Caribbean Moravian Devotions

Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. Zechariah 8:23

How do people around you view your faith journey? Do they often wish they could be like you, or join you? Or do people turn away from you not wanting to travel the road you trod? Or maybe it is both? Jerusalem, Judah’s capital city, and home to the temple, was often despised by other nations. As you have been an object of cursing among the nations, O Judah and Israel, so will I save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong." Zech. 8: 13. There was no respect for the city or its inhabitants. In fact they turned to sin so much that they were often left to the mercy of invading forces. The city was destroyed and the people were carried away into captivity. The prophet Zachariah however, has a message of hope for the city and God’s people. Eventually, the city will become once again, a holy place. It will be a place that will be respected once more, as people everywhere come to know and honor God. Hearts will be changed towards God. Knowing the suffering of the people, other nations, seeing this new blessing because of their faithfulness, will want to share in their blessings. They will say ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’
Continue reading "DonÂ’t Lose Hope!"

As children there were so many things in church that we found funny. We used to laugh at the way some of the older folks dressed or even how they sang. But one of the funniest things was looking at some of the wigs that some of the older women wore to church. You could tell it was a wig because when you saw Mrs. (fill in the blank) during the week, her hair didn’t look like that. In the week you saw the original (grey and plaited). But on Sundays at church you saw the well brushed wig. As children we KNEW THE DIFFERENCE. You KNEW because you could compare what was real with what was fake. But nowadays, with some wigs being made from real hair and even woven into the head it’s a lot harder to tell the DIFFERENCE. Plus wigs are no longer a Sunday only occurrence. They are worn almost daily by old and young alike. So it’s a lot harder today to KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. That’s today’s FF – KNOW THE DIFFERENCE!

Continue reading "KNOW THE DIFFERENCE!"

He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3

Psalm 147 begins with the highest praise. Hallelujah! It is a call for God’s people to join together in praising God who not only deserves our praises, but takes joy in our genuine worship, praise and trust. The Psalmist then proceeds to give reasons for according the highest praise to God. Our text tells of God’s healing action towards God’s people. He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds. Clarke’s commentary points out that the word used for brokenhearted literally means ‘the shivered in heart. From the root ‘shabar’, to break in pieces, we have our word shiver, to break into splinters, into shivers.’ The term brokenhearted therefore describes the heart broken in pieces by a sense of God's displeasure. The binding of the wounds is in reference to those who were smitten with grief and or sorrow. This action of God refers primarily to the fact that God had healed those who were crushed and broken in their long captivity, and had given them comfort by returning them to their native land. God had healed their despondence and sorrow. This was reason enough to burst into praise.

Continue reading "Jehovah Rapha!"

Life is a PUBLIC PERFORMANCE!
In this PERFORMANCE we all have a role to play.
Some PERFORM as moms, dads, grand-parents, aunts, uncles.
Others PERFORM as husband, wife, fiancée, boy friend, girl friend.
Many PERFORM as leaders, employees, managers, students, teachers.

Continue reading "PRIVATE PRACTICE PRECEEDS PUBLIC PERFORMANCE!"

I will put my spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord. Ezekiel 37: 14

Chapter 37: 1 – 14 of Ezekiel records the prophet’s vision of the valley of dry bones. In verses 11 – 14 we get the meaning of this vision, declared by the Lord. It is a vision for the people of God, offering hope in what they may have seen as a hopeless situation. In Chapter 36: 25 – 37, we hear God’s plan to cleanse Israel from their sinfulness which has landed them into exile, God’s act of cleansing will cause Israel to remember the role they played in being where they were. God, however would not stop at cleansing them and forgiving their sins. God would renew them by giving them a new heart and finally by placing the Holy Spirit within them. It is the Holy Spirit that would truly revive them, even though God’s action would begin before that. But that was not all. This new life would be lived out in their homeland, the place God intended them to be.

Continue reading "Life-giving Spirit of God."

There is no human being alive today who is not in some way CONCERNED about something. Parents are CONCERNED about all aspects of their children’s life – health, education, happiness and their future. Employees are CONCERNED about ensuring that they still have a job with all of the job losses taking place. Teachers are CONCERNED about the success of their students and likewise students are CONCERNED about their grades. Pastors are CONCERNED about the membership of their congregations and how ministry is going. Businesses are CONCERNED about an economy that doesn’t seem to be growing as fast as they’d like. As human beings, so many times our CONCERNS seem to be driven by our fears. But today I invite us to consider that in the same way we are CONCERNED about the details of our daily lives, GOD is just as CONCERNED about us. Our FF for today is GOD’S CONCERN.

Continue reading "GOD'S CONCERN!"

Hear the word of the Lord, because the Lord has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: “There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgement of God in the land.” Hosea 4: 1

When we read the prophets we sometimes get the idea that they were like whining parents, always at Israel about the same thing. We all can identify with that to a certain extent whether as parents or as children. There is always the drive to get it right. Parents keep at the children to get it right and will keep harping on the same thing until there is a sense of satisfaction that it has been done satisfactorily. This is how we know as parents that our children are ready to face similar situations. If they get it right at home, there is no need to worry (too much) when they are away.

Continue reading "Get It Right!"

Not too long ago while driving I came across a vehicle that had caught fire. By the time I was passing the fire had been brought UNDER CONTROL and the firemen were doing their best to clear the road. First responders to any emergency immediately have to assess the situation with the aim of bringing the matter immediately UNDER CONTROL. For a police in riot gear, that may mean trying to CONTROL a crowd of protestors. For a paramedic, that means trying to stop a bleeding wound. When a situation has been brought UNDER CONTROL then there is a power shift of sorts. So the fire officer gets the upper hand over the fire. The police have some clout over an unruly crowd. The paramedic is now in a position to monitor the one who is injured and determine what steps to take to save a life. With that in mind our FF for today calls us to ponder it means for us to be UNDER GODÂ’S CONTROL. ThatÂ’s our FF for today UNDER GODÂ’S CONTROL!

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Let us continue to bear up the family of Rev. Cleveland Edwards who was called home to glory. Remember also Rev. Montieth and Bishop Foster who continue to receive medical care.

My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings. Isaiah 32: 18.

TodayÂ’s text is in the closing section of a warning to those who choose to live carelessly. There can be but one result to such lifestyles, that is, the hardships that follows forsaking God. This is the story of the people of God. They worshipped and lived faithfully and everything went well for them as a people. Then they became careless in their service to God and fellow humans and things changed for the worse. This was GodÂ’s way of using hardships to bring them back to the right way of living. GodÂ’s judgment would always change and be replaced with GodÂ’s mercy when the people repented. God would pour out GodÂ’s spirit of righteousness and justice bringing back harmony to the community.

Continue reading "God Has a Plan."