Caribbean Moravian Devotions

As a child growing up in Antigua, if you were told that you “bare face”, it could either be taken as a compliment or a put down. It all depended on who said it and the context. A “bare face” person was one who is not afraid. There was no fear to speak your mind honestly, to say what you wanted to say especially to someone who other people might be afraid to say the same things to. But it also meant that you were confident and bold in your actions too, not just your words. Today for our FF I want to encourage and challenge all of us to LIVE BOLDLY.

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Ps 105: 40 - 42 They asked, and he brought them quail
and satisfied them with the bread of heaven. 41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out; like a river it flowed in the desert. 42 For he remembered his holy promise
given to his servant Abraham.

Psalm 105 is a reminder of all that the Lord did for the children of Israel from the time of the granting of the covenant with Abraham to His leading them into the Promised Land. Note that the Psalm emphasizes what God did. It does not mention IsraelÂ’s backsliding as do other historical Psalms. There are times when, amidst all that is happening around us, all we can do is look to GodÂ’s faithfulness to His promises and take hope.



Continue reading "God still Provides"

There are some things that so closely resemble each other that if you donÂ’t know better, one can easily be fooled between whatÂ’s REAL and whatÂ’s fake. For example, some wigs so well fitted and so closely resemble REAL hair that you canÂ’t tell that the person is wearing a wig. These days some teeth implants and dentures fit into peopleÂ’s mouth so well that you wouldnÂ’t believe that itÂ’s not their REAL original teeth. Figuring out the difference between whatÂ’s REAL and whatÂ’s not if weÂ’re dealing with things is not too difficult a task. Once we have been exposed to the REAL we can detect what is not REAL. But itÂ’s more of a challenge when weÂ’re talking about people. We canÂ’t always tell whoÂ’s being REAL and whoÂ’s not. And so our FF for today is THE REAL YOU.

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He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hears it, he will answer you
Isaiah 30:19b.

The present time in which we live is becoming more and more serious, even as our nation is ravaged by the impact of crime and violence. Whether we are christians or not we all stand to feel the effects as in one way or another we come face to face with these struggles and challenges and are forced to come to grips with them. Isaiah speaks to Israel in a time of predicament where Israel lay in ruin and desolation. His reminder to them was that they belong to a kind and compassionate God who will be gracious to us when we call upon his mighty name. So often we forsake God's gracious hand by turning away to other solutions. Like the children of Israel we forge allegiance with God's enemy, we turn back to dark days in Egypt. The challenge from Isaiah is that in our moments of contemplation we ought to remember that the gracious God to whom we belong knows us personally. Whenever we call on Him he will answer because it was he who promised, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you. Continue reading "The Way Maker"

You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just.
Exodus 23:8 (NASB)

In many areas of our society justice and righteousness are missing from the lives of our people. We often lay the blame on the security forces,the Government or the criminal underworld for the decadence of morality, law, order and good values. In Exodus 23 a call is made for God's people to forsake unrighteousness and injustice and take up lives of honesty and integrity. The commands of the Lord in this chapter speaks to how we should live with each other within our faith communities as well as our everyday walk with others. Verse 8 speaks specifically to bribery; a misdemeanor which is an offer or acceptance of anything of value in exchange for influence on a government, public official or employee. If we engage in acts such as bribery then others may get hurt in some way as the course of justice is subverted. If our action lead to situations of injustice and unrighteousness then we not only deceive ourselves but the truth is not within us. Continue reading "Are You Deceiving Yourself?"

It is never easy to CONFRONT someone especially if what youÂ’re dealing with is such a sensitive matter that youÂ’re not too sure what the end results will be. You wish you didnÂ’t have to, but then you finally realize that sometimes in life you have no other choice. Failure to CONFRONT the situation and or individual could only mean delaying the inevitable. Realizing that you canÂ’t avoid it, you ponder what should you say. You rehearse the right words over and over in your mind. You imagine how the time of CONFRONTation will unfold. Depending on how well you know the person, you sometimes think the worst may happen but yet pray for the best outcome. So what do you do? Pray for the right words and the perfect opportunity. And at the right time, and with your words of grace, you LOVINGLY CONFRONT. ThatÂ’s our FF for today LOVINGLY CONFRONT.

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Would God that all the LORD'S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!
Numbers 11: 29b

Moses was completely human, frail and fallible, yet he was used by God in a powerful way. Leading God's people he did not find an easy task, but by God's grace he was able to do it. Here in Numbers 11 he continues to lead the Israelites toward the Promised Land. As he led them he continued to be challenged by their dissatisfaction with the provisions of food God had given them. After bitterly complaining about the fact that they were not getting meat from the Lord; Moses, through frustration, cried out to the Lord in anguish. The Lord summoned Moses and commanded him to carry seventy Elders whom he endowed with the spirit and they too could now prophesy. So often we doubt the power of God and His will to use us to accomplish that which he wills for His people. The power of God in the life of the believer can enable him or her to speak the transformative word of God so as to impact those whom God has chosen to be touched. Continue reading "Are You Being Used By God?"

He awakens Me morning by morning,
He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple. Isaiah 50: 4

Chapters 49 to 57 of the book of Isaiah all deal with different aspects of the life of the promised Messiah. In chapter 50 the nature of the Messiah is revealed to Isaiah as the True Disciple of God. Here the messiah is contrasted to the people of Israel who God reminds that He had divorced them [Jeremiah 3: 8 And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and (A)given her a writ of divorce] because of their own iniquities and transgressions. After all He had done for them, they had turned their backs on Him.

Continue reading "Â… Remember to Obey to Remember to Obey Â…"

The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the step.
Proverbs 16:9

A Philosopher once said, "If you fail to plan, you may as well plan to fail." In proverbs chapter 16, Solomon the acclaimed writer talks about the whole lifestyle of humankind as it pertains to looking forward, thinking ahead and God's role in the process. He leads us to remember that in this life we have been given the freedom to plan, live righteously and lead a life of humility and Godliness. In a sense Solomon is saying that the desires of our hearts and minds will inevitably be ordered and directed by God. Our God gives us liberty to live our lives in a purposeful manner where we will maintain certain ambitions. The accomplishment of these ambitions rests with God and His will for our lives. In the end it is He who determines where our destiny lies. Continue reading "Guided By God"

Your steadfast love, O Lord endures for ever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.
Psalm 138: 8b.
Psalm 138 is generally thought to have been written by David upon his being advanced to the throne; on account of which he praises the Lord, who had supported him and had made good His promise to him that He would perfect what concerned him. God's providence and grace is promised to those who fear Him and trust in His mercy. The recognition of that grace and providence comes against a background where His precious love never fails. As a matter of fact the steadfastness of God;s love in our lives means that it never ceases; it never comes to an end. His word says "His love, mercies and grace are new every morning as His faithfulness is unquestioned. David recognised that he had come thus far only because of God's never ending love so he continues to request the help of the Lord even as he knows that he is God's handmade. We too are experiencing God's unending love; may we like David fashion a life of praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God in oreder that we may find ourselves under His wings. Continue reading "The Steadfast Love"

How would you feel if you walked into a room and someone looked at you and said these words YOU SMELL? One of two things may happen. I guess it all depends on the answer to the question SMELL of what? If you know that youÂ’re wearing Chanel ?5 then you have a smile of approval feeling content with yourself. But if on the other hand itÂ’s at the end of a long day and youÂ’ve been out and about in the hot Caribbean weather well thatÂ’s another matter. If someone were to say to you then YOU SMELL depending on how sanctified you are you may immediately let that person know that those words are most inappropriate. But I invite us today to reflect on just those two words YOU SMELL as our FF.

Continue reading "YOU SMELL!"

We are thanking God that Br. Rupert Clarke is home [in Malvern] and continues to recuperate satisfactorily. God be praised! "For His mercies still endure, ever faithful, ever sure."

In Jeremiah 23: 29, GodÂ’s words are describes as one of the most useful discoveries, and one of the most useful invention. I speak of fire, and a hammer. From pre-historic times until today, fire has been an important part of all cultures and religions. While fire can be destructive, it can also be creative. The ancient Greeks distinguished the destructive (aidelon) fire, associated with Hades, from the creative fire, associated with Hephaistos, the god of creative fire. Fire in many ancient cultures and myths has been known to purify the land with the flames of destruction; however, it is also capable of the renewal of life through the warmth and comfort of those very same flames. Fire smelts the hardest of metals and is also used in the hardening process for many solids.

Continue reading "God's Word"

O Lord, let your ear be attentive...to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for your servants.
Nehemiah 1: 6a.

The essentials of our Christian faith demands that we cultivate an atmosphere of prayer so that our lives will experience God's ever flowing grace. Our faith's journey also dictates that we keep in mind the needs of the servants of the Lord. One of the most pressing need of the servant of the Lord is that of prayer. So often we are overwhelmed by the problems of the world, the trials of our friends and loved ones and also our own struggles with life and the ministry to which we are called. We can only survive because others plea our cause to the Lord through prayer and supplication. Nehemiah in his prayer to God plead the cause of the Preist, Elders and those who stood in servitude to the Lord. The servants of God can only be sustained through the intercession of the supporting community of believers. Continue reading "Pray For God's Servants"

Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. Proverbs 31:8
As christians we often wonder what purpose we serve as we live and walk with God. We also find ourselves fixed on a sort of Christianity which is often self serving and sometimes meaningless. One of the most important images that Jesus portrayed was that of the advocate. His life and work was carried out in such a way that people who were downtrodden and marginalized were represented. Christ fought for the cause of those who could not represent themselves. It is that call we hear from Proverbs; a call to advocate for such who cannot represent themseves. A call to speak on behalf of the voiceless. For such as cannot speak in their own cause, either through ignorance, or because of the dread of their more potent adversaries. Continue reading "God's Agents"