Monday's Message: Safeguards

All those who’ve been successful in any field, have without a doubt taken measures and safe guards to stay at it; to keep going; basically, to not fall.

If there is anything ever that is worth taking these type measures, it is the Christian life.

We read in I Cor. 16:13  “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”

The Lord uses Paul to write to these Corinthian believers; many of who were baby Christians, and still carnal; of some safe guards to put in place, to keep on for God.  I believe the Lord would have us to do each of these also for the same reason.

Watch ye,  this is a word the Lord Jesus used the night before the cross, while He is in the midst of the garden praying in agony; and then comes back to Peter, James, and John, and finds them sleeping in such an hour. What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

If I’m taking safe guards for myself, this is the person’s life I must watch.  Watch my eyes, my ears and my mouth.  Watch my heart, watch my actions.

Truly, no one should take more responsibility to watch my life and my steps other than myself.

Stand fast in the faith.  Others may and will change, but I must be committed to stand fast in the faith of Jesus Christ.  Stand for His truth, and for His cause. Like Shammah of old; one of King David’s mighty men, who stood to defend a piece of ground when all the rest of the army present fled.   When I stand for Christ, I am never standing alone.

I Cor.15:58  “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

Then: quit you like men, be strong.

It is true, that any old dead fish can float down stream; but to keep going forward in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.  Our strength will only be as we rely on, and put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Scriptural measures and steps to take to continue for Jesus’ sake.  We can, and we must.

Family Friday: How to raise spiritually mature children (Part 1)

How to raise spiritually mature children (Part 1):

1. Set high expectations on conduct, character and holiness. It is not unrealistic. Children raised this way want to behave.  It creates a peaceful environment of them to live in and thrive.
2. Talk to them about real life situations and how to deal with people based on God’s Word, not the world’s standards. Teach them that even if they don’t agree with someone, they can learn to get along with them. Teach them to forgive each other and forgive themselves.
3. Expose them to many different things, but not immoral things. Guard their eyes, hearts, and minds. It’s okay if they don’t know all about the front page news. It’s ok if they don’t watch bad shows and movies. It’s okay that they only listen to music with pure lyrics. It’s okay to be different from the world. In fact, God expects it from his children!
4. Teach them to have self-control from an early age. When they are Christians, teach them that control comes from the help of God’s Spirit within them. When they mess up, teach them to confess wrong, ask forgiveness and move on. Don’t dwell on it, but strive to do better.
5. Discipline them when needed, but always in love. There is no love in failing to discipline.

Proverbs 13:24 

"He that spareth his rod hateth his son: 

but he that loveth him chaseneth him betimes."

                              

Discipline because you do love them and want them to grow to be mature. God disciplines His children so that we will learn to be more Christ-like. He molds us to be the best we can be so that we can serve Him and love Him according to His will. Failing to discipline well is just as much a form of abuse as is the other extreme. Physically it may not seem so, but emotionally and spiritually, it is.

Thoughtful Thursday: Going through Fire

Written by Maria Wesley

Why do Christians hurt?
Why do bad things happen?

As a Pastor's wife I often dread this {tough} question.  I want sunshine and smiles and happy endings.  My heart hurts when others hurt and have sorrow.

How do you explain to someone who is going through such a dark valley that God knows and hasn't left them?
When they feel so alone and abused,  how do you tell them God is love?

How do you tell them Why?

Recently we were traveling through another parish that is unusually flat for Jamaica.  There were sugar cane fields stretched out on all sides of us.  We could see black billowing smoke filling the sky and I remarked to my husband that something large was burning.  He said they were burning the fields.  The beautiful healthy sugar cane was being burned.

True Facts: Burning of the sugar cane field is part of the harvesting process.  During this time the field is set on fire and the leaves are burned off leaving only the cane.  The part burned off is called "trash" and is made up of straw, the tops, and green and dry leaves.  The burning process kills any microorganisms and the trash left behind help keep the fields rich.

We pulled to the side of the road and watched the billowing black smoke filling the sky.  We could see the flames leaping up and running throughout the fields.  My heart was touched thinking about the sadness of watching something that you've worked so hard for being destroyed right before your eyes.  So often, life can be the same way. There was the fire.  The heat.  Your pain.  Your suffering.

There's so much that we cannot see.

Through the fire God has a plan to perfect the sugar cane.  It is hard to tell when the flames are licking at the tall stalk... but some day that will be little {brown} grains I stir into my tea.

Pain and trials of life are never easy.  Often they are very painful.  At the time it is so hard to see the point.

We always come through stronger and more perfected into the image that God has for us to be.  If we allow ourselves to be.

Monday's Message: Faithful Laborers

I do not believe that I read the Bible at all before I got saved many years ago.  But even then, I had heard of the great apostle Paul.  And he was a great man, great Christian, missionary, church planter; wonderfully used of God.

But the apostles, and pastors and evangelists we read about, and are somewhat famous; are not the only great Christians. 

As Paul is used of God to write these last words of the first letter to the Corinthians, he mentions two lesser known men in the word of God.

I Cor. 16:10-12:

10 Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear: for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do.

11  Let no man therefore despise him: but conduct him forth in peace, that he may come unto me: for I look for him with the brethren.

12  As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come unto you with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come when he shall have convenient time.

Timothy was certainly a co-laborer of the apostle Paul; as Paul called him often times; his fellow laborer.  Apollos was a gifted preacher, and exhorter, who had many followers.

Paul does not fail to mention them to the Corinthians, with the reminder to treat them with great respect; with these notable words: “for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do.”

But this is true of all those today; whether on the mission field in a 3^rd world country, whom no one, or very few have ever heard of.  Then too, those who work hard every week, teaching a Sunday School class in a local church.  Do not they work the work of the Lord also?  They certainly do! 

I believe many will be very surprised at the judgement seat of Christ, just who is going to be so well known in heaven.

Three cheers for the faithful laborers today, and from years gone by, who pray, and study God’s word to teach it to children, teens, and adults.  Along with those who have given themselves to preach, and lift up the name of Christ and His holy word. 

These all work the work of God.