(by pastor Norman)

God says we are blessed if we meditate on His word and delight in it (Ps 1:1-2). To delight in something is to find pleasure in it, to find it desirable and attractive. The prophet Jeremiah said, “When I discovered your words, I devoured them, they are my joy and my heart’s delight” (Jer 15:16; NLT). The writer of Psalm 119 filled the whole Psalm with emphasis on God’s truths, His word. The psalmist delighted in God’s commandments and law (verses 35, 47, 48, 92, 127). He delighted in God’s statutes (v 16), precepts (v 189) and testimonies (v 24). Statutes are written laws or rules that define boundaries; precepts are commandments given by God. God’s word is truth and life (John 17:17; 6:63) and sets us free from all of the results of sin in our lives (John 8:32). God’s word is sweeter than honey (Ps 119:103) and “The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and silver” (Ps 119:11; Jer 15:16). Joshua in the Old Testament said, “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have good success” (Josh 1:8; NKJV). What a promise; surely if we embrace and believe that verse, we can’t help but delight in God’s word and make it a real priority in our lives.

(by pastor Jean)

Integrity. It’s not a word that might give you warm fuzzy feelings but it is none the less a character trait that goes right along with honesty and it means to be thoroughly trustworthy. The Oxford Language Dictionary definition of integrity is, “The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles, moral uprightness.” The book of Proverbs has a lot to say about integrity. God bestows good on those who live with integrity (Prov 13:21), He protects them (Prov 2:7), they will live in safety (Prov 10:9), they will receive guidance (Prov 11:3), the person of integrity fears the Lord (Prov 14:2), their children will be happy (Prov 20:7) and they will be helped (Prov 28:18). The book of Proverbs also talks a lot about the “righteous man” who would also be a person of integrity; that person hates lying and deceit (Prov 13:5). Several Bible people are noted for their integrity, amongst them – Job, David and Joseph. “The Lord said to satan, have you considered my servant Job? No one on earth is like him, a man of perfect integrity, who fears the Lord and turns away from evil” (Job 1:8; CSB). About David, God said, “He walked with a heart of integrity and in what is right, doing everything I have commanded” (1 Kings 9:4; CSB). Joseph also showed great integrity by refusing to commit adultery with Potiphar’s wife (Gen 39). To live a life of integrity demands discipline but nevertheless it pleases God (1 Chron 29:17) and brings glory to His name.

(by pastor Norman)

In 1 Peter 2:12, the apostle begs Christians to demonstrate honourable behaviour and good works appropriate for disciples of Christ. In other words, Peter expected Christians to be different from the world around them. The apostle Paul exhorted the Ephesians to imitate God and walk in love (Eph 5:1-2). Paul challenged his associate, Titus, to be an example of “good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech” (Titus 2:6-7; NKJV). Wow! That’s quite a challenging list! To his associate, Timothy, he wrote, “Be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim 4:12; NKJV). The apostle John reminds us that we will be recognized as Christians by the way we love each other with the unconditional love of Jesus (John 13:35). Jesus said He gave us an example of a humble, loving servant when He washed His disciples’ feet; then He said we should do as He did (John 13:14-15). The apostle Paul, in all humility, held up his life as an example to follow; he said, “Imitate me just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Cor 11:1; NKJV). Now that’s a verse to sit back and meditate on! How can we be an example for Christ? The apostle John wrote that if we abide in Christ we can walk as He did (1 John 2:6). In the Bible, we see that as we saturate in God’s word, we are trained to be all God wants us to be (2 Tim 3:16-17) and the Holy Spirit can change us to be more and more like Jesus Christ (2 Cor 3:18), examples for Him!

(by Pastor Jean)

We are not saved by our good works but for good works, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works” (Eph 2:10; NKJV) and, “You are saved by grace through faith” (Eph 2:10; CSB), “not from works so that no one can boast” (Eph 2:9; CSB). When it comes to good works Jesus is our prime example; Acts 10:38 tells us that He spent each day simply “doing good.” What did Jesus tell others about doing good works? In the sermon on the mount Jesus said, “Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your Heavenly Father” (Matt 5:16; NLT). Later on, in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus told His disciples that if they did anything kind even if it was as simple as giving a glass of water, they would be rewarded. James addresses the issue of good works in his epistle, saying that if our faith does not have corresponding good works then it is dead faith (James 2:14-17, 26). He says that genuine faith, “produces good works” (James 2:14; AMP). Paul encouraged the Galatians not to grow tired of doing good (Gal 6:9) and he also told Titus to be “zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14; ESV) and then in Titus 3:14 he says that people should devote themselves to good works. Finally, let’s heed the admonition in 1 Cor 16:14 to, “let everything you do be done in love” (ESV). Always remember that whenever you do something for “one of the least of these” you are doing it for Jesus (Matt 25: 35-45).

(by pastor Norman)

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a special people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9; AMP). It pays for us to take note of who we are as Christians as the apostle Peter so eloquently describes above. We are a very special people belonging to God, called out from the darkness in this world for a specific purpose, to tell of the wonders of Jesus to those we come in contact with. We are temples of God (2 Cor 6:16), of His Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19) and Jesus paid a high price, His life (1 Cor 6:20) so that we could be forgiven (Eph 1:7) and become God’s children (John 1:12), His Christian people. The apostle Paul exhorts us to live lives separate from non- Christians (2 Cor 6:14, 17); we need to witness to them (Acts 1:8) but not follow their lifestyle. God wishes to bless us abundantly (John 10:10) but warns against loving or seeking after the evil ways of the world (1 John 2:15, Eph 5:11). Jesus Himself said that He calls us out from the world around us and people in the world will not love us (John 15:19). We need to be careful in our choice of friends, bad company will influence us negatively (1 Cor 15:33, James 4:4). We must let God’s love shine through us and allow our words and lifestyle to attract those around us into His victorious eternal life.