Friday Reflection September 10, 2021

Wait on the Lord, He will help you

We wait in hope for the Lord ; he is our help and our shield.
Psalms 33:20 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/psa.33.20.NIV

In today’s reflection we will look at some of the words mentioned in this text and their meaning. This will give us a clearer understanding of the teachings in this text.

1. Wait : Stay where one is or delay action until a particular time or event.
2. Hope: A feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen.
3. Help: Make it easier or possible for (someone) to do something by offering one’s services or resources.
4. Shield: A person or thing providing protection.

Now let us rewrite the text using the above definitions. Here goes:

We stay where we are and delay action with great expectations and desires of the Lord to make it easier or even possible, by giving us the resources we need to overcome our trials . He is the only person we can depend on to provide protection in uncertain times.

Last night it was reported that MU variant of the Coronavirus is in Jamaica. It is said to be more transmissible than the Delta variant. My granny would say ” it a get outta han yah now . With that being said, I know a lot of persons are becoming so afraid and even more uncertain at this time. But hear these words of comfort and hope.

The Lord is the help of His people in times of trouble, when no one else is or can be; and He is a present one. He will help at the right time and at the best season! God is our shield, who encompasses round about us with his love and favour, and keeps us by his power in the greatest safety!

Be encouraged, wait upon Him, and expect good things from Him He always come through, He will do it again!!

Blessings,
Shaneka Raymore Euphfa

Thursday Reflection September 9, 2021

Focus on today’s task

Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the Lord; work, for I am with you, says the Lord of hosts. Haggai 2:4

Greeting friends,

Our text today cause us to push forward and not become daunted; not to compare the glories of the past to the work that needs to be done now. This was the situation regarding the people in Haggai 2. The Lord had challenged them in chapter 1 to rebuild the temple and not just focus on rebuilding and living in fancy houses.
In chapter 2 they began the work, but three weeks into rebuilding the temple they became discouraged. The people in their 70’s could remember Solomon’s temple that had been destroyed 66 years earlier. Whilst rebuilding the temple it has now become clear to them that the rebuilt temple is going to be far inferior to the temple they once knew. The people rebuilding the temple were comparing what they were doing now to what was done in the past and that affected the work to be done now.
How often do we do this? How often do we compare now with the glory days and focus on the glory days? How often we focus on the glory days of the boys brigade and girls brigade and compare it to now? How often do we focus on the glory days when most congregations we filled with people and compare it to now? How often do we look at Missionary services, especially in the rural parishes and think they were so fantastic and compare them to now? How often do we use the same tactics of 30/40 years ago that brought success then and want to implement them now expecting them to work. How often do we focus on the glory days and when the glory days are not recreated we become discouraged and the work of God is not done?

Hear the Lord in the text, “Yet now” God is drawing our attention to what needs to be done now and not the glory days of Solomon’s temple. The temple now will be smaller and less beautiful, but this is the temple that God wants to build now. The people were looking back at what was, but God now calls them to look forward to the present. He calls them to move forward with these three commands: Be strong, work and fear not

To do the work today we have to be strong. It’s easy to become weak and discouraged that today’s work doesn’t look like yesterday’s work, but be strong, as we know our strength comes from the Lord.

Not only should we be strong but we must work. Today’s temple cannot be built if we do not work. The work will be hard and it will be less people working. The returning remnant did not have the physical resources of Solomon, but they still had God, which is the only resource you truly need. Today, God is the true resource to rebuild. Let’s stop try recreate the past and build what God wants us to build today.

Lastly, fear not. Its easy to become afraid during the unknown and when you have less support, but fear not. Do not be afraid. Just walk in the promises of God and focus on today’s task. This is a choice we have to make, fear not!

God bless you as we work together in the vineyard.

Shalom
Christopher Euphfa

Wednesday Reflection, September 8, 2021

The Lord’s Elect!
Brothers and Sisters, I greet you well. Today’s watchword is from the book of Isaiah 42:1 in which the Lord declares, “behold! My Servant whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights! In a perfect world, children aim to please their parents. Employees strive for excellence and those providing goods and services seek to do so in a manner that will have their customers coming back and also making further recommendations to others. In Isaiah 42, the fore telling of a particular servant’s fate is explained; yet, before the details are given, the chapter opens with a wonderful pronouncement. God tells Israel that He will choose this servant, specifically selected, thought highly of, God’s Spirit would be with him and He would bring justice to the Gentiles.

Friends, this was not any new or strange matter. God had commissioned the nation of Israel with this particular task starting with the promises he made to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 however, it matters not how many attempts us humans make, we most oft fail at at carrying out God’s perfect will and as such, Jesus had to come to earth to complete His father’s will in this regard and by extention, set the example we should follow.

In the gospel according to Luke 4:22 “all spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”

Brothers and sisters, we have each been chosen to serve the Lord, may we continue striving to be like Jesus, following his blessed example, may we seek to be gracious as we continue along on this journey towards justice and peace.

Until next week, may the Lord continue to uphold you whom He has chosen and may His soul delight also in you.

Amen.

Kerone Lamoth

God Knows our Struggles and Delivers Us.

I recently saw my daughters off to college and it was an experience rife with emotions all around. For the first time they were leaving home for a prolonged period and would be almost four hours away from us. Many questions began to run through my mind. What if there’s an emergency? What is they need something right away? What if they get sick or hurt? All my foreboding was based on one thing and one thing only. They would be away from me. Then I began to realize that being away from daddy and mummy did not leave us nor them powerless or vulnerable for there is one who would be with them through it all. God has promised never to leave nor forsake us. Today’s watchword serves as a reminder of the reassuring and comforting thoughts I had. The Lord your God has known your wanderings through this great wilderness. Deuteronomy 2: 7.

The children of Israel travelled for forty years through the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land. As they are about to enter the land of promise, the Lord spoke to them through Moses as he recalled all that they went through to get to that point. He reminded them of the hardships they faced and the ways in which God delivered them. As the text states, God had been with them every step of the way. He knew everything they had experienced, and He had been their deliverer. The entire verse 7 says: “For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.” ’This was God’s way of letting Israel know that He who had been faithful to them through the wilderness would be sufficient to keep them in their new location. They only needed to be true to the Covenant. In the same way, I also was reminded that God is able keep our children once we commit them to His care. What a comforting feeling it was to place my children, all the youngsters of our congregation, and others that I am aware of, into God’s keeping knowing they would be ok as they move away from home for the first time, or as they returned to college, to continue their education. God’s protection of them will be greater than anything we could ever do, for God who know their struggles is also God who delivers. Hear God’s word to us from Isaiah 49:25 (Amp) “For I will contend with him who contends with you, And I will save (defend, preserve, rescue, deliver) your children.”

If you are a parent who is struggling to release your child, to allow them to move to the next stage of their life journey, I encourage you to release them into God’s care. Let God lead that child forward. Let God surround him or her with his protective presence. Let God inspire and support your child as only He can. May today’s text also serve as a reminder to us all that God is aware of what we have experienced and of what troubles us in the here and now. He seeks to assure us that He who has been faithful to us through all the challenges we have faced in the wilderness of our personal life journeys, will be faithful enough for what we anticipate even as we look ahead. Let us rest assured that our Lord knows what we have been through, what we are going through and what we will go through, and He is able to take us safely to our journey’s completion. Let us continue to trust in our all-present and all-knowing God, for the God who knows our struggles is the same God who delivers. Amen.

Monday Reflection – September 06, 2021
Mercy Lord!

Both we and our ancestors have sinned; we have committed iniquity, have done wickedly. Psalm 106:6

One of the critical characteristics of God that we depend on every day is God’s mercy. Without God’s mercy we would all be dead by now. We talk a lot about God’s grace and mercy, but what do these terms mean? For me, God’s grace has to do with what God gives to us that we do not deserve; God’s unmerited favour. On the other hand, God’s mercy relates to the judgement or punishment that we rightly deserve, but God withholds same and replaces that with mercy. Mercy and forgiveness are twins, since we receive God’s mercy because God forgives.

Psalm 106 celebrates Yahweh’s mercy to His covenant people. The Psalm begins by praising God for His enduring mercy, as the Psalmist invites us to praise and give thanks to the Lord. Why? Because God is good and God’s mercy endures forever. This praise for God’s great mercy is especially sincere because it is offered to an often rebellious and ungrateful Israel. Indeed, we celebrate a God who is longsuffering.

In today’s Watchword, the Psalmist confesses Israel’s past and present sins and thus highlights their need for God’s mercy. Verses 6 and 7 say: “Both we and our ancestors have sinned; we have committed iniquity, have done wickedly. Our ancestors, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wonderful works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled against the Most High at the Red Sea.” Not only were God’s people sinful, but they paid no attention and forgot the magnitude of God’s mercy. So what we have is a contrast between the loving acts of God and Israel’s continued sins and lack of response. This dramatizes the greatness of God’s love and salvation, for He delivered a people who did not respond to His love.

Having acknowledged Israel’s sins, the Psalmist notes in verse 8a, “Yet God saved them for His name’s sake”. Though the Israelites responded to God’s deliverance with ingratitude and rebellion, God answered with rescue, but not only for Israel’s sake, but God’s. Boice makes the noteworthy point that “Israel’s history is as much the story of God’s mercy, faithfulness, and long-suffering as it is the story of Israel’s faithlessness and unbelief. In fact, it is against the background of their sin that God’s patience is most fully illuminated.” Yet, this is our story! We continue to be sinful and rebellious in the face of God’s continued mercies. However, let’s be careful that we don’t become so flippant and carefree doing what we want and ignoring God’s direction because we believe that God is forever merciful. There will come a point when God stops winking at our rebellion and inflict judgement.

Let’s be forever grateful for God’s manifold mercies to us every day, confess our sins and seek God’s forgiveness, pursue a life that honours God, and extend mercy to those who offend us.

Jermaine Gibson 

Saturday Reflection – 04 September 2021

“We must obey God rather than any human authority.” Acts 5:29

The Apostles had been arrested and brought before the chief priests for disobeying the strict orders that were given to them, not to preach the name of Jesus. You see, the gospel message had spread like wildfire all over Jerusalem, and in jealousy the chief priests along with a sect of the Sadducees arrested the apostles and had them thrown in a public prison. However, an angel had set the apostles free that night, and instructed them to go to the temple and continue preaching. Lo and behold, when the chief priests met, and sent for the apostles, they were not in the prison, and perplexed as to what happened, they spotted them in the temple faithfully teaching about Christ, and took them to the chief priests.

It was here that in verse 27-28, the high priest says to the Apostles “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.” And in response, Peter and the Apostles say today’s doctrinal text “We must obey God rather than any human authority.” In fact, they go on to say “The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Saviour that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.” (verses 30-32)

The teaching of Christ had been rejected by the chief priests and they had tried to snuff out any preaching of this gospel. There was also jealousy added to the mix, as many people had been drawn to the teaching of this Messiah, and had converted to the church. You can imagine that the Apostles held on to Jesus’ commission to them, and continued faithfully to execute that mission. And here came the instruction that finds itself contrary to Jesus’ instruction. How would they respond? As they did in the doctrinal text. They were convinced by the teaching and example of Christ, that he was indeed the Messiah, that came from heaven, and that he has by his death and resurrection, and by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, offered to us abundant and eternal life. And that anyone who would hear and accept this gospel, would be saved. Therein was the duty to faithfully preach and teach the gospel regardless.

Their answer demonstrated the higher authority that they held as Christians, and importantly the fulfilling of Jesus’ promise, that should be taken before the rulers, that the Holy Spirit would give them the answer and empower them to speak. Whether they were examined together, or individually, their answer exemplifies this promise. They were even frank to the chief priests, not begging for pardon, or giving excuses, but spoke as those given authority by God. Even in their answer, they told the chief priests of their own role in the crucifixion of Jesus. What do we learn from their example? The Apostle Paul reminds us that as Christians, we must be obedient to our leaders and rulers, and observant of the laws that are laid down. However, where those rules contradict, our obligation is first to Almighty God. To his rulership, and therein the principles laid out for us in scripture and in line with the character and heart of God. We must never be disrespectful, instead, be faithful and loving witnesses of the truth, that in God’s time, and by God’s grace, others may see the truth. And God will reward our faithfulness.

For the Apostles, there came Gamaliel, a respected teacher of the law, who pleaded with his fellow chief priests not to have them killed, but to leave them alone, for if their message is from man, it will fail, but if from God, then nothing we do will stop it, and worse we would be defying God. And instead, the Apostles were flogged (to which they rejoiced for bearing dishonour for the sake of Christ) and let go. The chapter ending by telling us that they did not cease to preach the gospel of Christ. As Christians, it is a call for discernment and wisdom, as we are led by the Holy Spirit and encouraged by our brothers and sisters of the faith. And as they were led by the Holy Spirit, so will we be empowered. For if we deny Christ on earth, so will Christ deny us in heaven. We must be committed to the mission of Christ, just as we are to our secular engagements. When it comes to the test, let us never deny the name that we bear, instead, may we be faithful to God, and there we will find God faithful.

Until next week, let us commit to the cause of Christ, spreading the gospel message, shining the light and love of Christ, in a world filled with darkness and hate. When tested, remember, we are faithful first to God. However, knowing that God has ordered the one in authority over us, let us be respectful, observant, and obedient of the law that guides us. Amen.

Dominic J. Blair

Thursday Reflection September 2, 2021

The fear of the Lord brings hope

Who are they that fear the Lord? He will teach them the way that they should choose.
Psalms 25:12

Greeting friends!

We’ve made it to September. I pray God’s continued blood coverage over us as we journey through this pilgrim land.

As I look at what is happening in our country and by extension the world, there is so much to cause confusion, anxiety and stress. At the top of this list is the matter of vaccination. Should one get vaccinated or not? This topic is causing a lot persons to become stressed. The matter of crime and violence is still a thorn in our flesh. The COVID-19 spike causing people to be further afraid. Some have not recovered from Tropical Storm Ida but we learn that there are more systems out there being formed. Then there is the personal stress at home, school, work and in the community and for many they are mourning the loss of loved ones.

During these times of uncertainty, anxiety and stress, there are some of us who feel alone and afflicted. King David was not foreign to these feelings as he in Psalm 25 makes mention of these feelings in verse 16-18. Hear King David, “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of my distress. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.”

It’s not easy going through stressful situations. They cause us to lose hope and become despondent. But even though David was going through this situation, hear David in verse 12 speaking to us and offering hope, ” Who are they that fear the Lord? He will teach them the way that they should choose.”

Let me briefly break down this verse for us.

Who are they that fear the Lord?

David is speaking about those who have decided to follow the Lord completely. The fear of the Lord is not just going to church or praying in the morning and evening. No! The fear of the Lord is having a serious relationship with God. Those who don’t have it, don’t worry yourself you can have it now and those who already have it BIG UP YOURSELF!

He will TEACH them

For those who fear the Lord, you’ve gone into another realm and another dimension. For many of us who are stressed, confused and anxious we think we’re alone, but this verse tells us that God is there with you. How do we know this? David says God will TEACH you. God cannot teach you if He’s not there with you. So God will teach you.

I believe teachers will have a greater understanding of this phrase. Why? I believe some teachers become teachers not because it’s a job, but they see it as an opportunity to not only give knowledge, but to impact students in a meaningful way to help them make inform decisions in their daily life. This is what God is doing for us. God is shaping us and moulding us. What is God shaping us for?

The way
In this time of confusion we do not know what to do? Where to go? Which path to take? God teaches us and what He has taught us helps us to know what path to take. Everything that happens in life is for a reason and everything is to help us know what path to take. Many of us don’t know where to go from here, but don’t worry God has a path for you, let him show you.

That they should choose

Ultimately the choice of the path we choose belongs to us. God will teach us what path to take, but WE have to choose to take that path. Of course if we choose the path opposite to what God has chosen then we are going to be in further problems. So it’s wise to choose God’s path. This matter of choice affects every aspect of our life. We choose… We choose whether to allow the uncertainties of the situations we face to stress us or to be anxious about them or we choose to give them to God and let him show us the path to take. We choose whether we want to have hope or not. It’s a choice!

Ultimately God shows us the way to go, but we have to choose. In the midst of all that is going on choose God and choose hope and God will show you the path to take.

Shalom

Christopher Euphfa

Wednesday Reflection, September 1, 2021

Our Sure Salvation

Brothers and sisters, greetings! Today’s reflection bids us look at a time in David’s life in which he endured a very rough period. This is not strange considering that David endured many such periods however, Psalm 69, referred to an urgent plea for help in trouble, David was not merely speaking just because he could talk.

The Psalmist had gotten to a point where he felt as if he was drowning and being consumed. As I have felt, and perhaps you too have felt, David told the Lord that it appeared as if those who were against him were more than those that were with him. He worried that others who would perhaps come to know the Lord might have been dissuaded in doing so because of him and his life. He did not want anyone looking at him and thinking his God was not sovereign simply because of the period/s of his trials.

David had become a laughing stock, he was mocked and jeered constantly. Life, for him was an uncomfortable place; yet, in today’s watchword, Psalm 69:13, David declared, ‘ but as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord, in the acceptable time; O God, in the multitude of your mercy, hear me in the truth of your Salvation.

Friends, is there anything/ anyone that seeks to overwhelm you today, even in this moment, could you be experiencing the feeling of drowning, as if there is no one in your corner or that life has simply ganged up on you? You are not alone, in the same way David was not alone, God sees and hears you. Trust that His love is great and that His salvation is sure.

In today’s New Testament text, Jesus said, “if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” John 16:23

Until next week, let us join T. Herbert Driscoll in prayer, most holy Father, thanks for the gift of salvation through Jesus, our lord and savior. Your divine favor and boundless love is a banner over us, save us, we pray, from the perils of this life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

There’s Balance in God’s Action

In every situation there are two sides. Our ability to view both sides help us to have a more balanced understanding. In today’s watchword God helps the prophet Jeremiah to understand that there is a balanced approach to all that He does, thus even in times of hopelessness, there will always be a glimmer of hope. Today’s Watchword is from Jeremiah 32: 42. Thus says the Lord, “Just as I have brought all this great disaster upon this people, so I will bring upon them all the good fortune that I now promise them.

As the city of Jerusalem was under siege by the Babylonian army, a war which they would lose, God spoke to the prophet, and following the vision he purchased a field in Jerusalem. Jeremiah instructed his servant to safely secure the deeds in anticipation of the time when the land would again be valuable to his family. It may have seemed strange, this buying of a prized property during a time of war and uncertainty. God, however, wanted the people to know through the words and action of the prophet that even though they were facing defeat and displacement, that would not be the end of their story. They were still his chosen people, his covenant people and as such would never be without hope. We learn from the passage that Judah’s pending displacement was because of their sin. The Covenant love that God had for them however would lead to their return to their homes. God would not punish them without hope of restoration but would offer redemption and return to the repentant demonstrating balance in God’s justice.

The balance of God’s justice is demonstrated in the vast difference between the reason for Judah’s judgement and her redemption. The people are being judged because of their rebellious disobedience to God. They became an idolatrous people, following pagan religions, and turning away from the principles of their faith. They fell below God’s desired expectation of them as his chosen people in their desire to be more like the people among whom they lived. It’s a lesson to us today that we need to be careful not follow the world, but rather follow Christ. God’s redemptive love was shown in that even as Judah was being displaced, even as they were losing everything, they were being promised a time of return to the land and to wealthy times. This would happen as God worked on them to bring them to a spiritual level such as they have never experienced. The punishment would bring them a fresh understanding of God’s goodness, and new experiences of God’s blessings. We see this balanced action of God played out even more vividly in the New Testament as God sent his Son Jesus Christ into a world deserving of his judgment, not to condemn, but to save those who believe on His name. Today as we see the many disasters that seek to overtake us, as we grapple with a worldwide pandemic that has impacted ever living human being, as we see political and social upheavals the world over, we find hope in God’s word that despite it all, there is hope for a brighter future for God will never abandon us to destruction. David was sure of this when he wrote in Psalm 16: 9 – 11: Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.
10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Dear friend, things may not be the way we want at the moment, but in God’s plan for us, there will be brighter days. Hold on in this moment, and trust in the balanced actions of God for what the future holds. Amen.

Monday Reflection – August 30, 2021
Why? For what Reason?

Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, “Who sees us? Who will know?” Isaiah 29:15

As I read today’s Watchword, I could hear the question ‘why’ sounding loudly in my ears. Infact, the text begs a number of ‘whys’. Why do people go to great depths to hide? Why would someone want to hide from God? And the list goes on. But even as I ask why, I can hear psychiatrist, Professor Wendel Abel saying to me, “Jermaine, why is not a good question to ask especially in a counselling session. Why puts people in a defensive mode. You should ask instead, what are the reasons for your action/feeling etc.?”  

The text beckons us to ask, what are the reasons for one to hide their plans from God? For what reasons do people work in the dark, under the shadow, in hiding? Clearly, there must be something that we do not want another to see. Or something that would result in serious consequences if others were to see or know. Infact, the text implies a serious level of hypocrisy on the part of persons who not just hide, but go to great depths to hide. When we have to hide like this, we live a lie and what we say and who we are is a sham, a façade, a fake. We project ourselves as one thing, but the real us is another.

Another dimension of this hiding and acting under the covers has to do with our motives or even ill motives. This is where one’s actions sometimes have to be brought under the microscope. We may pretend to be doing good, but our real motives are not for the good of others. No matter how great, wonderful and commendable our actions are, if they are not driven by righteous and godly motives, it is all in vain. Whenever we have ulterior motives, we need a heart check. In the context of this text, the prophet offers some stinging criticism of the people of God. He says in verse 13 that they draw near to God with their mouths and honour Him with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Him. The people knew how to talk the spiritual talk, but their hearts were far from God. In other words, only mouth talk, no heart connection.

Today’s text says that the people hide and then think, “Who sees us? Who will know?” In their false wisdom, the proud people of Jerusalem thought they could hide their thoughts and their deeds from the Lord. We must not forget that Adam and Eve planned a hide out from God, but to no avail. Solomon reminds us in Proverbs 15:3, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” Paul affirms this truth in today’s New Testament text, “Everything exposed by the light becomes visible.” Ephesians 5:13 We can hide from man, but not from God.

As we strive to live for God, let us be true to God, ourselves and to others. As we think and make decisions to act, let us ask ourselves, “For what reason(s) am I going to say or do this?” If those reasons are not for God’s glory and the edification of others, let’s stop and reverse. We glorify God when our lives are committed to the wellbeing of others, and helping each other to fulfil God’s purpose and become our best.

Jermaine Gibson