What Tree am I talking about? No, its not the traditional Christmas Tree that my parents use to put up in our family home and we would find our gifts under it on Christmas morning. We would wake up early that morning with great anticipation to see what gifts were waiting for us under that kind of tree.

The Tree I am talking about is the one mentioned in the bible, in the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 21 verse 22-23 and Galatians 3 verse 13-14.

Moses giving God’s law to the people of Israel, says in Deuteronomy, “If a man guilty of a capital offense is put to death and his body is hung on a tree, you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse.”

In the New Testament, Paul writing to the Galatian Church says,” Christ redeemed us from the curse of  the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: Cursed is everyone who is hung on a Tree. He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”

Jesus Christ was crucified on a wooden cross and that cross repesents a tree from which it was made.

The apostle Peter counsels us in his first letter to the church saying, “He himself bore our sins in His body on the Tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed” (I Peter 2 verse 24).

Clearly the Tree the bible is speaking of here is the cross that Jesus was crucified on as a substitute for us to receive our punishment for our sins and free us to be reconciled to God by accepting His free gift of salvation. That is the gift I am speaking of and is also described in the letter to the church in Rome by the Apostle Paul. It says, “For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6 verse 23).

To emphasize that salvation through Jesus Christ is a gift from God, Paul also says in his letter to the Ephesian church, “For it is by grace(undeserved favor- my insert)you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast“. (Ephesians 2 verses 8-9).

You can simply collect your gift by:

• First agreeing with God that you are a sinner – Romans 2 verses 9-18; 3 verse 23.

• Acknowledge that you cannot do anything of your own to save yourself and become righteous before God – Ephesians 2 verses 8-9; Titus 3 verses 4-7.

• Make up your mind and decide to make a change from being a sinner to become a son of God – John 1 verses 10-13;  Titus 2 verses 11-14.

• Accept God’s gift of salvation by asking Him to save you on the basis of Jesus’ death on the Tree and trust Him to do it – John 3 verses 16-19.

If you have claimed your gift after reading this, let us know by emailing us at plccc16@gmail.com so we can pray for you.

Claim your gift under the Tree and enjoy your Christmas gift.

The winning team, 2nd and 3rd placed teams will also receive individual medals whilst prizes will be given to the best dressed team, most disciplined team, leading goal scorer and most valuable player.

These prizes will be awarded to the winners at the award ceremony which will be incorporated in the Sunday morning service on April 11, 2010 at Portmore Lane Covenant Community Church.

Spectators will also be enjoying opportunities to win spot prizes all day whilst enjoying the football and food.

You can turn out at 16 Portmore Lane at the church grounds on Saturday April 10, 2010 from 9 am to share in the time of fun and fellowship and the return on Sunday for the awards ceremony at 10 am.

See you there.

The first word is Responsibility (RESPONSE + ABILITY).
The second word is Accountability (ACCOUNT + ABILITY).

Today, I will look at Responsibility and give my take on the matter.
I broke this word up into two separate words – “Response” and “Ability” so we can delve deeper into it.
According to the Collins Student’s Dictionary for the Caribbean, the definition of ability is “the possession of the necessary skill or power to do something”.

All of us have been given some ability by God to do something, whether small or great. We may have acquired this ability over time and through various experiences and opportunities that God has allowed us to encounter in our lives. We may have been endowed supernaturally in one moment, as mentioned in the Bible about Timothy, in I Timothy chapter 4 verse 14.
Whatever way we have received this ability, we all have some ability and the Bible gives us no room for excuse.

To enforce my point, take a look in the Bible, in the New Testament, in the First Letter to the Corinthians. In chapter 12, we hear the Apostle Paul telling us that all of us have different gifts bestowed on us by the Holy Spirit (verses 7-11). The rest of the chapter is devoted to explaining that these abilities are given for interdependency, unity, and the benefit of the whole Church. He takes time to explain that we should never think that anyone and their gift is insignificant to the whole body (church). It is important then, for unity in the church and a proper use of our abilities, that we should not go to either extremes of underrating ourselves and our abilities, nor overrating them either. That goes for the individual about self and also the whole Church in relation to an individual.

The Apostle Paul argues the same point in his letter to the Romans, chapter 12. The same points of God bestowing gifts and abilities upon believers in the Church and its importance for unity, interdependency and development of the individual believer as well as the whole Church. In both cases he lists some supernatural gifts and natural abilities that God has bestowed on persons in the Church. This is so for both the local church fellowship and the Universal Church.

But Paul did not stop there. He mentions some responses to these abilities in Romans chapter 12 verses 6-8, as does Peter in I Peter chapter 4 verses 10-11.
Peter tells us we are given these abilities because of God’s grace (undeserved favour) so that God may be praised through Jesus Christ.

The Collins Dictionary defines response as “a reply or reaction” and the word respond is to “reply favourably”.

It is clear from the Bible references above, that God expects us to respond to the abilities He has given us to the benefit of the common good of His Body, the Church.

If you are good at understanding and explaining things and can impart knowledge in a simple and effective manner then you can respond by teaching Bible class or Sunday School or in the Church’s educational centre.
If you are good at getting things done in an orderly way and can coordinate the work and activities of others you could respond by serving as an administrator for any of the ministries in the church or help out in the office. The worship team, Educational Centre, Evangelistic Ministry, Sunday School, all need to be managed by people with such abilities.
Maybe you are good at planning and executing birthday parties, weddings, outings and social events. You are the person that the church will need to plan its conferences and seminars, outreach meetings, socials and corporate prayer meetings.

If you take an inventory of things you have successfully done in the past, skills you have acquired over the years, a natural flair and passion for some area of interest and a tendency to get the commendation and appreciation from others who have benefited in some kind of way from a particular ability of yours, then this may well be your gift from God to others.

To identify and respond to the abilities God has given me is one of my goals for 2008. What will be your response? Drop me a line and let me know by your comments what is your take on this.
Next time I will share on Accountability.

Happy New Year!

So here I am, changing the tire in the hot sun, complaining and complaining, then it occurred to me; it could have been worse. The tire could have blown out with my daughter in the car; we could have had an accident…….it could have been worse.

Isn’t it amazing how quickly we complain, become upset or give up, as soon as a problem or challenge comes our way? Isn’t amazing how quickly we forget that God has always been good to us, even when we turn our backs on Him? His word says,  In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you (1st Thess. 5 v18).

We are not expected to give thanks for everything, but in everything, whatever the circumstance, give thanks, because the truth is, it could be worse.

Have you given thanks today? It cost nothing but your time;  simply pause, stop what you’re doing, reflect on your life and then give thanks.

Give Thanks, it could be worse.

Is God’s word in your heart? If it is, you will have less of an appetite for sin, however if it isn’t, your desire will be to satisfy your carnal cravings. 

Someone wrote the following on the subject of sin.

Sin takes you farther than you planned to go.

Keeps you longer than you planned to stay.

Costs you more than you planned to pay.

Hiding His word in our hearts requires a purposeful approach on our part to read, study and meditate on it. His Word is the treasure and our hearts the treasure chest that keeps this precious gift.

Are you hiding his word or is you treasure chest empty?