Pilgrim

I am a pilgrim on a journey

To the Promised Land;

I have asked God for guidance,

That He would take my hand…

Often anxious, often weary

As meandering paths I tread

I remember my Saviour;

He had no place to lay His head…

I will trust Him for He already has traveled this narrow way;

He is my fire by night, my pillar of cloud by day

He will never leave me, nor forsake me;

His Promise is sure

I will be with Him in His Kingdom,

Where we will dwell forevermore…

While I journey on this road,

I find tokens of His love:

The garden of tears,

The Cross on which He shed His blood…

He died to relieve me

Of my burden of sin,

So He could raise me to glory,

To a new life with Him…

Now I live to serve Him,

Though my debt I cannot repay;

All I can do is walk this journey

In His strength each day…

Soon, my journey will be over

And I will take my rest;

When my King comes in glory,

I will awaken in the City of the Blessed…

This poem was inspired by: Gal 4:26, Heb 11, Matt 8:19-20, Ex 13:21-22, Matt 28:18-20, Mark 14:32-72, John 19:16-20, 2 Cor 5:21, Is 53, Rom 6, Ps 46, Rev 21-22

The Secret to Contentment Part 3-Sabbath Rest

In the fast paced modern era we live in, many struggle to find some quiet time for rest and repose. However, God has always emphasized the need for His people to come away from worldly concerns for a time of reflection and communion with Him. (Gen 3:8-9, Gen2:2-3, Mk 6:31)

We were not designed to operate in a 24/7 working environment. As the Creator and Master Designer of the Universe, God alone knows the optimal conditions in which we should live. Just as you would not subject your car or a piece of expensive machinery to undue stress by using it contrary to the operating instructions (abuse), so you should also take care to heed God’s operating instructions for your own well-being, be it physical, mental, emotional or spiritual.

It is the same Lord who decreed the boundaries of the oceans who also has decreed the boundaries of time and space, giving us six days in which to labour and commanding us to rest on the seventh day to commemorate the great work of Creation that He had accomplished. It is also a time to contemplate the restoration of all things which He has already set in motion by His redeeming death, victorious Resurrection and atoning priestly ministry.

Jesus, when He was on this earth, showed us in what spirit we ought to keep the Sabbath. The Sabbath is God’s gift to man. This is what Jesus meant when He said that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. (Mk 2:27) No gift is a burden; hence the Sabbath ought not to be kept in legalistic tradition, but in joyous freedom and should be our delight. (Is 58:13-14) Also notice, He did not say: “The Sabbath was made for Jews…” He said “man”, meaning ALL of mankind, non-Jews included.

Many have neglected the Sabbath or have chosen to replace God’s Holy (sanctified*) Day with a day of their own choosing. At Creation, God rested on the Sabbath (seventh day), setting a pattern for us that was to last for all eternity. If the Sabbath had been changed to Sunday (first day of the week), surely something as important as this would have been an explicit command of Jesus Himself! Yet we see no such command in the entire Canon of Scripture. We see the price of neglect of God’s Sabbath all around us, in the maladies of the depressed and anxious. People are suffering from stress, overwork and depression from their youth. God has given us a command to rest – if He has decreed it, why should we fight it? In God’s Kingdom made new, ALL peoples will celebrate the Sabbath. (Is 66:22-23) Why not embrace and enjoy it now!

* to sanctify = to set apart for holy use

"For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD."-Is 66:22-23

The Yoke of Service-About my Father's Business

Jesus was only 12 years of age when, on a yearly temple visit, He went missing. His parents anxiously sought after Him and eventually found Him in the temple, talking earnestly with the learned men. The doctors and elders marveled at his understanding for a youth of such tender age. When His parents asked why He had stayed behind and caused them so much anxiety, He replied: “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?” [Luke 2:42-52]

Jesus’ entire life was spent doing the Will of His Father [John 4:34]. He went about doing good, healing and setting at liberty all who were oppressed by the evil one. His meat was to do His Father’s Will and to finish the work.

Jesus has bid all who are weary and heavy laden to come to Him and rest. However, the rest He offers is not a passive rest of inactive lethargy. Instead He offers to exchange your yoke of sin, bondage and the cares of this world for a yoke of service which is “easy and light.”[Matt 11:28-30]

God sent Jesus into the world for a purpose-to redeem us from our sins and to show us the way to the Father. Just as the Father sent Jesus into the world, so He sends us out to finish the work [John 17:18].  He has left nothing undone for our salvation. Now He bids us to go and tell the world of His marvelous grace and redeeming love. Jesus’ heart beats for the lost children of this world. His passion should be our passion. His mission should be ours.

He has left each of us a special work to do in the Great Commission [Matt 28:18-20]. He has given gifts to be used earnestly in this service. It is time to stop playing church and start working for God. The church has been asleep for long enough. It is now time to cast off the cloak of slumber and get moving for God! Time is fast running out, and the harvest is ready yet workers are still few.

It is encouraging to have attended the last Church Business meeting and to know that there are plans to get everyone actively involved in the mission of promoting the Good News of the Gospel beyond the walls of our church. We must pray that the Lord of the Harvest would send us forth as His workers to complete the Mission that He saw fit to entrust us with.

Let us get enthusiastic as we go about our Father’s business with zeal.

Scripture refs:Luk 2:42-52, Jn 4:34, Jn 17:18, Matt 11:28-30, Matt 28:18-20, Hab 2:2)

"In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work."- John 4:31-34


"As thou [Father] hast sent me [Jesus] into the world, even so have I also sent them [ my disciples] into the world."-John 17:18


"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."-Matt 11:28-30

"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."-Matt 28:18-20

Does the Presence of Suffering Prove the Absence of God?

Having the privilege of writing for the Lord means I am always on the lookout for good material which will inspire others. I can proudly give credit to Jesus for always giving me a word in season for the edification of His people, even those who have not yet surrendered to Him. I have been impressed over the last few weeks to write on matters that affect both the Church and those outside the Church, looking in. This is an excellent way to focus both on “outreach” and “in-reach”.

My observations of people outside the Church have led me to believe that the question I write about today is one that continues to plague them, often festering like a deadly wound that refuses to heal. They want to know how a loving God like Him who we profess could allow such suffering in the world today. While perusing the Internet, I came across a simple story that touched my heart, and in a little way, helped answer this question that admittedly, also plagued me at an earlier stage in my life. I have paraphrased below:

A devout Christian man visited his barber to get his scheduled trim. While going about the task, the two engaged in conversation and soon the conversation turned to matters of the heart. The barber did not believe in God and sure enough, before long, the age old question became the focus of the topic. “If God really exists, why does He allow so much pain and suffering?” The Christian man was stumped like many of us, and so the two men “agreed to disagree” on the topic of the existence of God, not wanting their religious convictions to hinder their friendship. The Christian man left the barber’s shop and stepped outside into the darkened street. In the faint glow of the street lamp, the first sight that greeted his eyes was the silhouette of a man. On closer inspection, he found him to be one of the many homeless people in the city. The man’s hair was long and unkempt, caked with dirt and matted against his scalp. His beard was grown out and his meager frame showed that he probably hadn’t eaten in days. After getting him some food, the Christian man walked back into the barber’s shop declaring vehemently to his friend, “Barbers don’t exist!” “Why do you say such a thing!” asked his friend, taken back in surprise. “You see that man over there with the long hair and untrimmed beard? How could barbers exist if we have people like that walking around?!” “It’s because he didn’t come to me”, replied the barber. “Well, replied the Christian man, we are left alone in our suffering because we refuse to run to God.”

Jesus has bid us in Matt 11v28: “Come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Will you answer His call today? TO BE CONTINUED!

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."-Matt 11:28

Run to the Redeemer

When life pelts you with problems

And all around you dances darkness;

When you’re not sure you can carry on…

Run to the Redeemer!

His arms are open wide;

He’s a tower of refuge to those seeking to hide

He said: “Come to me all who labour,

Lay your burdens aside;

I will give you rest and respite.”

When you’re in distress with nowhere to run,

Alone and afraid as friendships fade

When you’re not sure you can carry on…

Run to the Redeemer!

His arms are open wide;

He’s a tower of refuge to those seeking to hide

He said: “Come to me all who labour,

Lay your burdens aside;

I will give you rest and respite.”

When your heart fails for fear,

And deadly doubt clouds your mind;

When you’re not sure you can carry on…

Run to the Redeemer!

His arms are open wide;

He’s a tower of refuge to those seeking to hide

He said: “Come to me all who labour,

Lay your burdens aside;

I will give you rest and respite.”

When the world seems to reject you

And testing trials assail you,

Remember Jesus will never forsake you;

He’s right there by your side

Man of sorrows acquainted with grief,

He’ll turn your cross into triumph

And give you relief!

So just run to the Redeemer!

His arms are open wide;

He’s a tower of refuge to those seeking to hide

He said: “Come to me all who labour,

Lay your burdens aside;

I will give you rest and respite.

Child, I will give you rest and respite.”

This poem/hymn was inspired by the words of Prov 18:10-"The Name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous runneth into it, and is safe."