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

Tuesday Reflection – July 14, 2020
Hope In The Midst of Crisis.

Since mid-March we have been unable to have our traditional celebrations as a church, as families and as a people. There are families anxiously awaiting the baptism of their new babies and couples waiting to celebrate their nuptials. We have been unable to have worship or fellowship as we normally would. There have been no traditional weddings, funerals, birthday parties or any of the usual moments of celebration that mark the phases of life. These are not normal times. In Jeremiah 33 the prophet found himself in prison because of his faithfulness to God but the Lord called on him to continue praying and proclaiming his message regardless for God would rescue him from captivity. He became a living example of God’s message to his people. They would be displaced, brought into desolation because of their sin, yet even in their desolation God would give them a reason to continue praising Him and God would keep their hope alive with the promise of restoration. There shall once more be heard the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing, “Give thanks to the Lord of host, for the Lord is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” Jeremiah 33: 10 – 11

Many persons are longing for a return to normalcy. The new terms these days are ‘new normal’ and ‘zoomed out’. Many cry out from loneliness, lack of fellowship with others, fear of contracting the COVID-19 virus due to underlying conditions, working in high risk areas and placing their loved ones at risk or having to be isolated from their loved ones while caring for others. Others cry out from working under restrictions of contact and dress, inability to function in a normal way, and the list goes on and on. Life as we know it has not been the same for most of 2020. God’s message to Israel through Jeremiah was just this, life as they knew it would change. The moments of celebration they were used to would be gone. The things that brought them joy would be gone and the places they were used to spending happy times would be desolate. This is quite true of the world in the past few months. We saw the closure of all the places we were accustomed to going for worship, hang out, shop, entertainment, excursion and so on. The sounds of joy and celebration were replaced with fearful sounds, hopeless sounds, wailing sounds, weary sounds, sounds of boredom, sounds of anger, sounds of frustration. At the same time, we all look and long for better days, a return to normalcy, a return to life as we are used to it. In Hosea 6: 1 the prophet calls for a return to the Lord since the Lord who tears us to pieces can heal us and the Lord who injures us can bind up our wounds. The recognition is that God who allows the bad to happen is able to bring healing and restoration. This encourages us to never lose hope for our God is not the destroyer, but the one who restores and repairs what is destroyed. Isaiah 40: 31 reminds us: but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Today’s watchword therefore offers us hope in the midst of crisis. Hope that things as they are now is not the new normal as many have been saying. Hope in the certainty that we are not forgotten or abandoned by God but that God journeys with us into and through the crisis bringing us closer to Himself and the point of restoring us to the way we were before. This offers us hope, something to look forward to and a reason to be steadfast in service and prayer. God is with us throughout all the curves and turns of life so we can trust in God’s provision and hope in God’s restoration. Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning. The prophet quoted Psalm 126 which spoke of the joys of restoration. When the Lord restored the fortunes of[a] Zion, we were like those who dreamed. 2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them. The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Friends we are living in difficult times but better days are ahead. Indeed God offers us this hope as He journeys with us through this time of crisis. Until then, keep praying, praising and singing and never give up hope. Amen.

Bevon White

Monday Reflection – July 13, 2020
Breaking up Our Fallow Ground

Break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you. Hosea 10:12

When I was younger and growing up in Bethany, I would hear preachers and evangelists at crusades urging the people to give their lives to the Lord. One of the popular sayings that I believe I heard was, ‘Break up your folly ground’. Long after did I realize that the Bible actually says here in Hosea 10:12, ‘Break up your fallow ground…’ And yet, in the context of Hosea, to have a fallow ground, which is a hardened heart, is truly a folly, a lack of good sense, a foolish act.

This love affair between God and the people of Israel is dramatically depicted through the marriage of Hosea and Gomer. The promiscuous and unfaithful wife Gomer represents the people of Israel, while the faithful husband Hosea represents our ever-faithful God. In Hosea 10, God offers further analysis of the depth of the sinful state of Israel. God blessed Israel with material abundance, but they spent it on themselves and their own idolatrous desires. Due to their divided and insincere hearts, God pledged to break down their altars to pagan gods and ruin their sacred pillars made unto idols. Foreign powers would dominate Israel and the land would be overgrown with thorns and thistles due to the desolation of the exile that they would experience.

Amazingly, in the midst of the promised judgement, God counsels Israel by telling them to admit to their sins and submit to his chastening. What a powerful demonstration of love!! He would punish them, but it would be for their own good, and if they obey him, they would be restored. In this counsel God commands them to break up their fallow ground. This farming imagery is about ground that has not been ploughed for more than a year; ground that is hard and stubborn, resistant to the seed. It does little good to sow seed on fallow ground; it must be broken up first. It is about sowing the seed of the word of God which seems to have little effect because it falls on fallow ground. This is hard ground that will not allow the seed of the word to penetrate and become fruitful. It is useless soil.

But how does Israel, and by extension us, break up our fallow ground? God offers the solution. We need to seek the Lord and not ourselves or our idols. When? We need to do it now. It calls for immediate action, for the season is passing and if we do not get the seed in the ground, the early rain will be past, and our fields will be unfruitful. Not just that, but the longer we wait, the tougher the soil becomes until we lose the appetite for God and his word, become unresponsive to his clarion call, and develop seared consciences. When we break up the fallow ground of our hearts, God will rain down righteousness upon us.

It is no wonder that the Bible says in Hebrews 3:15, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” We must till the soils of our hearts so that God’s word can penetrate it and find root. When God’s word takes root in our hearts, the transformation is indescribable and our connection and worship to God is just fabulous!

Jermaine Gibson 

Thursday Reflection*

*July 9, 2020*

*God my protector against evil*

*If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. Psalms 91: 9-10 NIV*

Good day friends!

Let me first apologise for the absence of last week’s reflection. Today our text is one of protection but only if we make the Lord our refuge and dwelling place. What does it mean to make the Lord our refuge and dwelling place? Let us begin with the latter first.

Dwelling is defined as a place of residence; somewhere you live. Where we live is generally believed to be the place where we spend a lot of our time as indicated by the word dwell. Therefore, the Psalmist is saying he spent majority of his time with the Lord to the point God became his dwelling place. As such no harm overtook him and no disaster came near his tent.

The same is true for us today. If we spend much of our time with the Lord and make the Lord our refuge, then no harm will overtake us and no disaster will come near our tent. Refuge is defined as a place or situation providing safety and shelter. So if we make the Lord that place we go to for safety and shelter, then no harm will overtake us. This does not mean we will not face hardship and trials. It does not mean we will not face sickness and death. What it does mean is that the situations we face will not have the final say in our lives because God is there to shield and protect us. So those who trust in the Lord will not be overcome by the situations they will face.

Friends I implore us to make the Lord our dwelling place. Spend time with God and watch how the Lord will protect you. I want to close today’s reflection with a prayer.

Jehovah Nissi, God our banner, we come to you in such a time as this: COVID-19 continues to run rampant, Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Racism and social injustice plague the world, crime and violence in Jamaica still a grave cause for concern, demonic attacks against your church among so many other situations. God it is in this time we turn to you our refuge and dwelling place.

We place all that is happening in this world into your capable hands. You still sit on your throne as Lord and still have control over this world. We pray that you will protect us from COVID-19 and keep us safe. Be with our families and friends both locally and internationally. We pray for a blood coverage. We pray for the Congo that you will stem the outbreak of Ebola. Cut it off where it is and be with the people of Congo. We pray against racism and social injustice that take place in this world. Help us to remember that all lives matter and we are one. You did not create us to be black or white but you created us to be human beings. Help us to see each other as such.

We bring the crime situation before you. We pray for peace Lord. We pray that we will learn to love each other as a nation. We pray for a special blood coverage over the security force and in the same breath we pray that you will rid the police force of corrupt cops.

We come against the spiritual attack against the church. We come against the presence of evil that tricks some of our people to think it is okay to live in sin and still be part of the body of Christ. We come against the apathy that exists among some members of the church. Help us to remember we represent Christ in all that we do. Give us the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome the evil attack against the church.

Lord you are our refuge and our dwelling place. We place all of these in your hands and I pray that we will join together in sincere prayer as we fight against the face of evil. I pray that we will agree as we pray in the Mighty and powerful name of Jesus. Amen!

Sisters and brothers let us keep praying as we stand against the forces of darkness.

*Until next week Blessings!*

*Christopher Euphfa*

Tuesday Reflection – July 07, 2020God is Always By Your Side

In my over thirty years of ministry I have met many persons who were banished from a congregation in which they worshipped because of disagreement with those in leadership. I have never felt justified in making any such decision because it is my firm belief that we will have members of our family with whom we do not agree, but we ought to do our very best to live together in harmony with everyone. I grew up with my parents reinforcing in me the idiom, ‘family stick together no matter what’. For me that has always included church family. Our church has always disciplined members which allows continued care and spiritual nourishment as well as the hope of reinstatement. Here’s something else I always wondered about. If you expel someone from your congregation, they automatically become a member of another congregation so what happens when everyone meets in heaven? Hmm! Today’s watchword is the cry of David, believed to have been written as he was being pursued by King Saul. He was feeling the pangs of being banished from his people and place of worship. I had said in my alarm, ‘I am driven far from your sight.’ But you heard my supplications when I cried out to you for help. Psalm 31: 22 

The situation is that David had fallen into Saul’s bad grace because of the king’s jealousy of the younger, more popular warrior. King Saul vowed to kill David and this had set David on the run. Bear in mind that prior to this David had been Saul’s son-in-law and living in the palace. For the next four years David is pursued by Saul and they have close encounters. David could have killed Saul once when Saul went into a cave in which David and his men were sleeping to relieve himself. Instead of hurting Saul, David cut a piece from Saul’s clothes and later showed it to him as proof that he meant him no harm. At another time when Saul had David and his men surrounded, David believed that it was his end and lamented, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1) Right then and there, a messenger came to Saul to tell him of an attack by the Philistines and Saul had to move out immediately, leaving David. (1 Sam 23:26 – 28). When we look at the two statements of David quoted above, both believed to be referring to the same event in his life, we get a glimpse into his mind at the time. Chased by Saul for four years, David was banished from the city where the Ark of the Tabernacle was. He could not go to worship as he was used to doing having been banished by Saul. He felt far away from God’s presence. Yet even in that place of deep spiritual despair, he called out to God, ‘why have you forsaken me?’ and God heard and came to his rescue. Persons may banish us from the physical temple but not from the spiritual presence of God. We are the only ones who can keep ourselves away from the spiritual temple, away from a good and beneficial relationship with God. As Paul states in Rom 8: 28, nothing can separate us from God’s love.  Friends we learn from David that there will be times when our path to God may seem obscured, whether by what others do or by what we are experiencing. During such times however we should not be afraid to seek God’s presence. David had a sense of being kept away from God, unable to gather for worship, unable to fellowship with his religious family, unable to sacrifice as required. This however did not stop David from stating his case to God, to call out to God for help. It tells us that when we are faced with situations that leave us feeling far away from God, God will still be close to us, providing for us and protecting us. In David’s own words we find security. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23: 4. We also learn that in life we will face many moments of uncertainty. What we ought to realize however is that it is never about what we face but who faces it with us. Jesus promised the disciples in Matt. 28:20 I am with you always, to the very end of the age. This presence gives us strength and courage. We can rest easy knowing that regardless of what we face or where we find ourselves, God will be with us. This is what God has promised to all who trust in Him. Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10. Indeed God is always by your side dear friend. 
Bevon White

Today the Moravian Church worldwide commemorates one of our Festivals – The Martyrdom of John Hus. Hus was burnt at the stake on July 6, 1415 on his 46^th birthday for having led a movement against the false teachings and corrupt practices of the Roman Catholic Church. The Church had Hus killed because he challenged the status quo and defied the edict designed to silence him. As I reflected on the life of John Hus and the reflection of last Monday which was titled ‘Defiant Daniel’, it struck me again that Hus was defiant as he demonstrated a daring, open and bold resistance to authority.

While Daniel was defiant against the orders of King Darius who decreed that whoever prays to anyone, except him, for thirty days would be thrown into a den of lions, Hus was defiant against the beliefs, teachings, practices and systems that he believed were contrary to the principles of the Bible. Daniel was defiant against the political powers that threatened his worship life to God. Hus was defiant against the religious powers that threatened and undermined the authenticity of the gospel of Christ.

Today’s Watchword brings to the fore one of the main challenges that Hus had with the practices of the Church. Psalm 103:12 says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us.” The Church then was engaged in the corrupt practice of selling indulgencies, where one could pay for their sins being forgiven by a priest. This irked Hus and he could not remain silent. He disagreed and proclaimed that only God could forgive sins; no priest or human had the authority or capability to forgive sins. There was no need to pay for one’s sins to be forgiven for Jesus had guaranteed our forgiveness of confessed sins, by his shed blood on the cross. He knew that only God could remove our transgressions from us. He also knew what Paul says in Romans 5:20, “Where sin increased, God’s grace abounded all the more”.   

We learn from the life of Hus and the Scriptures that there is grave danger in being gullible, easily trusting everyone and everything, and being tossed to and fro by every wind and sound of doctrine, cunning craftiness and deceit (Ephesians 4:14). We must test every spirit by being armed with the word of God – the sword of the Spirit – and the indwelling and enabling power of the Holy Spirit. We learn from Daniel and Hus that we must be prepared to stand up for our faith and for the right, or we will fall for anything. Fortunately, Daniel survived the lion’s den, but Hus died for standing for the right. Reality check – we will not always survive standing for truth and righteousness. Some things will cost our lives. Even while being tied to the stake, the authorities persuaded Hus to recant and he would be spared. But he said that it is better he died for the truth than lived for a lie. He embraced the words of Martin Luther King Jr., “If a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.”   

Thank God that the forgiveness of our sins rests solely in His hands and His grace abounds and multiplies. Let us march forward with deep guts defying everything and everyone that opposes the sovereignty and principles of God, fully prepared to face whatever the cost. We press on guided by the Moravian motto, “Our Lamb has conquered, let us follow Him!”Jermaine Gibson