Reflections on Jamaica

Before I was ever aware of a coming M.A.P.S. trip to Jamaica, I had been praying to God on my knees each morning that He might guide and direct my thoughts and actions regarding service to Him in missions. Some months had past when one Sunday morning at Sunday School Jodi Wisor told Jaime that there would be a meeting at Evangel Temple about a mission trip that She and Bob were considering going on.
The meeting was to be held that very week. Jaime and I made plans to attend the meeting, expecting to learn much more about this trip.
As the meeting began in a large Sunday School room in Evangel Temple where some fifty people had gathered, the speaker announced that he was circulating a sheet of paper where each person planning to go to Jamaica was to sign up.
I immediately realized that God had placed before me an amazing opportunity. Yet He was not giving me an opportunity go home and think about it, talk myself out of it, or find a reason that I should not go. He was sending the piece of paper across the room person by person and it would soon reach me. God"s question for me was would I sign the paper? Would I put my faith in Him? Would I answer His call to step way out of my comfort zone?
I thought about my prayer that I had been praying each morning on my knees, asking for Him to direct my thoughts and actions regarding mission service to Him.
So in complete trust in God alone, I placed my name on the paper.

I continued to pray for the mission trip. I prayed for the members of the team, that God would keep each one safe during the week. I prayed that all would be filled with the Holy Spirit, that lives would be saved, that God's will be done and His purposes be fulfilled. I'm happy to report that all of my petitions were answered.


The location of our mission was Ocho Rios Jamaica. We left Columbus early on Saturday morningon the Evangel Temple bus. Forty eight persons were on board. We carried not only our own luggage, but that containing medical supplies and construction tools. We arrived in Montego Bay, cleared customs, traveled by bus to Ocho Rios arriving at our quarters at Teen Challenge Jamaica by about 7 pm.

Our quarters afforded little privacy, but our comfort was adequate. Most of the women were In a 12 person bunk room. 12 of the men were in a similar room. The remaining men who were on the construction team were quartered in a motel closer to the construction site.

Teen Challenge Jamaica is affiliated with Assemblies of God. In Ocho Rios, the two are on adjoining properties.

On Sunday morning we attended church next door.
The church service was special. Seemed like God was in the house. God was Blessing Jamaica with his presence. Music seemed to flow throughout the entire service, including the prayers. I was surprised at the selection of music. Most were contemporary standards that could be heard at our9:45 service. The musicians included drums, bass and keyboard . Though it lasted for three hours, it seemed much shorter.

Sunday afternoon, the medical team was to provide for the medical, dental, and reading glasses needs of the church community. Instead of going with the construction team I was asked to work with the medical team. I was asked to receive the Jamaican patients and complete for each one a registration card which contained their name, age, and medical need. I also tracked the number of patients needing either medical, dental, or reading glasses being careful not to admit more than the available slots for each morning and afternoon.

It was significant for me that I had originally signed up for this mission to work on the construction team. It's mission was build a 4200 square foot greenhouse that would provide a means for teen challenge to raise vegetables that would be sold to resorts in the area, providing ongoing funding for it's mission to provide young men with a spiritual treatment method for their drug addictions.
God has a plan for each of us and for me, instead of working with the construction team, His plan was for me was to work with the medical team.


During the five days of the medical mission we ministered to more than 800 persons. We provided people with more than 300 pairs of reading glasses, provided medical examinations for more than 600 people, the dental team extracted more than 500 teeth from more than 120 people. The medical team also performed 2 surgeries.

I wrote in my journal on tuesday February 5th:
The teen Challenge Jamaica praise band is rehearsing in the first floor dining room. Very beautiful. We're having our souls healed and renewed. People are grateful and I believe that the love of Christ is being shown by our work here in Jamaica. We're being blessed. To God be the glory!

Our team leader Jon Connelly spoke to us at breakfast on Wednesday about David and the three smooth stones. The stones that were chosen were smooth, but not perfect. They were imperfect vessels. Jon went on to tell us that we are each called by God to fulfill His purposes. Like the stones we too are imperfect vessels. Yet in His hands the vessels can become great.


I would like to close with a short prayer:
Father teach us to pray. Open our hearts to the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Lead us to recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Teach us to follow the example of Jesus. As He taught his disciples, so let us learn and teach others. Amen.

A Tribute to my Daddy

Proverbs 22:1 says that "a good name is to be chosen rather than great wealth…" I am very happy that my Daddy chose for me a good name!

We are all familiar with the following scripture, John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." 

The scripture tells us of the gift that God gave to us as provision for our sin, is a gift given to all humans who accept it, regardless of who we are.  

In this way God's love is unconditional.

In much the same way, my earthly father's love for me has been unconditional. Even though I have not always been an obedient son -- by not honoring him as I am required -- nevertheless my Daddy has loved me.

Therefore, whatever I manage to write in this letter is in no way sufficient recognition of the impact and influence that my Daddy has had on my life. 

Whatever I manage to write in this letter is in no way sufficient expression of my admiration and respect for my Daddy. 

And whatever I manage to write in this letter is in no way sufficient confession of my love for my Daddy.

The scripture 1 John 3:18 says "…let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."

I know that I do not always act in ways that please my Daddy, but I also know that I am always loved by him because he always acts in ways that let me know that he loves me.

All of Daddy's family has been blessed by his generosity.

Yes, my Daddy is a giving man.  

I do not know of anyone more generous in giving to others.

And not only has he shown love and concern for me and his family, but to others as well.

Many times I've seen him help the needy on the street, reaching into his pocket and giving to them to meet their needs.

Over his lifetime, how many families has Daddy helped to move into a home? I don't know exactly, but I'm sure that it is in the thousands! 

He has helped people move into homes by evaluating their character, not their credit score.

Love at its core is not something you feel, an emotion, although you may feel it. 

Love is something that you do.

Love is proven as something that you do, though you may or may not say it. 

I can always see my Daddy's love in what he does.  

We are God's creation

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 NIV

As believers, by the grace and mercy of our Father, we have all been born again to a new life in Christ.  We are no longer our old selves, but are a new creation.  Our new life is the life that God intended us to live before sin came into the world. 

"The old is gone. The new has come" 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

We've been created by God to fulfill His purpose in our lives.  He intends that we should do many good things.  Through his Holy Spirit, God makes known to us in our hearts all that He requires of us.  In pray and reflection, through reading His Word, we will come to understand.  

Father,

We recognize you as our creator.  Strengthen us daily to answer Your calling on our lives.  Make us humble creatures, ready to walk with You.  We pray in the name of Your Son Jesus Messiah. Amen.  

The Story of the Cross

The death of Jesus Christ on the cross was not an accident.  Instead, it is part of God's redemptive plan for mankind, set in motion at the foundation of creation.

God created man with freewill. Since the day Adam ate of the forbidden fruit, disobeying God and activating sin the world, man has been in need of redemption.

Throughout the Hebrew Bible, man continued to live in disobedience towards God.  

God's redemptive plan has been completed with the sacrifice of Jesus Messiah on the cross at Calvary. 

Jesus died for the sins of mankind.  Only Jesus, who was  pure and perfect, could be sufficient sacrifice, a complete atonement for the sins of mankind, now and forever.

Redemption from sin is a free gift of God's mercy and grace.  We need only accept Jesus, believing Him to be the atonement for our sins and believing Him to be the Son of God. 

"I have been crucified with Christ and no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body I live through faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

Father,

We thank you for your precious gift of Your Son, Jesus of Nazareth.  You gave him the form of man, that He might live on the earth and die on the cross, a substitute for our sins, the death that we rightfully should have received, fulfilling the cost of our sin.

We pray in the name of the Son.  Amen

A tribute to my mother

To my mother on your eighty-fourth birthday:

Dear Mama,

I want to take this opportunity to recognize and honor you.  

For you have loved me with the love of Christ.  

For like His children I have many times been undeserving and disobedient.

Like Christ, you have continued to love me unconditionally.

Mama, you have modeled for your children and grandchildren the life that Christ has called us to live --  helping others, living unselfishly, and always caring more for the needs of others than those of your own. 

God commanded us in Exodus 20:12  to "Honor your father and your mother, that you may live a long time in the land the LORD your God is giving to you."

Though I have failed to honor you as I should have, you are nevertheless fully deserving of honor.

Looking back to my childhood, I see in so many ways that you were deserving of honor.

You demonstrated for us how a woman lives a godly life and you modeled for us the character of Christian mother.  You always made sure that Susan and I were in Sunday School and Church.  When summertime rolled around we were in Bible School and when there was a Church camp, you drove us across the state to participate.

You encouraged me in confirmation class and I joined the church when I was 10 years old.

When I went away to school, hardly a day went by that I didn't receive a letter from you sending me news, encouragement, and just letting me know that you loved me.

You taught me the value of my cultural heritage and an appreciation of history in our town, county, and state. You took Susan and me on a trip to Virginia where we visited many historical places, encouraging us to learn from those who had come before us. You supervised my Boy Scout troop in cleaning out the trash from Miss Ida's house to make way for the Bedingfield Inn.  I remember you encouraging me and helping me to write a history paper in high school about a village being started in Lumpkin named Westville.  

And not only have you influenced your own family by living you faith, you have influenced countless people in your church and community. You have cared for the needs of the sick and disabled in your church.  You has served in many capacities but none more important to the children of your church than that of Sunday School teacher.  

Thank you for correction and punishment when I misbehaved.

Thank you for not disowning me when my hair was too long.

Thank you for your forgiveness when I got into trouble.

Thank you for loving me when I didn't show thankfulness.

Thank you for the unmerited favor you have given to me.

Thank you that when I thought that I needed a van you made curtains for it and helped me decorate it.

Thank you for the example that you set for me of empathy, energy, thoughtfulness, compassion, encouragement, drive, enthusiasm, and love.

Our grandmother Gatewood's words are true:

"I need no picture of my Mother's face. So full of loving kindness, strength and grace.

Her home a haven and refuge sweet.  And she's the center and charm of it."

I love you Mama.

Romans and service

"Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice - alive, holy, and pleasing to God - which is your reasonable service.  Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God - what is good and well-pleasing and perfect." Romans 12:1-2 NET

Because of the wonderful work of salvation that God has done in our lives, we must now give back to God a life of service dedicated to Him. 

Paul first asks us to live our lives in humility.  Each of us has been given gifts by God.  Though our gifts my not be the same as that of our neighbor, we must not think more highly of ourselves. Instead, we should learn to use the gifts that God has given to us in ways that are pleasing to Him.

Paul then asks us to live a life of love. 

• Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. 
• Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing the second fiddle
• Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame.  Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant.  Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder.
• Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.
• Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath.
• Laugh with your happy friends when they are happy; share tears when they're down.
• Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up.  Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody.
• Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone.
• After you've got it in you, get along with everybody.
• Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do.  "I'll do the judging," says God.  "I'll take care of it."
• Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink.  Your generosity will surprise him with goodness.
• Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.

Romans 12:9-21 MSG

Prayer,

Father we pray that  we might renew our minds each day in Your Word.  Make our hearts into that of a servant.  Make us into humble creatures, ready to walk with You.  Let us live lives of love, dedicated to You. We pray in the name of Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

Romans and salvation

Following Romans 3:23, Paul turns his focus from sin to salvation.

"But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Romans 3:25

This is one of the most powerful passages in the Bible.  

Think of a person on trial by a judge.  As sinners, we are all in need of forgiveness. We know that we are guilty and stand in judgement by God. 

Yet, instead of the sentence that we have earned and deserve, God pronounces our innocence and right standing with Him. 

What just happened?  Was it something that we did?

No, we simply went in humility to God and believing not on our own inadequate work, but on the perfect work of Christ which God then reckons to us.

This pronouncement immediately changes our relationship with Him. 

We are no longer guilty.  Our sin debt has been paid completely.  We are now in Christ and have right standing with God.

Was there a cost to us for this gift of salvation? No, it is a gift freely given to us by God, its basis being God's own grace.

Prayer

Father, we thank you for you gift of salvation made available to us through the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross.  Though His blood, we are saved and come into right standing with You. We pray in the name of Christ. Amen.