I read my Bible to see what men ought to do; and read my newspapers to see what men are doing – John Newton

Lord renew thy church beginning with me; Lord renew the church that the church may renew the nation(s) – a prayer

NEWS

Whilst spending time with family in the USA, one story that grabbed my attention was the reinstatement of the Duck Dynasty reality show on the television network AE. Some of the pundits were surprised at the speed of the ‘kiss and make up’, but were however fully aware that eventually, 14 million viewers who supported the show would force the network to capitulate; or what we term ‘bow’ in Jamaica. As in this case ‘money, not just spoke, but shouted loudly’.
Many of us recalled how the leader of the group quoted the Bible, in fact the Book of Romans, as he inveighed heavily against the immoral behavior of homosexual; and used pretty graphic language to make his point. It was in that context that I sent out a text musing about the fate of our local International DJ’s, Buju Banton and Beenie Man, occasioned by their anti-homosexual stance; and wondered if on account of the promotion of violence why their stance met with prolonged and resolute resistance. What also struck me was the unusually fairly common recognition, that ” Christians too”, were entitled to freedom of speech, and thus the Duck Dynasty leader was well within his rights to express his views as part of the community of believers.

The other story which struck me was the unfortunate and horrific death of that young girl visiting from New York, and who was brutally slain, the day after she arrived in Jamaica, along with her cousin. This coupled with news coming from my church, that a female Anglican Priest. and a friend who served at my church in Kingston Jamaica, was, for reasons yet to be confirmed, severely beaten and left for dead. From all reports, when found she was pulseless, and but for the mercy of God, wold have become yet another statistic in my country. So, in the midst of a time of peace and goodwill to all men, and women, many Jamaicans mourned privately, and collectively, for our beloved country; one that is virtually under siege because of so many egregious acts of violence, perpetrated by men who have apparently lost their souls, and are willing and able to take another person’s life without any regret whatsoever.

THE WORD OF GOD

So what did The Lord God of Israel, the Creator of heaven and earth, who sent His Son Jesus, ” to save us from our sins”, on the first Christmas, lead me to read at this time. As you journey with me, note the message of God’s mercy and grace coursing through the entire week’s leading by The Lord . As this issue of God’s unfathomable compassion, given full expression in the life, death and resurrection of ” The Christ child”, is what I was led to understand in a very profound way this Christmas. And our response as ‘sinful persons’ before a righteous God is to repent and turn and accept Christ is Lord and Savior.

THE FIRST MESSAGE – SENT TO THE PERSONS AS NOTED BELOW AND SPEAKS TO THE COMMAND FROM GOD THAT ALL MEN NEED TO REPENT AND TURN TO HIM AND AWAY FROM WORTHLESS IDOLS. AND GOD’S MERCY. ALSO NOTE THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH, ESTABLISHED BY ‘THE CHRIST CHILD’, IN THIS GREAT ACT OF RECONCILIATION BETWEEN LOST AND SINFUL MANKIND AND A MERCIFUL GOD.

I just sent this message to journalists politicians and other members of civil society as part of an ongoing discussion of ” the correct faith”, and was told to send it to my church also. With the same warning. ” Share the gift with others, otherwise remember the fate of Jonah”.

THE MESSAGE
Between yesterday and this morning, The Lord led me through two completely different readings of His Word, in order to reveal the full extent of His compassion and mercy. Attributes of God which are manifest in the Birth, Death and Resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ, whose birth we will celebrate tomorrow.

The first one is from the book of Jonah. Which is not really all about Jonah, but about God’s mercy towards the ” great city of Nineveh”, which had ‘more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well’.
There are two passages in the book that stood out in my mind. One, when Jonah was in the belly of the fish, with his life ebbing away, he cried out to God in prayer:

” Those who cling to worthless idols
forfeit the grace that could be theirs”. 2:8

For Jonah as a Hebrew, knew the Living God, Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob. He knew that God was a God of grace and mercy and that idols were worthless, regardless of how impressive they may look, or how people worshiped them.
The good thing is that, the pagan city of Nineveh, which did not serve the Living God of the Jews, had heard about Him. And so when the call to repentance came, the King, the leader, by decree, called his people to repentance through fasting and prayer.

” Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat and drink……Let everyone call urgently upon God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn fro his fierce anger so that we will not perish”

And when God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He had compassion on them, and did not bring upon the city, the destruction He had threatened.
Jonah 3: 7-10 NIV

The question is, who in Jamaica will call our people to repentance? Who in this great city of Miami, in this great country of America, where the “Duck Dynasty” controversy has revealed, among other things, that many people ” don’t know their right hand from their left”; have no understanding of Sin, and of God’s Sovereign will for mankind, of God’s compassion and mercy in Christ Jesus; who will call this people to repentance?

The second reading gives a clear answer and more. As The Lord led me through the Book of Ephesians this morning, the following revelations jumped out at me.

1. That we cannot fully understand Christmas, Sin and God’s mercy unless we appreciate the history of Salvation. A History that began with the Jews.

“…..remember that at that time, you were separate from Christ, excluded from the citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ”. Ephesians 2: 12-13

I have read this passage many times, but never with this understanding, and in the context of Christmas. We really need to remember our history and give thanks to God in Christ Jesus, as at one time, all persons apart from the Jews, were without hope and without God. And more profoundly, before God in His mercy revealed Himself to the Jews, for His own reasons, which did not have anything to do with them – contrary to the belief of some Zionists – the entire human race was ” in Adam’ without hope and without God. Have mercy!

2. ” This mystery is that through the gospel the gentiles are heirs together with Israel…..I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make it plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which was for ages past was kept hidden in God who created all things. His intent was that now through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to the his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through him we may approach God in confidence.” 3: -12

Now, if anyone who any doubts about the role of the church in any society, this message from The Lord should disabuse the ignorant and doubters of any foolish notions; and more importantly reinforce in the minds of believer the high calling in Jesus Christ to which they have, and dare not shirk from it. For then who else will call the great country of Jamaica to repentance, and the great country of America to repentance! Otherwise, what will we say to The Lord on the day of Judgment when He certainly will ask, as Jesus in the parable did, ” what have you done with the gifts I gave you”. And more specifically, the gift of the Christ child at Christmas.

There is more anon. But until then Merry Christmas to you all.
From the great city of Miami.
LWJ

THE SECOND MESSAGE – ADDRESSES THE NEED FOR PRAYER WITHOUT CEASING, AND OBEDIENCE TO THE WORD, BY THOSE WHO CHRIST HAS APPOINTED A WATCHMEN IN ANY SOCIETY.

As I read an extended version of the OT lesson appointed for Sunday in the online Lectionary this morning, a verse early in Isaiah 61, jumped out at me; and I thought about my country and the mourning and grieving that many are experiencing on account of murder, and road crashes. Of course I also thought about Viviette, who I gather by God’s wonderful grace and mercy, is improving and recognizing people:

…to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion. 2b-3a.

Then my mind went back to my night time journey with Matthew, and last night’s question posed by John the Baptist to Jesus ( about which young Rev. Larius preached recently. ” Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect another?” ( Matt.11:3) And the answer which Jesus gave originated from the prophetic Word from the opening verses of chap 61. Amazing!

The Spirit of The Sovereign Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor……”

The perspective which came into my mind on Christmas night, concerns us, the body of Christ, who have been ” anointed” to call people to repentance. Are we demonstrating by our lives, to the powers and authorities, and evil forces who keep people captive, and according to the Word, ” lead them astray”, that we are the ones sent by God, or are they others to come? Are we the ones to bring comfort to those who mourn in Jamaica today?

Then on reading further on in chapter 62: 6 -7, the kind of lives we who have been anointed to bring good news to the poor, ….proclaim freedom for the captives…bind up the broken hearted…is revealed.

” I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
they will never be silent day or night.
You who call upon The Lord ,
give yourselves no rest till he establishes Jerusalem
and makes her the praise of his glory”.

No doubt Simeon, the righteous and devout man in Jerusalem ( Luke 2: 25) and others who waited patiently for the coming of the Messiah, who was to fulfill these and other prophesies, ‘ called upon The Lord day and night”; and therefore was able to exult when he took Jesus in his arms:

“Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.” (Luke 2:28-32 KJV)

As I write, I recall my experiences with my Pentecostal patients, some of whom have told me about all night praying services in their church, waiting upon The Lord. They have a special name for it, but I have forgotten. That however, is not our tradition, but I mention it to make the point, to which the Scriptures have led me this morning, and coming from last night:
That the rescuing of my country depends on the prayer life, the fervent prayer life of those whose righteousness is in Christ and Him crucified. And which prayers will avail much, if we ” give The Lord no rest” , until He establishes peace in our land. Whether in our time or not! For once it was the time of the prophets, and then the early church. Now it’s our turn to be faithful in prayer according to the Word in Isaiah, and then to be obedient according to the Word in James.

” Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” 4:22. A verse which invaded my soul a few days ago.

All of us are guilty of not ” calling upon The Lord and giving Him no rest”, and I am one of the chief offenders with all the distractions and trials of life around us. So we pray God for the grace for His anointed ones, so that we may be able to get pass merely listening to the Word, and be obedient. it is in this way that the captives will be set free, people will no longer mourn, and Viviette and others will be protected from evil. Amen
P.S. Hope you all had a wonderful day of peace and joy with family yesterday, as we did here in rainy, but thank God, not freezing cold, Miami, as is the unfortunate experience of those further north.

THE THIRD MESSAGE – SENT TO TWO PERSONS IN PARTICULAR, BUT OTHERS TOO, WHO HAVE THE POWER TO POINT PERSONS IN MY COUNTRY IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

This morning I sent the message below, as the latest episode of a conversation with my church family on prayer. As this time is a down time for both journalists and politicians, I figured you would have some time for reflection on transcendental issues. And therefore I thought about you and the need for a better understanding of the faith. The victim mentioned is a friend and an Anglican female Priest who was savagely beaten and left for dead early Christmas morning. But thank God, by grace she is recovering. May the Lord’s grace and mercy attend you and your family and this nation as you read and hopefully accept the prayer for you to be enabled by God to know Jesus. As there is no other way to know the Savior and help with the rescue mission as part of #TeamJamaica.
Peace
LWJ

THE MESSAGE

Friday, December 27, 2013 9:04 AM, Lucien Jones <lucienw.jones@gmail.com> wrote:
Last night as I read the meditation set out below by Chambers, my mind went immediately, praise God, to the words highlighted in one of my favourite hymns. This morning on awakening, I began my devotions with a reflection on the many glorious truths and challenges…misusings of thy grace…. of that hymn. And wondered how can we really escape the trap of languid prayers and dim faith…and wondered about those who really do not understand what Sin is all about, as according to Chambers and the Word….no one really knows what sin is until he is born again.
In this context then, in my night time journey with Matthew, I came upon this intriguing Word last night.
” No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whose the Son choses to reveal him” Matt. 11:27. Which is the same revelation found in John. ” ” No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him………” It is written in the Prophets: They will all be taught by God. Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me”…..’For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. he went on to say, This is why I told you that no one can come to the me unless the Father has enabled him. verses found in John 6.

What do I make of all of this? That we have to give God no rest in prayer! For ourselves….for the misusings of his grace; for our dearest and our best……from tainting mischief keep them white and clean; and perhaps more importantly, for all unbelievers, all who ‘ the god of this age has blinded their minds ( 2 Cor. 4:4), that ” the Father may enable them to come to know Jesus”. Those who murder, those who steal, those who the evil one moves them to beat helpless women to death. That the same grace that rescued Viviette, may rescue them too, and all of us who misuse this grace. That one day all of us may stand in the Light and because of the Blood of Jesus, nothing may be found in us for God to censure.

OSWALD CHAMBERS

DECEMBER 26
“Walk in the Light”
If we walk in the light as He is in the light . . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin -1 John 1:7

To mistake freedom from sin only on the conscious level of our lives for complete deliverance from sin by the atonement through the Cross of Christ is a great error. No one fully knows what sin is until he is born again. Sin is what Jesus Christ faced at Calvary. The evidence that I have been delivered from sin is that I know the real nature of sin in me. For a person to really know what sin is requires the full work and deep touch of the atonement of Jesus Christ, that is, the imparting of His absolute perfection.

The Holy Spirit applies or administers the work of the atonement to us in the deep unconscious realm as well as in the conscious realm. And it is not until we truly perceive the unrivaled power of the Spirit in us that we understand the meaning of 1 John 1:7 , which says, “. . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” This verse does not refer only to conscious sin, but also to the tremendously profound understanding of sin which only the Holy Spirit in me can accomplish.
I must “walk in the light as He is in the light . . .”- not in the light of my own conscience, but in God’s light. If I will walk there, with nothing held back or hidden, then this amazing truth is revealed to me: “. . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses [me] from all sin” so that God Almighty can see nothing to rebuke in me.

On the conscious level it produces a keen, sorrowful knowledge of what sin really is. The love of God working in me causes me to hate, with the Holy Spirit’s hatred for sin, anything that is not in keeping with God’s holiness. To “walk in the light” means that everything that is of the darkness actually drives me closer to the center of the light.

THE HYMN
1 And now, O Father, mindful of the love
That bought us, once for all, on Calvary’s tree,
And having with us Him that pleads above,
We here present, we here spread forth to Thee,
That only offering perfect in Thine eyes,
The one true, pure, immortal sacrifice.

2 Look, Father, look on His anointed face,
And only look on us as found in Him;
Look not on our misusings of Thy grace
Our prayer so languid, and our faith so dim;
For lo! between our sins and their reward,
We set the Passion of Thy Son our Lord.

3 And then for those, our dearest and our best,
By this prevailing presence we appeal;
Oh, fold them closer to Thy mercy’s breast!
Oh, do Thine utmost for their souls’ true weal!
From tainting mischief keep them white and clear,
And crown Thy gifts with strength to persevere.

4 And so we come; Oh, draw us to Thy feet,
Most patient Savior, Who canst love us still!
And by this Food, so awful and so sweet,
Deliver us from every touch of ill:
In Thine own service make us glad and free,
And grant us nevermore to part with Thee.
Amen.
The Hymnal: revised and enlarged as adopted by the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America in the year of our Lord 1892 Amen.

THE FINAL TWO MESSAGES- SENT AGAIN TO PERSONS OF INFLUENCE WHO NEEED TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTAND OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH AND SHARES A PROFOUND WORD ABOUT THE MERCY OF GOD

My night time journey with Matthew continues….” If you had known what these words mean, I desire mercy, not sacrifice you would have not condemned the innocent”. Matthew 12:7-8
As I read these words tonight, just now, my mind went to the James passage about mercy.

” Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment”. James 2:12-13 NIV
Later on James, in my Bible is a reference to mercy by Alexander Pope…

” Teach me to feel another’s woe,
To hide the fault I see;
That mercy I to others show,
that mercy shown to me”.

The context in both passages of Scripture has to do with The Sabbath and The Law. One, a part of the other, and which consideration/debate still continues to divide the church family until this day, The most visible manifestation of which is the “keeping of the Sabbath”, by the SDA church and others. And they, hopefully will come to a deeper understanding of grace and mercy one day.
We can, however, learn much about mercy from this passage, as was revealed to me tonight.

1. That the promotion , and sanction, of violence towards any group of persons, whether or not they are disobedient to God’s Word, is not of God, but of the devil. In this context then, Buju Banton and Beenie Man, or any other artiste, are to be condemned to the extent that they are guilty of any such practice. And this may explain, in part, the rapid reinstatement of the Duck Dynasty show on AE; although many concede that money played a huge role in that situation.

2. That Bishop Tutu’s assertion that he could never believe in a God who hated homosexuals, must be understood in this context. As the God we serve is a merciful and forgiving God, who is full of compassion towards all He has created in His own image, And therefore, as His Word says, vengeance, or the ” bringing down of His wrath” on anyone, is His decision alone. As who are we therefore, as grateful recipients of God’s mercy towards all mankind, in and through Christ Jesus, to judge others.

3. Which is what I hear Pope Francis trying to say, in the midst of the ‘noise’ that accompanies the discussion of ” hot button ” issues. Not that he is condoning wrong, but his understanding of mercy is at the forefront of his utterances. The very point that was made in the message sent yesterday.
May the Lord’s peace with you all, as we continue to learn more about the Word of God, and apply it to life in Jamaica and beyond, as part of #TeamJamaica; on a mission to rescue our beloved and beleaguered country from crime and violence, immorality and ignorance about God’s truth.
LWJ

THE FINAL WORD – ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF REJECTING CHRIST THE STONE THAT CAUSES MEN TO STUMBLE

Early this morning, we have been sleeping late the entire time, as the mornings are dark in Miami, The Lord woke me up to read 1 Peter. And to share with you this Word; in this context that, ultimately, ” God judges each man’s work impartially”. Therefore, we should be careful how we focus on ” the rescuing of Jamaica”, and more on our own souls. As Jamaica will not be judged, but each one of us before God, when He comes again. Clearly, however, the more we believe and obey the Word as individuals, ‘Be holy, because I am holy”, and “love our neighbour as we love ourselves”, with Justice and Mercy, the more we will receive from God, the peace and the prosperity that has eluded us thus far. Unfortunately, the converse is also true; the more we continue, individually to ” reject the living stone”, to that extent, collectively, as a nation, we will continue to ” stumble”. Which is what the death of that young 19 year old visitor from NY, along with her relative, is teaching us. I pray God we be more discerning and obedient in 2014.

THE WORD

As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him – you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.’ Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,’ and, ‘A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.’ They stumble because they disobey the message – which is also what they were destined for. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (1 Peter 2:4-12 NIVUK

I pray that we who have been appointed by God to bear witness to the Light who is Christ and Him crucified will ‘step up to the plate’ and be obedient to the Word in 2014.

Amen.

LWJ

Merry Christmas in Jamaica and in the USA

Merry Christmas in Jamaica and in the USA.

Merry Christmas in Jamaica and in the USA

I read my Bible to see what men ought to do; and read my newspapers to see what men are doing. -John Newton.

O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing Charles Wesley
O for a thousand songs to sing My dear Redeemer’s praise The glories of my God and King The triumphs of his grace!
My gracious Master and my God Assist me to proclaim And spread through all the earth abroad The honors of thy name
Jesus! the name that charms our fears And bids our sorrows cease ‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears, ‘Tis life and health and peace.

THE NEWS 1. An impressive demonstration of talent — and people power — climaxed last week when “The Voice” contestant Tessanne Chin won the finals of the NBC-TV music reality show. Chin — who hails from Jamaica — won a record deal, $100,000 and immeasurable international and Internet popularity. Across the U.S., an amazing grassroots, small business and corporate initiative was created in Caribbean diaspora communities to help support Chin through the competition. Tessanne won, but so did the people power movement, which could conceivably be marshaled to aid the Caribbean people in the U.S. and the region.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/people-power-voice-article-1.1555495#ixzz2oJqLjGPm

2. Conservative “Duck Dynasty” patriarch Phil Robertson was caught flapping his gums in an anti-gay tirade three years before his suspension for similar remarks. A video captured the gray-bearded reality show icon clutching a Bible in his right hand while roundly condemning homosexuality at a 2010 Pennsylvania church dinner. “Gross sexual immorality,” he declared loudly during his lengthy address at the “Wild Game Supper” in the Berean Baptist Church (seen at 17:30 in the video below). “They will dishonor their bodies with one another, degrade each other,” continues Robertson. “Is that going on in the United States of America? Look around. … Boy, is there some immorality going on around here.”….New York Daily News Monday December 23,2013.

@lucienforJesus: …..I have not come to bring peace but a sword.Mat 10:34. And in the midst of Christmas, at a time of peace, there is ‘war’ #duckdynasty. A tweet I sent out as inspired by God’s Word

THE WORD OF GOD
The reason for this delayed mail out of the usual Sunday message has to do with a celebration of a significant event in the life of my family. I am currently in the USA with my children and grandchildren, and my wife and myself were ‘taken on the town’ until fairly late last night. So in the midst of all of this celebration, spending time with the grandchildren, and being overwhelmed by ” American News” on Television – I barely got a chance to see Tessanne’s homecoming on a video posted on line – what did The Lord say to me this past week.

First of all in an e- mail I sent to folks back home this week, I made the point that, while we were all overjoyed as members of #TeamTeassanne, to witness her historic win on The Voice, we are all sobered by the reality of murder most foul rearing its ugly head, once again, in Montego-Bay and its environs. And as noted in the report of Tessanne’s victory in the New York Daily News, many of us wonder, and perhaps even dream, if the same energy which mobilized Jamaicans abroad to unite with Jamaicans at home, could also be use to galvanize us as # TeamJamaica to fight against crime and violence ‘killing’ our country. But in order to do that we would have to face the reality that, as a people we have rebelled against the Living God and forgotten His Word, and thus we are reaping the consequences. The hope is that as in the Book of Jonah, like the great city of Nineveh, Jamaica too will repent, and find favor with God once again.

THE FIRST MESSAGE – written and sent the day before TessAnne’s victory, to influential members of civil society.

THE MESSAGE

You can almost write the script! Whether Tessanne wins or not, and it would be a travesty if she did not after last night’s performance, and the week before, she will move on with her life. Perhaps Adam will continue to feature in some way shape of form as her career takes off. And then again maybe not. Who knows! But she will become an Internationally acclaimed star. And people across the globe, will continue to download her songs on iTunes, long after # Teamtessanne parties are all over. Piers Morgan shall long be remembered for his dramatic tweet last night and Deika will forever be in Tessanne’s heart. But her life will move on. Not so the other main story featured by Dionne Jakson-Miller on BTH last evening. 14 dead in one week! A story also featured in the Daily Gleaner, “St. James under siege.” A story which features the chronic problem of crime and violence which continues to bedevil our country, and for which no lasting solution has been found in decades. During the interview, both the Policeman and the Politician, Dr. Horace Chang, correctly pointed out that although ” hard policing” has a role, social intervention is the key to the long term solution. This morning, I was led to The WORD OF GOD which points to a spiritual solution.

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. You said, “No, we will flee on horses.” Therefore you will flee! You said, “We will ride off on swift horses.” Therefore your pursuers will be swift! A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee away, till you are left like a flagstaff on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill. ’ Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! (Isaiah 30:15-18 NIVUK)
This Word needs no explanation. The point is very clear for those who have eyes to see. What is remarkable, is the similarity with another Word in Deuteronomy which has long bothered me. Words from the song of Moses as he prepared to exit this life after the promised land was in sight and Joshua was about to take over. He predicted the rebellion that would take place. Read carefully how it begins, and continues in the following except:
Listen, you heavens, and I will speak; hear, you earth, the words of my mouth. Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants. I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. They are corrupt and not his children; to their shame they are a warped and crooked generation. Is this the way you repay the Lord, you foolish and unwise people? Is he not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you? Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you. In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, The Lord alone led him; no foreign god was with him. He made him ride on the heights of the land and fed him with the fruit of the fields. He nourished him with honey from the rock, and with oil from the flinty crag, Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; filled with food, they became heavy and sleek. They abandoned the God who made them and rejected the Rock their Saviour. They made him jealous with their foreign gods and angered him with their detestable idols. They sacrificed to false gods, which are not God – gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your ancestors did not fear. You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth. The Lord saw this and rejected them because he was angered by his sons and daughters. ‘I will hide my face from them,’ he said, ‘and see what their end will be; for they are a perverse generation, children who are unfaithful. ‘I will heap calamities on them and expend my arrows against them. I will send wasting famine against them, consuming pestilence and deadly plague; I will send against them the fangs of wild beasts, the venom of vipers that glide in the dust. They are a nation without sense, there is no discernment in them. If only they were wise and would understand this and discern what their end will be! How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the Lord had given them up? (Deuteronomy 32:1-7, 10, 12, 13, 15-20, 23, 24, 28-30 NIVUK)

Throughout the Bible the evidence is that God does not give up on anyone. Rather, it is mankind that makes the choice, the foolish choice, to cease depending on God. And suffers the inevitable consequences.
So, will we, after being warned, and confronted with the Word, respond like the obstinate people in Isaiah:

They say to the seers, ‘See no more visions!’ and to the prophets, ‘Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions. Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!’ (Isaiah 30:10, 11 NIVUK) and suffer the consequence of continually being “chased a thousand or two thousand gunmen”, putting an entire nation to flight.

Or will we as a people repent, like the great city of Nineveh, and find peace with The Lord who longs to be gracious to Jamaica. And whose love is unfailing, and the evidence is there for all to see on Calvary! That decision lies in our hands, unlike Tessanne, whose chances of winning The Voice, are in the hands of unpredictable voters. Peace. LWJ

THE SECOND MESSAGE – SENT TO MY PASTOR AND MEMBERS OF MY CHURCH, SPEAKS TO BURNING AND TOPICAL QUESTION OF OBEDIENCE. AND HOW IT IS POSSIBLE FOR US TO LEARN TO BE OBEDIENT, IN THE SAME WAY THAT JESUS DID. THIS ISSUE OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD REGARDLESS OF OUR CIRCUMSTANCES AND POSSIBLE EXPERIENCE OF SUFFERING, LIES AT THE HEART OF ANY POSSIBLE RESCUE OF MY COUNTRY FROM THIS TERRIBLE SCOURGE OF CRIME AND VIOLENCE

THE MESSAGE …..for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. (Isaiah 7:16 NIVUK)
Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him (Hebrews 5:8, 9 NIVUK)
As I read the OT reading this morning on line in Miami ( came up yesterday) and was led to reflect on the message which followed it, as set out above, I recall a very interesting conversation we had in the vestry before service one morning, based on the Hebrew passage.
Again the confirmation that Jesus choose to do what was right, despite being fully man, ( and fully God, what a profound mystery! ) and therefore subject to the temptation that all fallen mankind face. To do what is wrong.! To rebel against God’s holy and perfect will.
And as you correctly pointed out, we too can choose to do what is right, because of Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit which comes to us at Baptism. Then we spend our lives learning to be obedient to the Spirit. What a journey!
I am currently re-reading Augustine’s Confessions ( in a sense as I don’t think I finished it) . And didn’t he go on such a journey, and how the world has been a spiritually richer place for it. So too must we accept the various disciplines and trials that our Heavenly Father sends our ways, in order that we too may leave this place a bit better that how we found it; and also more importantly, share in His holiness, which is the ultimate goal of the journey.
I hope all of us will learn to accept the circumstances in which God has placed us, ( and in my experience, it oftentimes requires great discernment to distinguish His will, from persecution – about which we need to pray without ceasing for deliverance) as in so doing, the view of one of those who went before us, is that, in such a fashion we learn to crucify self. And it is only by the slow death of self, that Christ will reign in our hearts, and then we will do what is right – God’s holy and perfect will. Merry Christmas to you my Rector and your family, and your staff, when it comes, as you have helped us along the way. Lucien
P.S. In respect of trusting God during trials, and suffering, I found Isaiah 7:9 very instructive:
” If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all”. All of this in context of God’s assurance to the House of David, that those who plotted their downfall would not succeed. ” it will not take place, it will not happen…verse 7. And the prophecy, about the coming of Jesus , was a sign of God’s faithfulness in the midst of trials, shared before the promised deliverance. So too must we rejoice before our deliverance, as the evidence is there, as Rev. Larius pointed out in that wonderful sermon on Sunday at 6:30.

THE FINAL MESSAGE – AGAIN SENT TO MY RECTOR AND CHURCH MEMBERS IS REMARKABLE IN THE WAY THE REVELATION UNFOLDED. AND SPEAKS TO THE NEED TO BE CONSTANTLY IMMERSED IN GOD’S WORD. THE NEWS ITEM ABOUT THE DUCK DYNASTY IS ALSO TREATED IN THIS MESSAGE, BUT ONLY IN PASSING, AS THE KEY MESSAGE IS THE IMPORTANCE OF CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED, AND THAT WITHOUT AN APPRECIATION OF THE REALITY OF SIN, CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IS ONLY ENGAGING IN ‘AMIABLE’ RELIGIOSITY. WHICH IS WHAT THE FORCES OF EVIL WOULD LIKE TO PERPETUATE.

THE MESSAGE

This is how the message from yesterday continued. Last night while continuing my journey with Matthew, I came up on two verses in particular, which, on the one hand, lifted me spiritually, and also validated, once again, the importance of this ministry. And so I sent both of them by text to persons as directed by The Lord.
” So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matthew 10:31. What is whispered in your ear proclaim it from the roofs. vs 27. Thank God for divine whispers.
Then last night, in my dreams, The Lord spoke very clearly about St. Paul’s exhortation that we proclaim ” Christ and him crucified”. This after reading Oswald Chambers meditation as my final bed time reading discipline. As you read the profound message below, substitute the final sentence in the second paragraph with ” The great note today is amiable religiosity”, which is how it appears in my book vs. the on line edition. A far more powerful and apt description of how many persons, within ( very sadly) and without the church, regard Christianity in this age. Thus provoking one sage of old, Dorothy Sayers to pen these words: ” I believe it to be a grave mistake to present Christianity as something charming and popular with no offense in it. A quote I found buried in the words in my Classics Devotional Bible, of St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. Which is where the verse about ” Christ and him crucified” is to be found. 1 Cor. chap 1-2.

OSWALD CHAMBERS – DECEMBER 20TH And I, if I am lifted up . . . will draw all peoples to Myself -John 12:32

Very few of us have any understanding of the reason why Jesus Christ died. If sympathy is all that human beings need, then the Cross of Christ is an absurdity and there is absolutely no need for it. What the world needs is not “a little bit of love,” but major surgery.
When you find yourself face to face with a person who is spiritually lost, remind yourself of Jesus Christ on the cross. If that person can get to God in any other way, then the Cross of Christ is unnecessary. If you think you are helping lost people with your sympathy and understanding, you are a traitor to Jesus Christ. You must have a right-standing relationship with Him yourself, and pour your life out in helping others in His way- not in a human way that ignores God. The theme of the world’s religion today is to serve in a pleasant, non-confrontational manner.
But our only priority must be to present Jesus Christ crucified- to lift Him up all the time (see 1 Corinthians 2:2). Every belief that is not firmly rooted in the Cross of Christ will lead people astray. If the worker himself believes in Jesus Christ and is trusting in the reality of redemption, his words will be compelling to others. What is extremely important is for the worker’s simple relationship with Jesus Christ to be strong and growing. His usefulness to God depends on that, and that alone.
The calling of a New Testament worker is to expose sin and to reveal Jesus Christ as Savior. Consequently, he cannot always be charming and friendly, but must be willing to be stern to accomplish major surgery. We are sent by God to lift up Jesus Christ, not to give wonderfully beautiful speeches. We must be willing to examine others as deeply as God has examined us. We must also be sharply intent on sensing those Scripture passages that will drive the truth home, and then not be afraid to apply them.

But the trigger for the continuation of yesterday’s message came early in chap 1: ” Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gifts as you eagerly await for our Lord Jesus to be revealed”…vs 7.
Having read it I felt a powerful urge to find another chapter where the Bible exhorts us to seek the right gifts. So I turned to Galatians and found this:
” So I say live by the Spirit……” 5:16.
And St Paul goes on to describe the fruit of the Spirit and the fruit of the sinful nature. Which is precisely what the message yesterday was all about. Choosing to be obedient to the Spirit. That’s what Jesus did. And that’s what we are empowered to do by the same Holy Spirit. Otherwise we will commit “acts of the sinful nature”, which are ” contrary to the Spirit”. This is what I heard last night, and again this morning, that unless one understands Sin, and the acts of the sinful nature, one can never truly understand Christmas. This lack, then, is precisely why Christmas, in the minds of some, is just about amiable religiosity, with no offense in it. And if we are not careful, we too will be guilty of this terrible charge, and thus as St Paul warns, in another context, become ” traitors to the cross”.
You must have heard by now the controversy brewing in the USA over the comments of a actor in a popular reality show, aired on AE channel. And for which comments the show has been suspended. Yesterday CNN gave it top billing…before the Obama press conference. At the heart of the discussion, in my view, despite the theological mistakes made by the actor who has been labeled as a conservative right wing Christian, is the unwillingness or ignorance of those who perhaps represent a huge section of the American public, to accept the concept of Sin. This is the most serious challenge that we face in this world. But fear not, as the Epistle to Diognetus, one of the most important letters preserved from the early church, tells us, this problem has always challenged the church.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY
Epistle to Diognetus Verse: Galatians 5:16

CHAPTER VI — THE RELATION OF CHRISTIANS TO THE WORLD.
To sum up all in one word–what the soul is in the body, that are Christians in the world. The soul is dispersed through all the members of the body, and Christians are scattered through all the cities of the world. The soul dwells in the body, yet is not of the body; and Christians dwell in the world, yet are not of the world. The invisible soul is guarded by the visible body, and Christians are known indeed to be in the world, but their godliness remains invisible. The flesh hates the soul, and wars against it, though itself suffering no injury, because it is prevented from enjoying pleasures; the world also hates the Christians, though in nowise injured, because they abjure pleasures. The soul loves the flesh that hates it, and [loves also] the members; Christians likewise love those that hate them. The soul is imprisoned in the body, yet preserves that very body; and Christians are confined in the world as in a prison, and yet they are the preservers of the world. The immortal soul dwells in a mortal tabernacle; and Christians dwell as sojourners in corruptible [bodies], looking for an incorruptible dwelling in the heavens. The soul, when but ill-provided with food and drink, becomes better; in like manner, the Christians, though subjected day by day to punishment, increase the more in number. God has assigned them this illustrious position, which it were unlawful for them to forsake.The Right kind of help

The modern translation begins with:
The relation of the Christian to the world is that of a soul to the body. As the soul is dispersed……..
and ends with a higher sounding call……Such is the high post of duty in which God has placed them, and it is their moral duty not to shrink from it.

Then as I went for my morning walk, The Lord reminded me that although the letter deal with Sin, and the call to Christians to ” fight valiantly against evil ” which is our Baptismal pledge, we are not to limit ourselves to moral sins. As it is sinful for some to be rich while others starve. And so Christians are also called to engage in the struggle for Justice, wherever injustice rears its ugly head….” In as much as you have done it unto one of the least of these, you have done it unto me. The conversation also turned to the wiles of Satan. In the sense that the most common way that people describe Christmas, is that it is the season of giving, and of good will to all men. Without the necessary emphasis on the fact that, it is the ” self-giving” of God in Christ Jesus which is the hallmark of the season. And that the good will, about which many speak so glibly, is the beginning of the process of rescuing mankind from Son and death, so that they may not perish, all because of God’s unfailing love, which was ultimately manifested on the Cross of Calvary. That is why, for the child of God, ” Christ and him Crucified”, must always be in our minds and on our lips. At Christmas. On Boxing Day. On New Year’s Day. And every single day all year round. So we thank God for ‘ Divine Whispers’ as we continue to celebrate Christmas. And may the God of Jacob protect us from’ Amiable religiosity’, now and forevermore.

Peace. And Merry Christmas
LWJ

Do you hear what I hear, A song, a song, high above the trees…..a verse from a Christmas Carol.

I read my Bible to see what men ought to do; and read my newspapers to see what men are doing – John Newton.

Lord renew thy church beginning with me; Lord renew thy church that the church may renew the nation(s) – a Prayer.

THE NEWS

What did I hear this week – from the ‘newspapers’.

(1). That Pope Benedict is Time Magazine’s Man of The Year. For the following reasons as posted on their online webpage:
“He took the name of a humble saint and then called for a church of healing. The first non-European pope in 1,200 years is poised to transform a place that measures change by the century

Read more: Person of the Year | TIME picks the person who most influenced the news each year….”

(2).That Crime and Violence continues to be a major problem for my country Jamaica
Adrian Frater, News Editor The Daily Gleaner http://www.go-jamaica

Western Bureau:

Montego Bay, St James, is on the edge again.

Residents cower in the wake of the latest violence, which is reminding them of several similar periods of bloodletting they had to endure in the past decade.

Twelve persons’ lives have been snuffed out by ruthless criminals in several incidents, including a triple murder and two double murders in the past week.

In the latest incident, a 36-year-old woman, Monique Watson of Rose Heights in St James, was shot and killed by a gunman who reportedly walked into her hairdressing parlour and shot her at point-blank range.

(3) That one does not have to profess Christianity to be magnanimous and compassionate… contextualized in a column written by our award winning journalist Ian Boyne, writing in the In Focus section of the Daily Gleaner today

……One of the striking things about Mandela is his appeal to every shade of the ideological spectrum. I have read right-wing extremist publications which have praised him since his death, forced to agree that he turned his back on an easy path of recrimination and revenge. There was nothing inevitable about his path of forgiveness and peace which he took. It was the road less travelled. Even Marxists who have pointed to the many problems which beset capitalist South Africa still concede that Mandela was an extraordinary leader.

A SPIRITUAL MAN

Interestingly and incidentally, Mandela did not profess Christianity. Indeed, he seemed quite indifferent to any religion at all. But he clearly was a spiritual person. His life proves that one need not be a Christian to be magnanimous, compassionate, loving and forgiving. One does not have to be a Christian to be a good person. Nor does one have to be religious to be touched by humanitarian values.

It is noteworthy that many politicians who have professed Christianity have been hateful, vengeful, bitter and oppressive, while a humanitarian like Mandela, who was not even certain about an afterlife, could have lived so selflessly and so compassionately…….

(4) Tessanne Chin is ” trending’ right now in Jamaica, as the finals for NBC’s The Voice comes up tomorrow Monday December 16th. The entire country, and the extended family in the diaspora is just waiting to exhale. The mobilization to have everybody with a Jamaican connection in the USA voted ten times and download her songs on iTunes, in the words of the young people, has been ‘amazing’. so we wait with bated breath.

THE WORD OF GOD

What did I hear from reading God’s Word this week, as I contemplated Mandela’s Memorial service, his Funeral, and the countdown to Tessanne’s appearance in the finals of The Voice. A call for repentance, as we acknowledge the high profile nature of personalities in the news this week, but note that the Christmas message trumps everything else, every time, everywhere. For while the exploits of Mandela and Tessanne chin gladdens our hearts, the message of the Christ child causes us to pause. As the Christmas message is essentially a call to bow down before the Almighty ‘made flesh’, and repent and be baptized.

THE FIRST MESSAGE SENT LEADERS IN CIVIL SOCIETY IN MY COUNTRY

As I was led from one section of Holy Bible to another, without any thought on my part, one thing struck me in both passages: The Sovereign God who, with His
” great power and outstretched arm made the heaven and earth and its people”, ” handed over” to wicked men, under the Old Covenant, His Chosen people, and in the New Covenant, His Son Christ Jesus.

In the Old Covenant, those who refused to be subject to the ‘yoke’ of the Babylonians, were promised punishment. Further, God warned His people, not to listen to the foolishness of the ‘prophets’ of the day.
And now under the New Covenant, which He made with all men, with the death of Christ on the Cross, all who subject themselves to the ‘yoke’ of Christ, repent and be baptized, will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

On the one hand, refusal to submit resulted in punishment, and obedience led to peace; on the other hand, obedience to the yoke of the Son leads to peace, and disobedience to everlasting punishment. And so once again, as God did in under the Old Covenant, He has placed before us life and death. We must chose life in Christ Jesus. And in order to fully submit, and find life, in Christ Jesus, we must leave behind our own ambitions, our own desires, our own understanding of life, our own passions, what others claim is ‘wisdom’, but in fact is pure foolishness in the sight of God; in fact our very own selves.

What does all of this have to do with TessAnne and Mandela? The lives of both are ” trending ” now in Jamaica. But across the entire world, only Mandela is ” trending”. Why? I listened to TessAnne last night and was blown away by her rendition of ” Bridge over troubles waters”. And tweeted about it, and was retweeted. She put her whole soul into that song. And we enjoyed it and felt ‘lifted up’. But Mandela gave his life for others. Sacrificed his marriage, his family life, his physical being, his all for others. And thus we praise him and salute him today and for the rest of the week. And ‘lift him up’. How much more then, shall we love and adore, praise and lift up the Name, bow down and submit to Him, Jesus the Christ, who suffered and died for me and for you, so that we may not perish, but have life, and life more abundantly.
# ILOVEYOUJESUS.
LWJ

I pray God that you too will lift Him up as you read the very Word of God, from Jeremiah and from the Acts of The Apostles, and find the peace that invaded my soul yesterday as I read;
” But the eyes of The Lord are on those
who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.
to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine”. Psalm 33:18-19 NIV

THE WORD – JEREMIAH

Early in the reign of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord : this is what the Lord said to me: ‘Make a yoke out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck. Then send word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah.

Give them a message for their masters and say, “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Tell this to your masters: with my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth and its people and the animals that are on it, and I give it to anyone I please. Now I will give all your countries into the hands of my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.

All nations will serve him and his son and his grandson until the time for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate him. ‘“‘If, however, any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon or bow its neck under his yoke, I will punish that nation with the sword, famine and plague, declares the Lord, until I destroy it by his hand. So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your interpreters of dreams, your mediums or your sorcerers who tell you, “You will not serve the king of Babylon.” They prophesy lies to you that will only serve to remove you far from your lands; I will banish you and you will perish. But if any nation will bow its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let that nation remain in its own land to till it and to live there, declares the Lord.’”’ (Jeremiah 27:1-11 NIVUK)

THE WORD – ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

‘Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him……..

‘Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.’ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’

Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.’ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’

Those who accepted his message were baptised, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:22-24, 36-47 NIVUK)

THE SECOND LESSON ALSO SENT TO LEADERS IN MY COUNTRY –
IS ALL ABOUT HOW GOD’S WORD TRUMPS EVERY OTHER WORD. EVERY OTHER PHILOSOPHY, VERY OTHER IDEOLOGY EVER TO BE CRAFTED BY MAN

On my way to work, for some reason I turned on the radio – very unusual for me of late – and tuned in to BBC to listen to commentary on Mandela’s Memorial service. I heard, and heard about, Obama’s very special tribute to Madiba. Once again, I was very impressed, and almost got goose bumps listening to him, as I very much did during his speech after his victory in the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries way back in the early days. But there was a jarring note as I listened to him quoting the words of the poem which Mandela used to inspired him during the, ” long dark night of the soul”, on Robben Island. “I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.” It really disturbed my soul as the whole concept of one being the captain of one’s soul runs contrary to my understanding of the Christian faith. And as listened to the commentary on RJRFM and NationwidenewsFM on the way home, I thought about it even more.

Last night then, as I was led to read a section of St. Augustine’s “Confessions” ( that Bishop of the early church and he who has been credited with having had a profound influence the mind of all of us in the Western world) , I was led to the passage of Scripture from St Paul’s letter to the Colossians as set out below. And then this morning to the passage from the book of Corinthians.

A lot of thoughts came into my head as I contemplated this revelation. However I am constrained only to make the following comments. I quite understand why Mandela and others would have been drawn to the profound words in the poem. I quite understand why President Obama, an orator of no mean order, and a man who has an acute sense of history, forged in the crucible of his life experiences, would be drawn to it also. But as children of God, ” washed in the Blood of the Lamb”, we have to be eternally vigilant, to proclaim at all times, to Whom we look, and from Whom, our salvation comes. So, with the Colossians passage in mind, examine the poem, as Augustine examined Circero’s ( the celebrated Greek, or was it Roman, Poet) Hortensius, and was led to understand that wisdom comes only from God. As Job found out also…..the beginning of wisdom is to shun evil. Let anyone should boast before this Almighty God.! As we do so, perhaps, just perhaps, we might find that, in the same way the American people, and we too in Jamaica, are discovering that within us, in Tessanne, was a pearl of great price undiscovered, so too, in these Scriptures, I pray God that we may discover pearls of inestimable value. For the ages!.
Peace
LWJ

THE WORD OF GOD – COLOSSIANS

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. (Colossians 2:8 NIVUK)

THE WORD OF MAN – INVICTUS BY WILLIAM ERNEST HENLEY

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeoning of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

THE WORD OF GOD – ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: ‘People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship – and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

‘The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.

God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. “For in him we live and move and have our being.” As some of your own poets have said, “We are his offspring.”

‘Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone – an image made by human design and skill. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.’ (Acts 17:22-29, 31 NIVUK)

THE WORD OF GOD – 1ST CORINTHIANS

For Christ did not send me to baptise, but to preach the gospel – not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.’ Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.’ (1 Corinthians 1:17-28, 30, 31 NIVUK)

THE THIRD MESSAGE – AGIN SENT TO LEADERS IN MY CHURCH.

I have long ceased believing in coincidence. So when I read a word one night and an even more important Word in the morning, and think of those who are in error as far as the Truth is concerned, I am led to write accordingly. I pray God for mercy for my many, many sins without ceasing. I pray God also for mercy for those who do not know the correct faith, or who have turned away or continue to ignore the Truth. For the consequence of both my sin and the error of others is the same. Death!

THIS MORNING.

THE WORD OF GOD FROM THE BOOK OF JAMES
” My brothers, if anyone of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from his way will save him from death and cover a multitude of sins.” James 5:19-29 NIV

A COUPLE NIGHTS AGO

EXCERPT FROM AUGUSTINE’S CONFESSIONS

“…..But while I would not let this man offer sacrifice for me to his devils, all the time I was offering myself as a sacrifice to them because of my false beliefs. For if we ‘ play shepherd to the wind’, we find pasture for the devil, because by straying from the truth we give them food for laughter and fill their cups with pleasure.” Book 1V, page 72, the final paragraph.

Final Comment: I would humbly suggest to you then my friend(s) that this is no ordinary conversation about the correct faith. This is no exercise in theological reasoning or a philosophical debate, but rather a desperate appeal for you to turn to the living God. To The One who handed over His Son to die for you and for me. To The One who offered Himself as a sacrifice for all mankind on Calvary, so that we should live and not perish. And save your soul.
Peace

THE FOURTH MESSAGE – SENT TO PEOPLE OF INFLUENCE IN MY COUNTRY.
I HOPE IT MAKES YOU AS UNCOMFORTABLE AS I DID AS I WROTE AND CONTEMPLATED WHAT THE LORD WAS SAYING. WHICH IS A THOUGHT TRIGGERED BY A SERMON BY A YOUNG PRIEST TODAY IN MY CHURCH. THE EXCERPT BELOW IS WHAT ISENT TO MY CHURCH FAMILY AS I DISCUSSED THE WORD FROM THE LORD.

……And I took pictures and heard a great sermon. Almost full length. And on a subject that people need to hear. Even if it makes them uncomfortable, as one of Rev. Larius’ former tutors suggested that sermons should accomplish…I agree ….perhaps not all the time, but certainly sometimes…. Things are changing. For the better! At least from a non-regular 6:30 person.

SERMON – BY REV. LARIUS

Came to him as he meditated on the gospel reading about John the Baptist and Jesus. Firstly, that the people of God must always speak up and speak out for the truth. No matter what is cost! John was executed by King Herod because he accused the monarch of committing immorality. And then he expanded on that theme for a while. Secondly that John, while in prison, had doubts about who Jesus really was…..”are you the one, or is there someone else to come”. Jesus answered him by pointing to the evidence, evidence and not with words….the deaf hear…the blind see…captives are set free…and the good news is preached to the poor. So must we rely on the evidence of God’s goodness and faithfulness in our lives, not if, but when we lest expect it…. trials, illnesses, and pain and even the death of loves ones come. At that time rather than grieve, or give up as some have done, in the face of great trials…bring to mind, look again at the evidence at when god in former times, demonstrated His faithfulness. And the One who was faithful then, will remain faithful always, even when you cannot understand why.

THE MESSAGE – AGAIN SENT TO PEOPLE OF INFLUENCE IN MY CHURCH

With all the talk in Jamaica and indeed across the entire globe, about Homosexuality and Christianity, and no doubt the Pope’s ” enlightened/compassionate views” on the matter which inter alia contributed to him being named, Time Magazine’s Man of The Year, this Word of God struck a chord in my heart this morning. I came upon it as I did an extended reading of the Gospel appointed for the third Sunday in Advent in my church, Matthew 11:2-11.

Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. ‘Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.’ (Matthew 11:20-24 NIVUK)

Comment: The important point that Jesus was making was that all who witnessed His miracle had no excuse, if they kept on living a sinful life. And therefore they would be judged more severely at the end of the age when He would come again not as Savior but as Judge of ” the living and the dead”.

Now, what do we read into this as we approach Christmas in Jamaica as 2013 draws to a close. At a time when violent crime continues to the number one concern for our people. At a time when the economic situation has never been worse, and ” no dollars nah run”, and everybody is feeling the pinch. At a time when homosexuality continues to be a ‘hot button” issue in Jamaica.
The following thoughts came into my mind.

1. The main reason why Sam Sharpe is my favorite Nation Hero is that he taught black people, that because Christ died for them, no man had any right to enslave them. The most liberating message that mankind has ever heard. That all men under God are equal. So we in Jamaica, have no excuse, and for others who have not had this ” miraculous experience”, it will be more bearable for them than for Jamaicans at the time of Judgement. The same thing applies to John Wesley’s UK, and those European nations, to whom the Gospel was preached, after the fall of the Roman Empire. Also the USA where the Pilgrims went, fleeing from religious persecution elsewhere.
Are we in Jamaica suffering any more than Barbados or Trinidad on account of our disobedience to the Word as preached by sam Sharpe? I have no idea, but if we do not repent we are in trouble.

2. All who sin, all who do wrong, and who have been exposed to the ‘ cleansing’ Word of God, whether through this forum, on radio, or other electronic media, and ignore it, should take heed. Whether they are homosexuals, heterosexuals ‘living in sin’, Doctor’s acting in collusion with others to commit fraud, Politicians acting corruptly or breaking the rules with impunity, Dancehall artistes promoting gun lyrics, journalist’s willfully defaming others, Businessmen taking advantage of the poor, those who rape young schoolgirls……

But then another Word struck me last night. From the same Gospel account by Matthew.

” As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but those who are ill. But go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’ (Matthew 9:9-13 NIVUK)

So with whom might Jesus be ” having dinner”, if He were here this Christmas. I would suggest that the following might be considered: with the homosexuals living on the streets in New Kingston , those heterosexuals who have ” gal in a bundle”, perhaps with Kartel( a top dance hall artiste injail on a charge of murder), maybe even Dudus ( currently serving time in the USA and one of the nation’s most famous gang leader) , dare I say Azan ( a junior Minister who lost his job and was recently reinstated after being accused of, at the very least, breaking the rules and regulations established by the government), the ” shotta bus drivas” ( bus drivers who drive extremely fast and oftentimes carelessly…hopefully with ” me and my house” who have sinned in what we have done and in what we have left undone.” This issue of mercy is not an easy one. By no means.! The key thing at the end of the day, is to accept that Jesus came for you, and for all who have sinned. If you claim to have no sin, despite being exposed to the Word of God, day after day, then it will be more bearable for Sodom, in the time of Judgement than for you. As then you would have rejected the mercy offered to you by the suffering and death of Jesus, the Son of God. And according to the Word, God Himself! What a tragedy! What madness! To so trample on the precious Blood of the Lamb. Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy!
Peace
LWJ

As I close, this issue of Mandela, not confessing Christianity, at least not publicly, yet being the embodiment of the evidence which Jesus pointed to, when asked by John if he ( Jesus) was the one to come or should he look for another person, as was discussed in the sermon this morning, is bothering me deeply. Very deeply! We need to consider these things as we wait for Christ to come again into our homes and hearts this Christmas. For if there is no evidence of the Christ living in and through us, what’s the point of saying ” Lord, Lord”. Apart from the fact that Jesus had a challenging answer for that question, How will my country be rescued from the high levels of violence so pervasive in our communities, and which is retarding our development as a nation, and causing untold grief in the hearts of loved ones? How will our young people be set free from the levels of immorality which is so common place in our schools; and which will blight the future of these individuals and the nation if left unchecked? How will my countrymen and women be set free from false beliefs about life and about the nature and person of God; the result of which incorrect understanding of life, as St Augustine points out, is to ‘ give the great pleasure to the devil”? How will all of this happen if there is no evidence of the Christ in us in this nation. So is there no John the Baptist in Jamaica? Is there really no Balm in this Gilead?
What a challenge for me and for you and for the church as we celebrate Christmas!
Peace
LWJ

Mandela and Jesus on forgiveness

Mandela and Jesus on forgiveness.

Mandela and Jesus on forgiveness

NEWS

1. TUESDAY DECEMBER 5TH

Tessanne takes Marley magic to The Voice
BY VERNON DAVIDSON Executive editor — publications davidsonv@jamaicaobserver.com
Tuesday, December 03, 2013

TESSANNE Chin infused The Voice with Marley magic last night, delivering an excellent rendition of the late reggae superstar’s classic Redemption Song that left viewers with goosebumps.
The Marley song was the first of two numbers performed by Chin (photo) who, in her pre-performance interview, expressed her intention of following in his footsteps.

2.THURSDAY DECEMBER 5TH
Jacob Zuma announces Mandela’s death

5 December 2013 Last updated at 21:58 GMT

Nelson Mandela has died at home aged 95, South Africa’s president Jacob Zuma has announced.

In address to the nation, Mr Zuma said Nelson Mandela “passed away peacefully”.
BBC

3. FRIDAY DECEMBER 6TH
ST CATHERINE, Jamaica – Three girls were on Thursday sexually assaulted by an armed intruder at a school in Linstead, St Catherine.
The Ministry of Education issued a statement on Friday saying members of the ministry’s team have been offering individual counselling to the girls.
Photo used for illustration purposes only.
1/1
The Ministry is also appealing to members of the community to assist the police in carrying out their investigations.

These three news items caught my attention this week, and indeed I would dare say, the entire the nation. The first one helped galvanize the Jamaican population, both at home and in the USA, even more so than before, as # TEAMTESSANNE AND # TESSANNETOPFOUR, continued to trend mightily on twitter and other social media. The second one led to an spontaneous and tremendous outpouring of tributes to a truly modern day hero. The third triggered anger, amazement, unbelief, and a series of other emotions and reactions at this brazen attack, in ‘broad daylight’. Especially when it happened at a time of serious national debate about the recent upsurge in homicides, and the role that ‘gun lyrics’ play in promoting violent behavior.
And so Jamaica joined the world community in mourning the death of an political icon, Nelson Mandela. Many of us, of a certain age group, grew up in the era of Black Power: with memories of Eldridge Cleaver’s ” Soul on Ice” etched deep in our souls; with Franz Fanon’s seminal work on struggle for freedom in Algeria, ” Wretched of the Earth”; with Angola’s clarion call for freedom ” a luta continua’. And the next big step was to link up with the ” Free Nelson Mandela” movement; and to be inspired by Winnie Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Chris Hani, Steve Biko, and the Sharpesville Massacre. So Nelson Mandela’s struggle for a democratic South Africa is deep in the psyche of the average Jamaica.

Sadly, the daily, up to three per day, reports of murder, is also a reality etched deep in the psyche of our nation. What manner of man, what kind of human being, could bring himself to despoil, could violate, a young girl in such manner. In such a vile and wicked way! And not one, but three of the nation’s precious young ladies. To add insult to injury, tonight we hear that it may be four. That kind of deep soul searching was very much a part of the Truth and Reconciliation exercise that Nelson Mandela ordered, and which we witnessed on television when one of the victims posed the same question to one who had acted with similar bestiality. ” What manner of man, could hear the groans and the moans of his victim……”.
Finally, will Tessanne win the coveted first place in NBC’s Voice, and earn not only the $US 100,000 but the hearts and minds of not only Jamaicans, but the many Americans who are clearly rooting for her and helping to drive up the ratings of the show?

THE WORD OF GOD

So in the midst of this emotional roller coaster week, with our spirits soaring to the heavens with praise and thanksgiving at one moment, and the next, being dragged into a deep chasm, sinking low into a nadir of depression and horror, the Sovereign God spoke words of comfort, and caution.

THE FIRST MESSAGE – TUESDAY, TO THE DAILY GLEANER AND OTHER CIVIL SOCIETY AND POLITICAL LEADERS

I watched the Voice last night. And got caught up with the excitement of “#tessannetopfour”. Then I began my devotions this morning reflecting on the faithfulness of God as shared with us, by the words of the great hymn ” Great is Thy faithfulness”. Two thoughts then came flowing into my mind. One triggered by:

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest
Sun moon and stars in their courses above,
join with all nature in manifold witness
to thy great faithfulness mercy and love;

that whether or not Tessanne wins the competition, and we would all rejoice if she did, Christmas will come this year. And next year. And the year after. Unless God comes back for His world. So we can depend Him. Without any shadow of a doubt! Not so those who will vote for TessAnne.
The second thought is, what is the reason why we rejoice in His faithfulness? For His greatness! For His awesomeness! Yes, but most of all,” for His mercy and love! Love for the vilest offender who repents! And a promise of a pardon for Sin and a Peace that endureth. Can there be more reason for joy and rejoicing that that! Quo vadis then, from whence cometh, this talk of a joyless Christmas, by a recent Gleaner Editorial, admittedly written against the background of the spiraling murder rate, were it not for Tessanne? In the instant case, and the contributions of other cultural and sporting icons, at other times. I know the writer meant well, and was making a valid point about the joy-killing, pun very much intended, nature of our current circumstances. But, Tessanne #the reason for the joy in the season! Seriously!

Peace.
LWJ

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
thy own own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
blessings all mine with ten thousand beside!

Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
all I have needed that hand s have provided,
great is thy faithfulness Lord unto me.

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood
To every believer the promise of God;
the vilest offender who truly believes,
that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

Praise The Lord, praise The Lord !
Let the earth hear his voice;
praise The Lord, praise The Lord!
Let the people rejoice:
O come to the Father,
through Jesus the Son
and give him the glory;
great things he hath done.

THE SECOND MESSAGE – WRITTEN TO OFFICIALS IN MY COUNTRY WHO CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE ” EARLY MORNING REVELATIONS”.

Although he was a son, learnt obedience from what he suffered…Hebrews 5:8

Whatever one may recall about Nelson Mandela, that for which he will be remembered, for the ages, was his ability to forgive, and love his enemies, and work with them to fashion a new South Africa. It could have been much different, so much different. Especially when one recalls the book ‘ Soul on Ice”, and the Black Power Movement. The bitterness, the anger, the destruction, and the eventual emptiness. Primarily, if not all because, Mandela learnt, or chose to learn, or was inspired, I dare say by God, to appreciate the need to love one’s enemies, during those back-breaking, and potentially mentally debilitating twenty seven years in incarceration.

The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first…Job 42:12.

After a long and eventful life, Nelson Mandela, having suffered so much; the break-up of his marriage with Winnie Mandela, the loss of his Son to HIV/AIDS, the pain of Soweto, the death of many of his friends, perhaps none worse that Steve Biko, the years in prison, walked away from power and found peace. Peace with a new wife, with his children and grandchildren ( despite the loss of a great grand-child, Zenani, to a motor vehicle crash), and I am sure peace with his God.

No doubt we will hear more of this great man as the days and weeks ahead unfold. But that which should give us pause as we celebrate this extraordinary human being, a gift to the world by God, is that we should learn as the Scriptures teach us, ” not to store up treasures on earth where moth and thieves can destroy and steal, but rather store up treasures in heaven which no one can steal and which cannot be destroyed. Matthew 6:19-20.
Mandela’s legacy was not his towering intellect, or his sophisticated political skills, nor his earthly riches, but that which our Savior would have us do – to love humankind, to thirst for justice and to forgive, and forgive, and forgive.

And so God blessed him more in the latter part of his life and granted him peace. On earth and I pray God in heaven too.
Was he a Christian? In due course we will all find out I am sure.
The question is, Do we have such a man in Jamaica; in politics, in journalism, in business, in the professions, in the church. Someone who is prepared to suffer, and sacrifice for our country and put our nation above self, political and sectarian interests. I pray God we may think on these things as we praise Mandela, and mourn, if not cry for our ” beloved country”.
LWJ

Final Comments/Observations/Revelations

@lucienforJesus: He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Isaiah 40:29.#RIPMandela #comfortforJamaicaalandoftroubles

@lucienforJesus: Do not fret because of evil men, or be envious of those who do wrong; for lke grass they will soon wither. Psalm 37:1-2. #RIPMandela

@lucienforJesus: With The Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 2Peter3:8. Apartheid died long before 46664. #RIPMandela

@lucienforJesus: Be still before The Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men ..carry out their wicked schemes. Psalm 37:7 #RIPMandela

On account of circumstances beyond my control, I was requested on Friday to preach at a church located in the heart of an inner city today. I protested mildly, but accepted the directive, as if from The Lord, and proceeded to prepare. Whilst doing so, the tweets above, poured out of the Scriptures. What is the message?

Then this morning I shared with persons who had suffered much pain and grief, and who live with the specter of violence hanging over their heads daily, like the proverbial ” Sword of Damocles; Do not fret when evil does bad things to people, as one day God will put an end to them. One day good will conquer over evil. There will be much pain and suffering, but God will protect us from all evil, whether in this life or the next. It is a certainly as Scripture cannot be broken.

The thing is to learn to trust God, and believe, not just when ” Mandela is freed”, but when he was in jail for 27 years. I believe this discipline of trusting God served Mandela well during those long years. And thus he was able to rise about the evil of his oppressors, and obey God’s call to forgive. And to go further, to bless those who persecuted him. I wonder if the world, the journalists, the world leaders, the ordinary man on the street, who are now praising Mandela, understand that this ordinary human being, this weak man, this weary man, was ” given strength by God, and whose ” power was increased by God”. I wonder!.

How else could those who had been savagely raped, those whose relatives had been brutally murdered, those whose land had been stolen, those who had been attacked by dogs, those whose dignity had been ruthlessly and systemically trampled on, learn how to forgive. If not for the mercy and grace of God, planted in their souls, and in the soul of Mandela, by the unchanging Word of God. How else?

So whether Tessanne wins or not, is of little moment, in the grand scheme of things, in the life of my country. But whether or not we learn from the life and work of Mandela, whether or not we move on from the wickedness which visited itself in the lives of those three young ladies, by being obedient to the Word of God, is literally a matter of life and death for my nation. And for the future of South Africa! For if we do not learn to forgive, to love our enemies and those who persecute us, we will never become weak and weary, but filled with revenge and bitterness. Let us therefore learn from Mandela, that evil can be overcome with love, as when we react in that manner, the Sovereign God steps in. And then what seems to be impossible will happen. Whether in a thousand years or in a day, we do not know. But remember always that:

” All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the
flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of Lord stands forever.” 1 Peter 1:24-25 NIV

A Gaza me seh! Go deh Tessanne! I must have my Savior with me for I dare not walk alone! Choose one.

A Gaza me seh! Go deh Tessanne! I must have my Savior with me for I dare not walk alone! Choose one..

A Gaza me seh! Go deh Tessanne! I must have my Savior with me for I dare not walk alone! Choose one.

Translation. I choose to belong to the Gaza crew. We are behind you Tessanne all the way.

I read my Bible to see what men ought to do, and read my newspapers to see what men are doing – John Newton

Lord renew thy church beginning with me; Lord renew the church that the church may renew the nation(s) – A prayer.

NEWS

(1) As we approach what is shaping up to be a joyless Christmas season, with murder and mayhem the order of the day, Jamaicans have found one thing to cheer them up. It is Tessanne Chin’s voice. Editorial of the Daily Gleaner Saturday November 29th, 2013.

(2) Erica Virtue, Senior Gleaner Writer

The vexed issue of access and availability of condoms to the most vulnerable age cohort in Jamaica is again placed on the front burner as Jamaica marks World AIDS Day today.

The on-again, off-again debate seems to be off again, at least locally. However, the release of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) 2013 Stocktaking Report on Children and AIDS could reignite the discussion.

In its report released last Friday, UNICEF raised alarm about the rate of HIV/AIDS in adolescents and called for increased global and national efforts to address this vulnerable age group.

According to UNICEF: “AIDS-related deaths among adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 increased by 50 per cent between 2005 and 2012, rising from 71,000 to 110,000, in stark contrast to progress made in preventing mother-to-child transmission.”

(3) Vybz Kartel is on trial for the alleged murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams. If convicted the dancehall star could be sent to prison for up to 25 years.

Last week the prosecution’s main witness, Lamar Chow, took the witness stand and gave a damning testimony against Vybz Kartel, real name Adidja Palmer, and his four co-accused which includes protege Shawn “Storm” Campbell, Kahira Jones, André St John, and Shane Williams.

The three news items as chronicled above, were the ones which caused me to pause and reflect this week. Among the many others, including continued acts of murder most foul and political intrigue.

Comments: Vibz Kartel, is arguably, the biggest name in music in Jamaica. He weals tremendous influence on the young, especially young men who live in the inner city communities in Kingston Jamaica. So much so that there is an ongoing rivalry with another dance hall artiste who controls a faction known as ‘ Gully”, while Kartel controls the ” Gaza Crew”. A rivalry which has spawned violence in schools and communities. And even the hallowed Halls of the University of the West Indies, has not escaped his sphere of influence. Much has been written about the incredibly outrageous aspects of some of lyrics of his songs; but equally so is the reality that in some quarters he remains hugely popular. His trial has therefore generated enormous public interest.

Tessanne Chin is the latest ” Jamaican Star”, by virtue of her strong performance on NBC’s The Voice, and had gained, not just local plaudits but International fame. But is she the only reason for hope in a ” joyless Christmas”? And who says that despite our many and varied problems, Jamaicans remain without joy?. Whether at Christmas or at other times!

And award winning journalist Erica Virtue raises an age old question in an informative piece in the Gleaner on HIV/AIDS and young children, ” Does the ends justify the means”. In the sense that, is it ok to ignore moral questions and arguments, in pursuit of “saving lives”?

So in the midst of all of this angst about the state of my country and the ” Pied Pipers” who would lead us astray, the beginning of the Advent season comes as a joy for me and many others. A time when some Christian denominations, set aside a period of reflection and preparation for the coming of The Lord; not just at Christmas, but at the end of all times. In this context then, I believe that Lord spoke and provided some answers that the news items above pose. Perhaps none more important than why we should have joy in this Kartel influenced society, regardless of how well Tessanne Chin performs on the Voice, or how badly our children have been affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

THE WORD OF GOD.

THE FIRST MESSAGE – SENT TO MEMBERS OF MY CHURCH FAMILY. THE INTRODUCTORY SECTION PLACES THE MESSAGE IN CONTEXT AND HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD HAVING A WIDER TIME HORIZON THAN WHAT THE NEWS OF THE WORLD WOULD HAVE US CONSTRUCT. AS WE ARE PEOPLE WHO LOOK NOT ONLY AT TEMPORARY ISSUES, BUT THE ETERNAL. A KEY POINT WHICH DISTINGUISHES THE RELIGIOUS FROM THE SECULAR. ALTHOUGH BOTH ARE INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN SEEKING SOLUTIONS FOR THE IMMEDIATE.

I woke up in the middle of the night last night and the story of Rich Young Ruler came into my head. In particular the verse which is highlighted. Then during my devotions I read the story again, and the second passage from 2 Corinthians came into my head. I suppose all Scripture is interconnected, but I had no idea, before now, that there is a connection between the two highlighted verses. But I suppose if you stop to think of it, it follows theologically. For, to give up everything and follow Jesus, which is what the rich young ruler was asked by Jesus to do, and by extension all of us who are ” Baptized into Him”, translates into our carrying around His death, so that the life of Jesus in us may be revealed. Revealed to all with whom we come in contact! What a revelation! What an awesome responsibility! What a challenge, and what indwelling power, for the church to ( be able to ) witness to a nation reeling from the constant death by the gun, of so many of its citizens. Daily! Why? The last verse of the Corinthian passage provides the answer. We fix our eyes not on the seen but on what is unseen, that which is eternal, and not that which is temporary – the news of the day, and the agenda set by this world, as discussed in the powerful sermon shared by Bishop Howard on Sunday.

Peace.

LWJ

A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’ ” When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Luke 18:18-20, 22 NIV)

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:7-18 NIV)

Sent from my iPad

THE SECOND LESSON – SHARED WITH MY CHURCH FAMILY. AND FOR ME THE KEY ISSUE HERE IS THAT WE, ALL OF US, BOTH THE RELIGIOUS AND THE SECULAR, SEEM TO HAVE FORGOTTEN WHO IS THE GOD WE SERVE AND TALK ABOUT. FOR AROUND HIM ” A TEMPEST RAGES AND BEFORE HIM A FIRE DEVOURS EVERYTHING”. AND ONLY BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS CAN WE BE SPARED FROM HIS WRATH. A REALITY WHICH BRINGS INTO SHARP FOCUS THE CONSEQUENCES OF DISOBEDIENCE FOR A NATION AND FOR INDIVIDUALS.

Last night the preacher spoke about honoring God, and worshiping God.

This morning The Lord reminds us, lest we forget, lest we forget and become complacent ,and become casual, as if we don’t worship Him, then the very rocks will cry out. For our privilege to approach a Mighty God with confidence, rests, always and solely on the Atonement wrought by Jesus on the Cross of Calvary. Lest we forget indeed!

A reading of the Psalm appointed for next Sunday, triggered all of this. As our God is indeed a ” consuming fire”. So we thank God for Jesus, in whom and through whom we can approach Him. With Confidence! As Christ has become our Righteousness.

The Mighty One, God, the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets. From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth. Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages. He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people: “Gather to me this consecrated people, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for he is a God of justice. (Psalm 50:1-6 NIV)

You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:18-29 NIV)

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:12-16 NIV)

Peace

LWJ

THE THIRD AND FINAL MESSAGE – SENT TO PEOPLE OF INFLUENCE IN MY COUNTRY. AND WHILE IT IS NOT GOSPEL, NOT THE WORD OF GOD, IT IS THE SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENTS OF ONE OF THE WORLDS BEST LOVED AND INFLUENTIAL WRITERS, FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. AND THE CONSEQUENCES FOR A NATION WHICH ELECTS TO IGNORE THAT REALITY. IN A PHRASE….” THE COST IS HEAVY”.

I am particularly impressed with C. S. Lewis’s observation ,” that the cost”, of ignoring religion in general and Christianity in particular, is heavy. Perhaps that explains the phenomenon of a Kartel, or a Dudus; both of whom, together or individually, represent the worst aspects of the Jamaican reality – the egregious violence and the outrageous behavior. And no doubt contribute to the kind of heavy burden which Jamaica has endured on account of it’s recent history of moving away from the Christian ethic which guided our forebears. So, perhaps JFJ and others, may wish to explore their horizons a bit more, in pursuit of arriving at a more informed basis for their recommended prescription for solving Jamaica’s crime problem.

Equally so, those responsible for policy formulation and for execution of strategies to counteract the criminals, may also wish to “plug these observations by Lewis into the computer”. All of which, by the way are available in a proper understanding of God’s Holy Word.

C. S. LEWIS

“At every stage of religious development man may rebel, if not without violence to his own nature, yet without absurdity. He can close his spiritual eyes against the Numinous, if he is prepared to part company with half the great poets and prophets of his race, with his own childhood, with the richness and depth of uninhibited experience. He can regard the moral law as an illusion, and so cut himself off from the common ground of humanity. He can refuse to identify the Numinous with the righteous, and remain a barbarian, worshiping sexuality, or the dead, or the life-force, or the future. But the cost is heavy. And when we come to the last step of all, the historical Incarnation, the assurance is the strongest of all. The story is strangely like many myths which have haunted religion from the first, and yet it is not like them. It is not transparent to the reason: we could not have invented it ourselves”…. An except from C.S. Lewis’, The problem of Pain, chap one.

What is this Numinous? It is one of four steps which Lewis identifies which aid in our understanding why humankind, beginning with early civilizations and continuing into the 21st century, has embraced religion in general, and Christianity, in particular.

1st Stage. The Numinous…the sense of dread and awe…of spirits in the Universe…cannot be logically deduced from the environment and physical experiences of the man who undergoes them

2nd Stage. A sense of guilt triggered by a moral law, once approved and disobeyed, and which says, ” I ought” or ” I ought not”…and which again cannot be logically deduced from the environment.

3rd Stage. When the Numinous Power of which they feel awe is made the guardian of the morality to which they feel obligation…again something quite unnatural…as many sections of humanity refused to accept it as non-moral religion, and non-religious morality existed and still exists.

4th Stage. The historical event…a man born among the Jews who claimed to be, or to be the son of, or to be ” one with”, the Something which is at one the awful haunter of nature and the giver of the moral law. The claim is so shocking – a paradox, and even a horror, which we may easily be lulled into taking too lightly – that only two views of this man are possible. Either he was a raving lunatic of an unusually abominably type, or else He was, and is, precisely what He said. There is no middle way. if the records make the first hypothesis unacceptable, you must submit to the second. And if you say that, all else that is claimed by the Christians becomes credible – that this Man, having been killed, was yet alive, and that His death, in some manner incomprehensible to human thought, has effected a real change in our relations to the ” awful”, and ” righteous” Lord and a change in our favor.

To ask whether the universe as we see it looks more like the work of a wise and good Creator or the work of chance, indifference, or malevolence, is to omit from the outset all the relevant factors in the religious problem. Christianity is not the conclusion of a philosophical debate on the origins of of the universe: it is a catastrophic historical event following on the long spiritual preparation of humanity which I have described….Lewis

Into this context then, Lewis explores the problem of pain. In this context then we contemplate the coming of our Lord again at Christmas, by giving thanks for, and using carefully, the church’s season of preparation ( Advent) for this seminal historical event about which Lewis wrote, and which we call Christmas.

Final Comments: So, should we in Jamaica, or any other part of the world be justified in having a joyless Christmas? Even in Syria, or Iran, or Israel, or The Philippines! Should we depend on our cultural icons to provide hope for us? Should we be so pre-occupied and so heavily influenced by our icons in music, in sport, in politics, regardless of their behavior or how much they lead us astray? Should we give up hope that by adhering to the Word of God, people, children can be rescued from HIVAIDs or any other major public health disease? Should we ( continue to ) ignore the warnings from Lewis and pay the heavy cost? I would suggest that, if God so loved the world to send His Son to rescue it, and us, we should pay more attention to Christmas, what that event signifies, and less to the news of the day. As one has eternal portents while the other shifts from day to day, and follows no pattern, nor provides any lasting solutions.

Peace.

LWJ

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Month: December 2013

Duck Dynasty in America, Violence in Jamaica and God’s mercy everyw

Duck Dynasty in America, Violence in Jamaica and God’s mercy everyw

Merry Christmas in Jamaica and in the USA

Merry Christmas in Jamaica and in the USA

Mandela and Jesus on forgiveness

Mandela and Jesus on forgiveness

A Gaza me seh! Go deh Tessanne! I must have my Savior with me for I dare not walk alone! Choose one.

A Gaza me seh! Go deh Tessanne! I must have my Savior with me for I dare not walk alone! Choose one.