It's a wonderful life

Fellow Labourers-

How do you respond to the statement "It's a wonderful life." Not sure? Life can be wonderful when we find ourselves in the will of God. Brother Kirk made an invaluable observation last night, when he said Joseph although a slave in Potiphar's house he was prosperous. You see prosperity may be measured in many ways, but when it is measured by God's measurement it makes a world of difference.

When my life is hid with Christ in God it can be nothing else but a wonderful life. It's a life that may seem to have twists and turns, but a life that guarantees God's favour. Having the favour of God cannot be compared with anything else in this life. What Joseph had was the favour of God. And so in every step of his life the texts tell us "And God was with Joseph." Yes indeed "it's a wonderful life" when God leads us.

"He leadeth me! O blessed thought!
O words with heavenly comfort fraught!
What-e'er I do, where-e'er I be,
Still tis God's hand that leadeth me.

He leadeth me he leadeth me
By his own hands he leadeth me.
His faithful follower I would be,
For by his hands he leadeth me."

Pax Vobiscum

Robert Stewart

The Sovereign

Fellow Labourers-

When you hear the word sovereign what comes to mind? For me this word has been used so much in relation to the Queen of England that she comes to mind. I am not obsessed with her, but culture forces my mind in that direction. Since culture is learned, I therefore have a choice to recalibrate my mind to see Christ as sovereign. The more I focus on Jesus the less the queen occupies my mind.

Wherever our focus is will determine what is sovereign to us. My experience over the past days has confirmed a thought that is on my mind: Most people want to serve the Lord, but on their terms. The world and its pleasures are too attractive to completely let go of them. So, let us serve Christ and still continue to do some of our fleshly things, because nothing is wrong with them. You may very well be right, but I must confess that "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."

Pax Vobiscum

Robert Stewart

The Opposite of Self-conscious

Fellow Labourers-

It's amazing how things you hear or see can suddenly jump back at you. Although the subject is different the arguments in Minister Brown's adult Sunday school class (March 21) are similar to the ones in this article. When do you withhold help? I am certain we can find justification to withhold help in our self-consciousness. My humanity would tell me not to stop on Mountain View to help anyone. I am conscious of what could happen. Nothing is inherently wrong with being self-conscious, but it should not always be the dominant consciousness in decision making. How do we decide? This is where God consciousness comes in. An acute awareness of the presence of God is needed if we are going to fulfill our true purpose here on Earth.

Developing a personal relationship with God is a key to our being true servants of God. There is no substitute for this closeness to our saviour. The closer we are to him the better chance we have of making right decisions. His guiding hands and tender voice are needed each step of the way. Let us allow self to die out in us, and Christ be exalted.

Pax Vobiscum

Robert Stewart

Jesus Among Idols

Fellow Labourers-

How do you see Jesus? Our view of Jesus will determine how we live our life. There are many 'Jesus's going around to fit every situation. Which one will you choose? Will you choose the Jesus who came to seek and save the lost? Will you choose the Jesus who chose the path of the cross?


Consider this: "Today, most of us live in environments where the question "Who do you say that I am?" is still asked in a world of distractions. We live in a context where we have endless options to choose from: a plethora of religions, pleasure and wealth, recognition, and so on. Yet the question is as pressing to us as it was for those who first heard it. Who do we say Christ is? Our response is both personal and public. That is, the confession of allegiance to Christ is both a denial of self-importance and a life of neighbor-importance."

Pax Vobiscum

Robert Stewart

The Hidden Hope

Fellow Labourers-

The hidden hope for some has been in hiding for a very long time. They seem to search in vain for something that they desire more than life. Yet without life they would not find the hidden hope. I don't know of any one who never hopes. Hope springs eternal in the breast. Like the writer of the article I feel real sorry for hurting people. Sometimes I see smiling faces but I feel sorry for the person behind the smiling face. Why? I try to equate their status with mine.

Consider the words of the song.

1. Soft as the voice of an angel,
Breathing a lesson unheard,
Hope with a gentle persuasion
Whispers her comforting word:
Wait till the darkness is over,
Wait till the tempest is done,
Hope for the sunshine tomorrow,
After the shower is gone.

Refrain:
Whispering hope, oh, how welcome thy voice,
Making my heart in its sorrow rejoice.

2. If, in the dusk of the twilight,
Dim be the region afar,
Will not the deepening darkness
Brighten the glimmering star?
Then when the night is upon us,
Why should the heart sink away?
When the dark midnight is over,
Watch for the breaking of day.

3. Hope, as an anchor so steadfast,
Rends the dark veil for the soul,
Whither the Master has entered,
Robbing the grave of its goal;
Come then, oh, come, glad fruition,
Come to my sad weary heart;
Come, O Thou blest hope of glory,
Never, oh, never depart.

Pax Vobiscum

Robert Stewart

Where the Light Is Strong

Fellow Labourers-

In my Daily Bread devotion I read the following-"God's love cannot be explained - it can only be experienced." Sometimes in our relationships we are forced for explanations of God's love because it seems that's where the light is strongest for some people. They are steeped in explanations. Yet, for others an experience is all they need. But, from reading this article it is very obvious that the answer is not always where the light is strongest.

Sometimes like water we seek the path of least resistance. It is not necessarily the best path but the easiest path. It is very easy to find fault, but harder to come up with solutions. In my early morning devotion today, I read 2 Corinthians 1, and verses 3 & 4 are stuck with me.

"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comfortheth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted in God."

We are blessed to blessed others, and yet we are selfish. Let us not seek to be in the spotlight, but rather seek to be light in the darkness.

Pax Vobiscum

Robert Stewart

What Does It Mean to Be Human

Fellow Labourers-

Do you remember the phrase "To err is human" suggesting our susceptibility to failure. Philosophers from time immemorial have been grappling with this fact. Sociologists are still trying to understand our humanness. I agree with the writer that the Christian faith gives us a better understanding of who we are. In an attempt to understand our humanity we tend to go as far back as our mind can take us until it appears we reach a point of nothingness. But, "Nothingness is the barrier that faces the human intellect."

I am satisfied to know that I am made in the image of the eternal God, and to know it is in Him that I live and move and have my being. What about you?

Pax Vobiscum

Robert Stewart

5 Ways To Control Emotional Spending

Fellow Labourers-

As we continue to face an uncertain future, there are steps we must take to cope. We must have a strategy. Please take a look at the article below.

Robert Stewart

5 Ways To Control Emotional Spending
 
Has shopping become America's favorite pastime? Sometimes it seems that way, with advertising popping up everywhere from billboard trucks to flat-screen TVs in city buses. Advertisers spend billions of dollars annually convincing us that products can make us feel successful, prevent us from being bored, help us attract the opposite sex, and a myriad of other things. When ads are carefully designed to manipulate our spending habits, it's no wonder so many people have become emotional spenders.
 
Emotional spending occurs when you buy something you don't need and, in some cases, don't even really want, as a result of feeling stressed out, bored, under-appreciated, incompetent, unhappy, or any number of other emotions.
 
Impulse Buys
One way to cut down on emotional spending is to avoid making impulse purchases - and that doesn't just mean you should avoid buying gum in the checkout line at the grocery store. Whenever you're at a store - whether brick-and-mortar or online - and you find yourself wanting to buy something you didn't already want before you got there, don't buy it. Make yourself wait at least 24 hours, if not longer, before making a decision about whether to buy the item. You'll often forget about the item as soon as you leave the store. If it helps, keep a wish list of the items you've refrained from buying so that you can ask for them when your birthday comes around or pick them up when you know you can afford them.

Keep the Ad Man At Bay
Take steps to intentionally limit your exposure to advertising. The less you are aware of what's available for you to buy, the less likely you are to develop a sudden "need" for that item. Unsubscribe to the product catalogs that arrive in your mailbox and the promotional emails your favorite stores are always sending you. To further avoid internet advertising , download a program that blocks ads and prevents them from appearing on your screen.

Prevent yourself from receiving unsolicited offers for credit and insurance by providing your name, address, date of birth and social security number to Opt-Out Prescreen. If you have a device that records television shows, skipping commercials is easy. To avoid hearing ads on the radio, switch to public radio, streaming internet radio, a CD player, or an MP3 player. If your spending problem is bad enough, consider unsubscribing from magazines, which are usually full of ads.

Limit Temptation
The next step is to limit your exposure to the situations that tempt you to spend. If it's the mall, plan to visit only a couple times a year, or try shopping online instead. If online shopping is the problem, find other, non-shopping websites to occupy your time, or replace some of your internet time with another activity. If you always find yourself spending more when a particular friend or relative is around, try to schedule free or inexpensive activities with that person, like getting coffee, cooking dinner, or going for a walk

Make Yourself Accountable
Another helpful strategy is to find ways to hold yourself accountable for your spending. The people you live with or spend the most time with can be your best defense. Tell them that you're trying to spend less, and that you want them to give you a hard time when they see you making an unnecessary purchase. Also, make a list of your financial priorities and put it in a place where you'll see it often, like the refrigerator door or the bathroom mirror, and make a second copy for your wallet, where you'll see it each time you reach for your cash. If you want to take it a step further, put small sticky notes on your credit cards to remind yourself of what you're saving up for.

Find Alternative Activities
If you frequently use shopping as a form of entertainment or as a distraction, try to identify what you're feeling when you want to buy something and choose a more constructive behavior that will help you deal with that emotion. For example, if you've had a bad day at work and want to treat yourself to something nice, call a friend or two. If you're feeling stressed out, get some exercise. If you really just have to buy something, make it something simple and inexpensive, like a book or a small bouquet of flowers - but don't do this every time, because those small purchases really do add up!

Severe Overspending
The simple steps we've discussed may not be enough to address the most extreme cases of emotional spending . For some people, shopping is much more than a pastime - it's actually an addiction called oniomania. While it may not seem like a dangerous addiction, many of the psychological characteristics of compulsive shopping are identical to those of chemical dependency.

Compulsive shoppers tend to spend more than they can afford. They get a rush of endorphins from making purchases, but that rush is often accompanied by feelings of anxiety and guilt over not being able to control the urge to shop or not knowing how the bills will get paid when the latest binge is over. The shame that results from these binges can result in a person hiding his or her purchases and straining relationships when the person feels compelled to lie about the time or money being funneled into the addiction. People with this problem may take a second job to try to accommodate their out-of-control spending habits, but until they address their impulse control problem and the underlying emotional issues that lead them to their destructive shopping sprees, no amount of money will stop the cycle.

Conclusion
The goal here isn't to stop buying anything fun - if we didn't occasionally buy enjoyable things with our money, it would be difficult to get up and go to work every day. However, by becoming more conscious of your shopping habits, you'll develop greater control over your finances and you'll be able to really enjoy the purchases you make without the dread and guilt of having spent too much.

Outdoing Our Own Superlatives

Fellow Labourers-

As I read this article my mind went to the "Our Daily Bread" reading on God's love and Ours. It speaks about Billy Graham's reaction when his son Franklyn was rebelling and came storming in a meeting he was conducting and demanded money. The article said Billy Graham showed no shame or guilt nor did he apologize for his son. This was written by Franklyn himself in his autobiography called "Rebel with a cause." I believe Mr. Graham could react the way he did because he lived what he preached, and he had nothing to prove. He was not seeking to be in the Guinness Book of Records.

In this competitive and comparison driven world, we are faced with a number of superlatives. We all have different role models/idols that we want to emulate, and sometimes we fail to be who we are. So much so that we confuse our own selves. What about "I'd rather be me?" Is this old fashion, or you don't know who me is. Let us strive to be who God made us to be. And, if you are unsure of who that is, then ask, seek and knock.

Pax Vobiscum

Robert Stewart

The Impact of Tithing on Revival

Is there a direct connection between tithing and revival?

One of the most frustrating questions I face as a pastor is, "Where is the money going to come from?" I often remind God saying...

• Lord you called me to this city for the purpose of revival.
• You have commissioned the church to go out into the highways and byways to compel people to come.
• This Gospel of the kingdom must be preached in all nations for Your Name's sake.
• Lord you said that we need pastors, teachers, prophets, evangelists, and apostles for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edifying of the body.
• We need land, buildings, and ministers to house this revival.

How are we going to accomplish Your will without the finances we need?

I believe it upsets God that we even have to approach that question. Nevertheless, the question still exists: How can we have revival without the proper funds? The answer is...we can't.

It takes money to have revival. Just like anything else in this world takes money, revival takes money. Perhaps one reason is that only four percent of professing Christians tithe to the Lord. Is it any wonder the church labors to have revival?

Revival is absent because pastors are too worried about the bills. Money that should go toward the expansion of the ministry is used for electricity, gas, water, heat, the mortgage, maintenance and so on. Many pastors can't even think about taking a salary, much less hiring a youth pastor or other needed ministerial staff.

And what about missions? How can we afford to support missionaries if we barely get by maintaining our churches?

Sadly, the same old 20/80 rule applies. Twenty percent of the people carry eighty percent of the burden. However, that was never God's plan for His kingdom.

Revival depends on our tithing and giving.

 

Robert Stewart

Cruciform Journey

Fellow Labourers-

When we think of a cruciform journey, we may think in a simple or a complex way. The cruciform journey is one which takes us vertically and horizontally all at the same time. It is journey that seeks to keep us in touch with the Creator and the created. Since the Creator is one we may find it easier to follow him. However, to follow him, has to be on his terms, and therein lies the crux of the matter. A surrendered life is what it takes to travel along the vertical. A life in which we lose our autonomy. But, what is an autonomous life as against one that pleases the one who gave it in the first place? Our relationship on the horizontal can be tortuous and mind boggling. And, yet harmony on this path is necessary. Because, how can we relate with him who we have not seen, if we can't relate with whom we can see. I must admit that some folks does not make it easy, but we are required to find a way. Look carefully at this extract from today's reading as we continue our cruciform journey in the midst of uncertainty.

"Life is far more than an attempt to keep our heads above water, and yet at times it feels like a suited metaphor. Like tiny rubber ducks in an oceanic bathtub, we are tossed about the rocks of fear and anger, pulled under by currents of despair and disappointment, and broken at times by the journey. Human fragility is often as startlingly obvious as the image of a bath toy in the Bering Strait. We are at times almost averse to this fragility, whether seen in ourselves or in others. Fighting to keep afloat in an unpredictable sea, we take on distracting cargo and build defensive walls—anything that makes us feel less like tiny vessels lost at sea and more like giant ships passing in the night."

Here is a quote from Mahatma Gandhi. "It's the action, not the fruit of the action that's important. You have to do the right thing! It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there'll be any fruit; but that doesn't mean you stop doing the right thing! You may never know what results from your action, but if you do nothing, there will be no result."

Pax Vobiscum

Robert Stewart

Grappling With Secularism

Fellow Labourers-

I find this article so challenging to the mind that if you receive it for the second time, then read it again for the second time. As a Church we must take a stand for something even if we are ridiculed. If we don't stand for something we maight fall for everything. I was struck by last week Friday's (March 5) Daily Bread topic, "Idols in the heart." Isn't that a part of the real issue that faces the child of God. Read again Ezekiel 14:1-8.

I am now quoting verbatim the thought from that lesson. "When my husband and I first went out as missionaries, I recalled being concerned about the growth of materialism in our society. It never crossed my mind that I myself could be materialistic. After all, hadn't we gone overseas with almost nothing? Weren't we choosing to live in a shabbily furnished, rundown apartment thought materialism couldn't touch us.

Nonetheless, feelings of discontent gradually began to take root in my heart. Before long I was craving hungrily after nice things and secretly feeling resentful over not having them.

Then one day God's Spirit opened my eyes with a disturbing insight: Materialism isn't necessarily having things; it can also be craving them. There I stood - guilty of materialism! God had exposed my discontent for what it was - an idol in my heart! That day as I repented of this subtle sin, God recaptured my heart as His rightful throne. Needless to say, a deep contentment followed, based not on things but on Him.

In Ezekiel's day, God dealt thoroughly with this kind of secret idolatary. His throne on Earth has always been in the hearts of His people. That's why we must rid our heart of anything that destroys our contentment with him." Joanie Yoder.

I hope we can see the connectivity between secularism and materialism.

Pax Vobiscum

Robert Stewart

Ends, Means, Journey

Fellow Labourers-

What a week this has been. My first week without the designate. How was it? Very busy, because there are a number of things needing my immediate attention. How am I coping? Very well, because of my support at home, the support of our Bishop, the support of the staff at church, and the support of a number of saints and friends who called or e-mailed me.

Today's subject is very apt, because we have started a journey with means an ends. In everything that we do we are expecting a desirable outcome (end). The means we use may vary, and this is the crux of the matter. Does the means always justify the end? I find that if we do not consciously draw the line then we find ourselves behaving and thinking just like the unconverted. We have joined the mass market and the pleasure seeking crowd, so much so that we applaud our naked athletes. We sit and cheer half naked beauty queens who are lined up like animals at an auction. We see the end, and some of us accept the means. We are behaving just like the crowd that the apostle Paul wrote about when they gathered at the sports of the gladiators.

Take a good look at this paragraph from the article. "In this season of Lent a similar invitation looms large before any who seek. We are invited both to see anew our motivations and the reasons of our own hearts. We are invited to examine the call of Christ to follow him to the Cross, wherever it might lead. At the end of that road, however tumultuous the means, we shall perhaps find that it was always Christ who carried us. Even now, he is among us, one worthy of being our end. If the LORD is God, why would we not want to follow? "

G.K.Chesterton said in Orthodoxy "The mere pursuit of health always leads to something unhealthy. Physical nature must not be made the direct object of obedience; it must be enjoyed, not worshipped. Stars and mountains must not betaken seriously. If they are, we end where the pagan Nature-worship ended."Yes, this is about Ends, Means, and Journey.

Robert Stewart

Like Dust Walking

Fellow Labourers-

How easy it is for us to forget whose we are and who we are? It is this lack of memory that causes us not to become what we should be in Christ. Christianity has become a competition to see who can outdo the other in all manner of things. The interest today is not souls but a body who can contribute to the coffers. We are living so far from the ACTS that the physical and spiritual body are suffering from a grave anaemic condition. There is a lot of form but no power.

It is time for us to remember that we are like dust walking. We are here today and gone tomorrow. Our walk calls for self denial, not only during Easter but all the time. Let us not forget the purpose for which we are called.

Pax Vobiscum

Robert Stewart

Pastor Robert Stewart - Beyond the Walls

It would be remiss of me not to say thank you to all of you who are here to witness this occasion. Thanks to Almighty God who called me from my mother’s womb. Thanks to my parents, now deceased who loved me and cared for me. Thanks to my brothers and sisters with whom I shared a cherished childhood. Thanks to Bishop Stewart who pastored me for over 39 years. Thanks to every member of the church family who loved me. Thanks to my extended family, friends and co-workers who believed in me enough to be here. Thanks to my two sons, Robert Jr. and Zachary who tried my faith, pulled my tongue, aged me, but most of all allowed me to be their father. And finally thanks to my sounding board, my best friend, my wife of 36 years. She sustains me with prayer day and night.

William Faulkner (1897-1962) was awarded the Nobel prize for literature in 1949. In his acceptance of the Nobel prize he said and I quote, “I feel that this award was not made to me as a man, but to my work - a life’s work in the agony and sweat of the human spirit, not for glory and least of all for profit, but to create out of the materials of the human spirit something which did not exist before. So this award is only mine in trust. It will not be difficult to find a dedication for the money part of it commensurate with the purpose and significance of its origin. But I would like to do the same with the acclaim too, by using this moment as a pinnacle from which I might be listened to by the young men and women already dedicated to the same anguish and travail, among whom is already that one who will some day stand where I am standing.”

For me today is indeed that day that I have ascended the pinnacle of my life. A pinnacle that exposes me to the eyes and ears of Jamaica and indeed the world. A pinnacle that exposes me to the scrutiny of the past, the present and the future. My every word and action will now be judged even by those who are not without sin. But I will endeavour to be guided by the word of Romans 12:1-3:

1. I beseech you therefore Robert, by the mercies of God, that you present your body a living sacrifice, wholly and acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service.
2. And be not conformed to this world but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
3. For I say through the grace given unto me, to everyman that is among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.

It is my intention by the grace of God to serve faithfully as a servant; to take seriously the admonition of the apostle Paul to young Timothy; to preach, teach, rebuke with all authority; to be instant in season and out of season with the word.

In 1939 and 1940 when Hitler was preparing for aggression and England was faced with grave danger Sir Winston Churchill was called upon to succeed, as Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain. He made a famous speech called “Blood, sweat and tears” in which he said and here I quote; “I say to the house as I said to Ministers who have joined this government, I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many months of struggle and suffering. You ask, what is our policy? I say it is to wage war by land, sea, and air. War with all our might and with all the strength God has given us, and to wage war against a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy.”

Today I say our policy is to be found in Ephesians 6:11-12

• Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
• For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

So we are prepared to go beyond the walls, whether they are physical, spiritual or political. No wall for us will be impenetrable. It may cause us blood sweat and tears, but like a mighty army we will by the power of God pursue and overtake. The perimeter walls of this church will not limit us. We will not stop until Eastern Kingston becomes a model of godliness and excellence. We will go beyond the walls by equipping a generation of believers to defend their faith.

Going beyond the walls suggests growth. But let us remember that it does not matter how tall a tree grows, it is still dependent on its root for sustenance. Our root is our foundation delineated in the book of Acts. It’s a foundation built upon the Apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ being the chief corner stone. We are Apostolic and that apostolic distinctive must be visible in the mosaic of the Jamaican culture. Our role as a church is not to be sucked into the vortex of an ever-changing pseudo culture, which dehumanizes our people, but rather to challenge the culture with a Christ-centered alternative. We must earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the apostles. And let us also remember that the size of one's congregation is not necessarily the best measure of one's effectiveness. The changed lives that we see within our church community and the community around us, the positive impact on the society are better guides to measure our effectiveness. Don’t be fooled by the crowd.

But I say to you PGT, let us from this day endeavour to arise and take back Eastern Kingston for God. Let us say to the hills and valleys around us “Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. For the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

SO I say arise Pentecostal Gospel Temple Conquerors, arise Pentecostal Gospel Temple Victors, and arise Pentecostal Gospel Temple Overcomers. We are one in Christ the Lord. Though the foe is nigh, the battle sore, but by his grace we will win. Let us build on the shoulders of Wilbert Obadiah Stewart and Carmen Lois Stewart. This church must be a centre of excellence and our reach must go beyond the walls.

I close with another quote. “I have not come clothed in the vesture of my past. Nor will I use the opinions of this world as my defense. No, I am far wiser through things I have suffered. Therefore I have come in my Father’s name. He has anointed my head, counseled my fears, and taught me who I am. I am covered by his anointing, comforted by his presence, and kept by His auspicious grace. Today, as never before, I stand in the identity He has given me and renounce every memory of who I was yesterday. I was called for such a time as this, and I have come in my Fathers’ name!”

Good night and God bless you.

Pastoral Response
Pentecostal Gospel Temple
111 Windward Road, Kingston 2, Jamaica
Sunday, February 28, 2010

Where There Is Faith

Fellow Labourers-

I write to you today after a very memorable event which in my mind is a journey of faith. As I consider the response of the Father [to Thomas' statement] "Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief", this paradox seems to beg the questions:

• Does doubt gives rise to faith?
• Does faith eliminates doubt?
• Can they exist together?

I don't believe these are philosophical questions, but questions arising from my humanness. There is a part of me that wants to believe wholeheartedly, and another part asking what if?

You see some of us believe to see, whilst others see to believe. Thomas saw and then believed, and exclaimed "My Lord and my God!" For him there was no more room for doubt, because he came face to face with the risen Lord. We have talked about him a lot, but have we through faith met the risen Lord?

Pax Vobiscum

Robert Stewart

Trail of tears

Fellow Labourers-

The trail of tears should help us to see the relevance of "beyond the walls." Within the walls our focus tends to be mostly vertical thus ignoring our horizontal reach. Mark you, it could have been our horizontal reach that caused our vertical reach. What this article is helping us to do, is to continue to see the atoning work of Jesus as a continuum.

As I think about it I see Christ at the centre of a set of concentric circles. His position is fixed in terms of his purpose, but his atoning blood span the gamut of every sin. No one is unreachable, and no one is untouchable. However, he is waiting on us who have already tasted of this amazing love, to spread it far and wide. Those of us familiar with history will remember that Texas was a part of Mexico, before the American annexation. Those of us from rural Jamaica know only too well the story of lands being lost because of poverty and illiteracy.

Yes, there are trails of tears everywhere, but thank God for the efficacious blood of Jesus Christ. His blood can never lose its power.


Pax Vobiscum

Robert Stewart