk right with God by living a humble, reverent life and by honouring God with our possessions.
As we pursue life and seek wisdom, Solomon advises that we must be prepared to receive the hard lessons of wisdom. Doing so involves receiving correction from God with the right heart by not despising nor detesting the chastening of the Lord. God’s correction is given in love and has wonderful benefits. Solomon challenges us to value wise living before God and our fellow humans and give attention to God’s wisdom. He assures us that there is safety in walking in God’s wisdom. God guides those who honour his wisdom into paths of safety and there is nothing safer than living in the wisdom and will of God.
One of the benefits of a life that loves God’s wisdom is a life of humility for which God gives favour or grace. Pride sets God in opposition to us, but humility invites the grace of God. We need to be humble to receive and appreciate God’s grace, since grace is God’s unmerited favour. There is a sense in which Solomon spoke of wisdom and humility as being closely related. Those who are wise enough to see God as he really is and ourselves as we really are will possess a natural and appropriate humility.
Paul reminds us in today’s New Testament text of Philippians 2:3: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.”
Let’s pursue wisdom and learn the benefits of being humility.
Jermaine Gibson 

*Friday Reflection*
*July 31, 2020*
*You!*

You shalt not raise a false report: put not your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
Exodus 23:1 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/exo.23.1.KJV

Happy Friday Friends! TGIF!!!
Today we take a look at this Old Testament passage and see how best we can apply the lesson to our everyday life. Let’s Go!

*Background:* Exodus chapter 23 is a list of more laws to Judges. Today our focus is on verse one which speaks about a law that promotes justice. You might ask … How’s this relevant today? Journey with me as I examine the text and apply it’s concept to our lives in this present world.

*Application*: The text begins with what we call a personal pronoun. The word *you* I believe is intentionally used as it can be both singular and plural which means it referring to individuals as well as a group of individuals. Therefore, it MUST be taken personally.

*Firstly, let us examine the first sentence:*

*You* shall not circulate a false report: The only way to obey this command is to put a stop to false report. Often times we hear things being said of persons and we know fully well they are lies. Some of us have a tendency to say “it’s not my business”. But today I am saying to us *we are our brothers and sisters keeper and therefore it is very much our business!* Doing nothing or remaining neutral only allow the false report to circulate even more. You might say but I am not the one who started it, guess what… *“The inventor and receiver of false and slanderous reports, are almost equally criminal* (Clarke)
In Jamaica we say *yu a hypocrite!*

Friends, the onus is on *you*. You shall NOT bear false witness against anyone. It is not about anyone else and whether they are the one’s who started it yes or no. It’s about *you* and your Godly responsibility. *You* must ensure you put a stop to false report by not engaging in conversations about it and most importantly *you must speak the truth*. If you do not know the truth it is proper to ask and require proof from the person bringing the report, and proof as required in the Bible – from two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15).

Secondly, *You* shall not put your hand with the wicked to be an *unrighteous witness*. In others words *doh mix up yuhself wid wicked ppl and bear false witness gainst adda ppl*

It has always been in the nature of mankind *to follow a crowd to do evil*, since the time Adam followed Eve into sin to this very day. It is easy and dangerous to side with many to pervert justice, to follow our peers and popular opinion. When doing so promotes a false report or perverts justice, then it is sin! This is why it is so important for us *to choose our crowd carefully*: Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” (1 Corinthians 15:33). *You* are responsible for the friends you associate yourself with. Only *you* can decide when it’s time to move on!.

*Conclusion:* Both statements/ command is connected with the next because the circulation of a false report was and still is a fundamental way to put your hand with the wicked and follow a crowd to do evil. Remember the onus is on *you*.
Do the right thing and speak up about injustice, do not be apart of it and do not sit and do nothing about it. *Your bother or sister is your business and part of your Godly responsibility*

God bless ya’ll

Shaneka Raymore Euphfa

Thursday Reflection July 30, 2020

Listen to what Jesus is saying

*Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” St. Mark 4:9 NIV*

*Good day friends!*

*Warm greetings on this another day that the Lord has given us.*

Our reflection today takes us to the book of Mark, chapter 4 to be more precise and verse 9. The parable told by Jesus in this chapter is well known; it is the parable of the Sower. In this parable Jesus speaks of a farmer who went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path which was eaten by birds. Some fell on rocky places where the sun came and caused them to wither and die. Some fell among thorns which grew up, but were choked by the thorns and finally some fell on good soil where they multiplied and bore many fruits.

Our focus for today’s reflection is not so much the parable itself, but two statements made by Jesus, before and after the parable. If we look at verse 3, (yes you can turn your bible to verse 3 of the chapter) it says, “Hearken” if you are using the KJV, which is correctly translated by the NIV as listen. So before Jesus begins his parable of the Sower, he draws the attention of the multitude by saying, “Listen!” We all have an idea of what the word listen means. The Cambridge Dictionary puts it this way: “‘Listening’ is an action; it is something we do consciously.” So Jesus drew the attention of the multitude to consciously take an action to think carefully on what he was saying. Jesus was calling them to focus on this parable; to reflect deeply on this parable.

This is what Jesus calls us to do even today. Take an active decision to reflect on the words of God. Focus on what is being said about Jesus. I often encourage my bible study group to ask questions of the text. By asking the questions it should cause us to seek the answers which the Lord will reveal to us. If we read further in the chapter we will see that the disciples did this as well. So Jesus calls us to listen!

What is interesting is how Jesus ended the parable, “whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” Our understanding of hearing is something more physiological than active. Again using the Cambridge Dictionary as a source of help, hearing is defined as, “something which happens to us as a natural process.” In other words, you cannot help but hear my voice as I speak in this recording. You will always hear those beside you speaking, but it doesn’t mean that you are listening. Jesus called on all who had ears in the multitude to hear him. But what was Jesus really saying? I believe Jesus was giving a warning or a caution to those there. Just as how in Jamaica a mother would caution her child with the saying, ‘all who can’t hear will feel’, so too I believe Jesus cautioned those there with ears to hear to take note of all that he said.

The NRSV captures the thought more precisely, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!” It was a call to those who hear the word of God to not only hear it, but listen to it as well. It is a call to actively give thought and credence to the message of Jesus. This is not only a call to the unsaved, but it is a call to the saved as well. It is high time that we stop being only hearers of the word, but also doers of the word. It is high time that we spend time to understand the message of Jesus instead of just reading to say we read or heard the word of God. It is high time that we become so infused with the word of God that it changes us. There is always a deeper message with Jesus, think on it.

*Until next week listen to what Jesus is saying*

*Shalom*

*Christopher Euphfa*

Tuesday Reflection – July 28, 2020 Ebenezer

Today’s watchword calls us to reflect on the many ways God has delivered us and how we mark the journey with reminders of His grace. The prophet Samuel called Israel to turn away from idolatry and return to God. The promise was that when they did this, God would deliver them from Philistine oppression. The people agreed and Samuel called them together at Mizpeh for a time of sacrifice, fasting and prayer as they sought God’s forgiveness and mercy. While they were doing this, who should approach with malicious intent but the very Philistines that they were seeking God’s protection from. Samuel prayed, sacrificed and praised God even as the Philistines approached to destroy the Israelites. God intervened on Israel’s behalf and the enemies of God’s people were severely destroyed. Samuel placed a stone between Mizpeh and Shen. He named it Ebenezer. This symbolism is today’s Watchword. ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us’. 1 Samuel 7: 12.  

The stone that Samuel set up was not a single stone as it may seem, but actually an altar, or a mark of remembrance for God’s mighty act towards Israel. Each time it was seen it would be a reminder to the people of God’s help coming to them when they needed it most. In Joshua 4, as Israel crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land, God commanded them to pick up twelve stones from the river-bed and set them up as a memorial on the bank of the river as a reminder to generations to come that Israel crossed on dry land. In our text, Samuel set up the memorial between Mizpah where he had invoked God’s forgiveness and help, and Shen where God had answered his prayer in the defeat of the Philistine army. Their last two confrontations had ended in Israel’s defeat for God was displeased with their idolatry. On this day however it was different for God had been with the Israelite army. You see friends, when we are displeasing God in our daily living we should not expect God’s assistance unless we are prepared to make amends, that is, to seek His forgiveness and rededicate ourselves to God’s glory.Note two lessons from this account. Firstly: Never stop praying, praising, and presenting your offering before God even in the face of the most dire situation. While Israel gathered to recommit themselves, the Philistines approached to destroy them. Israel must have been fearful because of their last two encounters, but they stood their ground praying, praising and presenting their offerings unto God. Friends the moment we decide to get our lives in order before God is the time the devil will attack us in the most devastating manner but do not cringe in defeat, do not give in to fear, rather trust the power of the ever-living God. Like David we ought to know: He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress; I will not be shaken. Ps 62: 6. Indeed He that is for us is greater that all that stand against us. Continue to pray, praise and present your gifts to God. He will take care of you. Secondly: God’s response to the faithful is immediate and immense. Samuel was still praying to God for help when the Philistines started experiencing trouble. God begins the process to rescue and restore us even before our prayers are complete. Maybe you are on the verge of giving up, maybe you are feeling that your prayers are not being answered. Let me implore you to keep praying, be patient and allow God to act. Ebenezer reminds us that God is always present, always calling us back to righteousness, always acting to rescue and redeem us. What is your Ebenezer today? What do you use to mark your journey of faith, to remind you that Jesus is your deliverer? For some persons its verses marked in their Bibles. For others it’s a hymn/song that they always sing. For others it’s the little things they collect at significant moments that they and those they tell, know the true meaning of. I encourage you today to have your own Ebenezer, you own reminders for life’s challenging moments when God brought you through. Ebenezer means ‘stone of help’. It signifies that God will always help the faithful when we call on him. Amen.    
Bevon White

Monday Reflection – July 27, 2020

Divine Wisdom

The Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:6

Today’s Watchword is a beautiful follow up from last Monday’s text that challenged us to rid ourselves of being fool-hearted and stubborn-hearted. Such fool-heartedness is evident when we create and pursue gods of money, status, prestige, friends, families, our egos and ourselves. Today’s Watchword invites us to consider the gift of wisdom offered by the Lord. But, what really is this concept of wisdom? J. I. Packer says that “Wisdom is the power to see and the inclination to choose the best and highest goal, together with the surest means of attaining it.”

Solomon understood very well this concept of wisdom and God’s pleasure to offer it to us. We remind ourselves that “At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon and said, “Ask what I should give you.” Solomon said: Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil… It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. Indeed, I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you.” (1 Kings 3:5,9-12). 

So many people put up themselves as being wise and smart. Based on the Scriptures, there are two kinds of people in the world. First, we find those who are wise – these follow the word of God, accept Jesus Christ as Lord and live by the principles laid down for God’s people. These live a life pleasing and productive for the Lord. On the other hand, are those who are foolish – these follow their own ways even if they go against the things of God. They reject Jesus Christ as Lord and despise divine wisdom. So we have those who are sold out for God and some who couldn’t care less.

We must ask, how do we acquire divine wisdom? Simply put – In the words of God! The written word of God to us, the Bible, is inspiration, gives us direction, tells of God’s plan for humanity, and shows us what God is like and what he expects. We must delve into God’s word as we face the issues of life and seek guidance for the decisions we have to make. While we strive to exercise wisdom, remember man’s wisdom must always be put up against the word of God and if it doesn’t measure up, it must be dismissed. Wisdom is gained from God’s instructions and heartache is brought on by being a fool. We must therefore treasure the words and wisdom of God. Remember too that wisdom is a precious gift from God and our seeking of it opens up an unlimited storehouse of God’s blessings and protection.

James reminds us in today’s New Testament text: If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. James 1:5

Let’s seek divine wisdom and be guided by it in our daily lives.Jermaine Gibson 

*Friday Reflection*
*July 24, 2020*

*The Conjunction*
And lead us not into temptation, *but* deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Matthew 6:13 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/mat.6.13.KJV

Good morning Friends, happy Friday!!
Apologies for the absence of last week’s reflection.

*Background:* The word *but* defined by the online Oxford dictionary is used to introduce a phrase or clause *contrasting* with what has already been mentioned. So often we read the word of God and we pay little attention to the part of speech of the words used in the text. Today I invite you to journey with me as we take a look at the conjunction in this passage of scripture.

*Application:* Hear Jesus in the text “and lead us not into temptation *BUT* deliver us from evil…” Jesus was teaching us to pray against temptation. Both because of the discomfort and trouble of them, and because of the danger we are in of being overcome by them. Not to mention the guilt and grief that usually follow.

He didn’t stop there, he continued… *BUT* deliver us from evil.. I sat and wondered why would Jesus use the word *but*… He could have said lead us not into temptation full stop or even lead us not into temptation comma. Instead he said but deliver us from evil..

Any other word would have changed the whole meaning of the petition. The conjunction ‘but’ had to be used. Why? Because of the very nature of the word. The word ‘but’ as we read earlier is used to introduce a phrase contrasting with what has been mentioned before. So Jesus was teaching us to pray that we might not fall into temptation *but* instead be delivered from evil.

He was making a clear distinction between the two statements. He was saying I reject that first statement. In other words we are not to focus on being tempted but pray that God will deliver us from all evil that might beset us.

What evil was Jesus referring to? The evil one, the devil, the tempter; we should pray always that God will will “keep us, that either we may not be assaulted by him, or we may not be overcome by those assaults:” Evil can and also be our own selfish desires. The Bible warns against the enemy as well as list of worldly and pleasure. Therefore, we should be careful that we don’t misunderstand the word evil to only mean that of the devil.

*But* we continue to pray that God will help us to overcome temptations as we seek to live a life pleasing to him.

The next time you pray the Lord’s prayer or any other prayer remember to place emphasis on the conjunction.. Let us pray..

*Prayer:* God we petition your throne of grace and we ask that we may never be tempted with out own evil desires *BUT* “Lord, deliver us from the evil of the world, the corruption that is in the world through lust; from the evil of every condition in the world; from the evil of death; from the sting of death, which is sin: deliver us from ourselves, from our own evil hearts: deliver us from evil men, that they may not be a snare to us, nor we a prey to them.” AMEN!

Until next week friends, walk good and stay safe!

Shaneka Raymore Euphfa

Tuesday Reflection – July 21, 2020 Heartfelt Thanksgiving

Imagine you are down to your last dollar with bills or other important expenditures that needs to be taken care of. Unexpectedly, someone gives you a gift that allows you to take care of those needed expenditures in a timely manner. When this happens, we feel a sense of gratitude towards the giver and we will be eternally thankful for the gift received. In fact, our gratitude will lead to us thanking that giver from the bottom of our heart. In our Watchword for today King David is offering thanks to God with his whole heart for deliverance from the enemies that attacked Israel. I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. Psalm 9: 1.

Depending on the translation that you read, the word praise or thanks is used. Acts of kindness will always lead to thanksgiving and praise. In fact, gladness, praise and rejoicing all go together and represents the natural response from a grateful heart. The giver of the gift gets the attention and not the gift nor the receiver. David did not act entitled to God’s kindness in delivering him. Neither did he think that it was something he should boast about and use to further belittle his enemies. Rather He took the time to praise and thank God. The focus was not on the action nor those involved. The focus was on God and God alone. Heartfelt thanksgiving must be focused on God, who alone deserves our praise and thanks. It is such thanksgiving that leads to a telling of God’s wonderful works in our lives. You see friends, in thanking God for one act of kindness, we will always be reminded of God’s many other acts of kindness towards us. Such reminding and recalling produces in us a countenance of joy and rejoicing. No wonder we are exhorted in Phil 4: 4 to rejoice in the Lord always. We can and should rejoice and give heartfelt thanks because the Most High God, El Elyon, is able to deliver us from all our troubles.The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines heartfelt as being deeply felt, sincere, earnest and unfeigned. It is not false, pretentious or insincere. In Matthew 15: 8, Jesus used a quote from Isaiah 29: 13 to identify false or pretentious praise. “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” Heartfelt thanksgiving comes from a place of excitement about what has been done for us. Praise which comes only from the lips cannot find acceptance in God’s presence. Our praise and thanksgiving to God must come from the depth of our hearts. Only then will it make its way into God’s presence, only then will it be acceptable to God. It is noteworthy that when we refuse to keep the experience of God’s works in our lives to ourselves, but like David tell or testify so others can know, we are letting others know of: a. Our faith and dependence on God. b. Our experiences out of which we grow in faith. c. Their possibilities should they put their faith and trust in God as we do. Indeed, heartfelt thanksgiving not only recognizes God at work in our lives but produces the possibility for God to work on, through and in others, especially in these times of terror and uncertainty. Let us thank God without reserve for God remains our safety barrier, and our stronghold. Amen
RegardsBevon White

Monday Reflection – July 20, 2020
Rid Ourselves of Stubbornness

Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, you who are now far from my righteousness. I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away. Isaiah 46:12-13

Admittedly, we become and behave fool-hearted and stubborn-hearted ever so often, especially when we give up the benefits and privileges of being children of God to pursue our own gods. Sometimes the gods we pursue are money, status, prestige, friends, families, our egos and ourselves. Yet, all these are to satisfy temporary desires and we soon discover that none of these gods of ours can offer true satisfaction.

We find in Isaiah 46 Yahweh who is on the road to triumph, yet the greatest of the gods, the gods of Babylon, are in total disarray. There is the vivid description of the gods of Babylon being carried away into captivity. Babylon is creaking at the seams. These great idols did not leave in triumph, they were being borne by beasts, by mules and oxen, possibly in carts or on the backs of beasts of burden. They had previously been borne in triumph at festivals, but now they have become simply a heavy burden over the long miles, an uncomfortable burden that made the beasts very weary. The beasts stumbled, but these gods were such that they were unable to render any assistance. They are on the road to disgrace and their makers are confounded. God’s triumph results in Babylon’s disintegration, and the humiliation of their gods.

Today’s text provides some stark reminders:

1. The false gods represented by dumb dead idols must be carried; but God carries his people. He carried us from before birth, and he promises to continue to carry us even to old age and gray hair (vss. 3-4). We must ask ourselves, do we have to carry our gods, or does God carry us?

2. There is no god but God; he is God all by himself (vs. 9)

3. God knows the end of every matter, every course, every circumstance, from the very beginning (vs. 10)

4. God is not a passive observer of all that takes place. Rather, he is directing all things and his works and plans never fail (vs. 10)

5. God always has a plan for deliverance of his people, even if he uses a pagan king like Cyrus (vs. 11)

6. God’s timing is always precise and wise (vs. 13)

7. God is deliberate in his plan for our lives and deeply in love with us, that he has brought salvation and righteousness near to us, within our reach, so we have no excuse (vs. 12-13)

The New Testament text affirms these reminders: For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly. Titus 2:11-12

Let’s be challenged by the reminders, rid ourselves of fool-heartedness and stubbornness, accept God’s salvation and pursue a life that honours God.

Jermaine Gibson

Wednesday Reflection, July 15, 2020

God Establishes His Plans!

Good day friends. I greet you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I trust you are well.

In regards to making decisions and plans I tend to be an overthinker. I try as best to work things out in my head before the actual execution. This sometimes works; other times it does not.

What about you? Do you overthink, like to plan ahead, rationalize and attempt to reason everything out? Have you been able to follow through with the resolutions you made as you rang in the new year?

The bible records many examples of those who planned. Whether they planned to go into battle against an enemy, planned to serve the Lord, planned for family, marriage, spiritual growth or for travel. All their examples are recorded for our benefit.

Making plans comes naturally to us as a people. It is important that we plan with wisdom and responsibility. Understanding that man of himself cannot guarantee or ensure anything actually will come to pass.

In today’s watchword, the words of wise king Solomon reminds us that, “the human mind may devise many plans, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established. ” proverbs 19:21

Brothers and sisters, whilst you and I are planning, the enemy of our souls is also planning but be encouraged for the Lord our God, has already planned!

1 Peter 4:7-8 encourages us thus, “therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers. Above all, maintain constant love for one another.

As you seek to go about your daily tasks and make plans for the future, I pray that all your plans will be aligned to the will and purpose for which God has called you.

Amen