Caribbean Moravian Devotions

Earlier this week I thanked God not just for one more day but for one more year. I looked back over the growing years and questioned myself as to how I would best describe them. I thought of all that there is to be thankful for. And without warning, the regrets too resurfaced. But as much as there was looking back there was also looking ahead. And as the day came and went I again realized just how important the gift of now is. ThereÂ’s no time like the present. And so as I focused on the blessings of the present and the present as a blessing, I realized that so much of life is a GIVE AND TAKE. ThatÂ’s our FF for today: GIVE AND TAKE.

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In the Lord I put my trust. Psalm 11:1 (NKJV)

Today we begin our Easter Service with the words: “The Lord is risen; He is risen indeed.” What words of assurance and of confidence! The Psalmist was correct – we can put our trust in the Lord! Even though his enemies tried to obliterate him, and he hung on a cruel cross, we do know him to be victorious in the resurrection. I do believe, then, that we can put our trust in such a Being. We can experience “He’s never failed me yet”.
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Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book. Psalm 139:16 (NIV)

Yesterday was Good Friday. Christ was crucified and darkness had covered the place. The Son of God is dead. They had taken him down from the cross and buried him in the garden.
Tomorrow, when the light of the sun rises, we will celebrate Easter, the victory of live over death.
Today is in between these two days. Christ lies in the grave. The Great or Silent Sabbath is a day to reflect on death and life. ChristÂ’s death and our life.
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The Lord will become king over all the earth; on that day the Lord will be one and his name one. Zechariah 14:9

As we celebrate the Lenten Season we look forward for the hot cross buns, Kite flying and our fish. We subject ourselves to church service on Good Friday; some of us reflect on the stations of the cross. But Good Friday is a lot more than that. As we reflect on John 3:16, we see that God so loved the world that he sacrificed his only son, so that we can have everlasting life. This verse shows us that, not only was there a lost, but there was a mightier gain. Yes, a son was sacrificed so that we, the world, could gain a King.
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How would you react, if today the news were to reach you that a friend or loved one of yours had been in an accident and was placed ON LIFE SUPPORT? Immediately we would be in some state of shock and disbelief. Even though we may want to believe the best, our minds automatically think the worst. ItÂ’s as though once we hear that somebody is ON LIFE SUPPORT we say to ourselves that means s/he is more alive than dead. Why? Because once that LIFE SUPPORT system is turned off we expect that the body is not able to stay alive on its own. If it could it would need to be ON LIFE SUPPORT in the first place. Even though we dread the thought of ever finding ourselves ON LIFE SUPPORT, ironically there was a time when all of us were ON LIFE SUPPORT. TodayÂ’s FF on this Good Friday is a call for us to get back being ON LIFE SUPPORT!

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See, I will refine and test my people. Jeremiah 9:7 (NIV)

At the Morgan Lewis Mill we get some fresh cane juice. It is a darkish brown liquid looking kind of muddy.
To make sugar out of it, it must be refined. That means to remove certain coarsenesses or impurities. That purification process is done by spinning the liquid and boiling it to extract some surface impurities. Then it is carbonated to remove further impurities that precipitate from solution with calcium carbonate. From this then the crystallized brown sugar is made, which we usually use. Or the then relatively pure honey coloured liquor is subjected to a further refining process, in which it is discoloured by contact with bone charcoal. That makes the white sugar, which we can buy for a higher price at the supermarket.
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Happy are those who keep his decrees, who seek him with their whole heart. Psalm 119:2

Maybe today you are thinking you are the only person going through the trials which you face. You may even think that the lady who sat next to you on the bus was just pretending to be kind when she enquired about your health. Did you think to enquire about hers? Maybe she needed to hear a testimony, a kind word, or some encouragement. Too often we think only of ourselves and forget that our Heavenly Father cared so much for us that he not only sent his only begotten son to earth to show us the way, but that he allow Jesus to die on the cross as a sacrifice for us. This was a true testimony from God. How often do we remember and share it with others? Do we remember to thank him daily for our blessings and genuinely give our hearts to him? Psalm 19 verse 7 says “The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
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I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous. Joshua 1:9

When we walk with the Lord continuously , we grow in knowledge, faith and grace. We are called to be fearless as well as grounded in Christ. No matter what situation we find ourselves in, we are assured that God will be there for us. He strengthens, re-assures and lifts us up. When we do his commands, we gain eternal life. Challenges will come our way, but if we put our trust in God, he will see us through.
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Joshua 1: 9 I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous.

This text is set within the context of JoshuaÂ’s assuming the leadership of the Israelites after the death of Moses. The Lord charges the young leader concerning the task ahead. God had promised the land to Israel, but Israel had to go in and possess the land. They were going to have to work to get what was promised them. Like the Israelites, we have to work hard to receive. There can be no finality in a promise until we have worked to fulfill all we are being asked for. Yes what God has promised us is all ours, but we have to obey GodÂ’s word, claim His promises and fight the good fight of faith in order to possess and occupy it. This friends is the key to spiritual success.


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Who can say, “I have made my heart clean; I am pure from sin?” Proverbs 20:9

On this Monday in Holy Week and for the rest of the week, let us reflect on the reason why Jesus went to the cross. Jesus went to the cross to die for our sins. Sin – a word, thought or act against the law of God. Sin separates us from the love of God. Sin takes many forms; gossip, laziness, drunkenness, dishonesty to name a few. We sin in thought, word and deed and in things done and the things left undone. We must remember Romans chapter 5 :8 which tells us that God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us, No man can say I have made my heart clean. It is only through our acceptance of Jesus dying on the cross that our hearts can be cleansed from sin. Our hearts must be washed in the blood of Jesus to make us free from sin. We must come before God often for cleansing. We must throw away our sins and turn our hearts to the Lord for him to take full possession. Those whose sins have been forgiven are pure before God.
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They rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest. Isaiah 9:3

The Jews were waiting for a Messiah for centuries. This promise had been made by their God, Yahweh, although they had been unfaithful to him, many times. They stopped worshipping him on numerous occasions and built altars to other gods and worshipped them. They made sacrifices to the gods of the nations around them.
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His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and to the ends of the earth. Zechariah 9:10

Today’s Watchword is part of a longer verse, which reads: I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the war-horses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the eartThis verse found within the penultimate book of the Old Testament tells of the strength and authority of the Messiah’s reign. First let’s start at the beginning; Jesus has always been a symbol of peace. Zech 9:9 tells us, he came riding on a donkey, but Jesus was humble from birth. The Prince of Peace was born in low estate. His birth brought peace to the world as the angel host declared in Luke 2:13, ‘Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests’. Throughout His life Jesus brought peace to all he encountered whether he healed them physically or spiritually. He was even peaceful in death because when they arrested Him in Gethsemane he did not fight (He even healed the soldier’s ear that Peter cut off).
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And the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth. Isaiah 55:10-11

God utilises a simple analogy to emphasise His power by highlighting the fact that as He allows the rain and snow to fall, which all contribute to providing resources for survival, as a natural certainty, so His spiritual words will always be associated with success which leads us to return praises to the Lord. Therefore, as we trust God to provide physically with elements such as rain and snow, we must surrender ourselves to have faith and trust him to provide for us in our lives, as he assures his followers in Matthew 6:25-34. Furthermore, he warns the stubborn Israelites and the overly-religious but misdirected Pharisees, that God is in total control. (See Isaiah 1 and Matthew 23)
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This week saw the completion of the regular SEASON of the NBA. ItÂ’s now play-off SEASON. Only 16 teams have been left standing and all eyes have shifted now to getting into the NBA finals. Earlier in the regular SEASON some teams struggled to find their rhythm. By the time we got to the mid SEASON trades, some teams seemed to have lost their momentum. Others got a boost. With the finals just around the corner, we may think that for the 16 teams that itÂ’s now late in the SEASON since theyÂ’ve been playing for months now. Far from that! With the possibility of making it through the play-offs, into the finals and maybe even being crowned 2011 NBA champs, rest assured that these teams will be playing as if itÂ’s the start of A NEW SEASON. For our FF for today, letÂ’s declare convincingly that God is ushering us into the start of A NEW SEASON.

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May those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!” Psalm 40:16

Music is the universal language through which people of all ages, races and cultures through the ages have expressed their feelings... Feelings of love, of joy or of sadness. All kinds of messages are conveyed to us daily through music and great effort is expended in ensuring that it is widely circulated. Continue reading "Psalm 40:16"