(by pastor Norman)

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away; behold all things have become new” (2 Cor 5:17; NKJV). If you truly believe in Christ, His life and ministry here on earth, His death and resurrection, and are willing to speak it out and surrender your life to Him, you will be saved (Rom 10:9,10). To be saved means your spirit is made new, you are a new creation (John 3:3, 5-7, Eph 2:1). To believe is more than head knowledge; it is complete faith and trust in God to the point of obedience and verbal acknowledgment of Him as master of your life. As Christians, we are to walk in obedience to His commands, living a life committed to His will (John 14:15; Prov 16:3). God’s cardinal command is that “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30; NKJV). We are to love others as we love ourselves (Mark 12:31) and this must have practical expression (1 John 3:16, Titus 3:8, Matt 25:35-44). We are also called to walk in humility (Phil 2:3-4) and fear God (1 Peter 2:16), the latter means to honour and respect Him. God desires to transform each one of us to be more and more like Christ, this is the work of the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 3:18). To facilitate this growth, we need to saturate ourselves in His word (2 Tim 3:16-17) and in prayer (Phil 4:6-7), pressing into God (Phil 3:14) and allowing the Holy Spirit to develop His fruit in our lives (Gal 5:22-23). Finally, we must be part of His church (Heb 10:24-25) and His ambassadors, leading others to Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:18-20).

(by pastor Jean)

“Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God” (Matt 5:9; NKJV). Jesus is our ultimate example of a peacemaker because He came to earth to bring peace between God and man, which He achieved through His death on the cross. He also broke down the hostility between Jews and Gentiles (Eph 2:14-18). In addition, He lived his life in peace (for example, Matt 8:23-27), which is why He is called the Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6). If we are to be peacemakers too then we must have the peace of God in our hearts. If we are Christians then we know that Jesus actually bequeathed His peace to us, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). Not only that, but when we became born again, we invited Jehovah Shalom (or the Lord is peace, Judges 6:24) into our hearts. As a result of that regeneration the fruit of peace will grow in our lives if we cooperate with the Holy Spirit, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…” (Gal 5:22; NKJV). This kind of peace can be enjoyed regardless of our circumstances whether good or bad. It is because we have the peace of God in our lives that we can be peace makers. There are several scriptures that speak to this topic, for example, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (Rom 12:18; NKJV). Let’s share the peace of God which we enjoy with those around us today; be a peacemaker and you will be blessed (Matt 5:9).

(by pastor Norman)

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor 5:21; NKJV). Christ died on a cross so that we could be forgiven. for our sins (Col 1:14) and walk by God’s grace in His righteousness (Rom 5:17). When we acknowledge our need for Him, repent of sin, ask His forgiveness and ask Him into our lives to have control (Rom 10:9,10), He comes and we receive His abundant life (John 10:10) and righteousness. God sees us as righteous (2 Cor 5:21) and justified (Rom 4:25). Righteousness is to have right standing with God, in line with His will for us, acquitted of sin. To be justified is to be made, “just as if we had never sinned!” God does not remember our sins (Heb 8:12). God blesses the righteous (Ps 5:12, Matt 5:6), brings peace, quietness and guards us (Isa 32:17, Prov 13:6). He also delivers us from evil (Ps 34:19, Prov 11:6). Our Lord hears the prayer of the righteous (1 Peter 3:12) and brings life (Prov 12:28). In the book of Proverbs, we read that, “Righteousness exalts a nation” (Prov 14:34). We are God’s righteousness but as with every aspect of our new life as Christians we need to grow in righteousness. We are exhorted to seek (Matt 6:33) and pursue righteousness (2 Tim 2:22), “hunger and thirst for it” (Matt 5:6). We grow in righteousness by allowing the Bible to instruct us (2 Tim 3:16), walking in faith (Phil 3:9) and allowing the Holy Spirit to change us (2 Cor 3:18). Remember that the righteous “are as bold as a lion” (Prov 28:1), bold to tell the world about Jesus! Merry Christmas!

(by pastor Norman)

God completed His creation over 6 days and on the 7th day He rested (Gen 2:2). God set aside the 7th day as a day of rest for His people, when no work was to be done (Gen 2:3, Ex 23:12). As Christians, we keep Sunday as our Sabbath or rest day, a day we focus on God. In the book of Hebrews we read that we can enter into the life of rest He has for us (Heb 4:1). As Christians as we ask Jesus Christ to be our Lord and Saviour (Rom 10:9-10) and give our lives to Him we can walk in the ongoing abundant life He has for us and this includes His rest (John 10:10). We can live in God’s rest in this life just as Jesus did. He and His disciples were in a storm at sea, the disciples panicked but Jesus slept, He was at rest! When He woke, He “rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm” (Matt 8:24; NKJV). Rest was restored to the lives of the disciples. How often we labour and struggle physically and emotionally in our own strength to achieve things in life, this results in a life of stress, anxiety, tension worry and concern. Jesus has a better way, “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matt 11:28-30; NKJV). Jesus is saying here, quit toiling and struggling on your own and take my yoke or in other words, submit to me and do things my way and experience true rest! How do we find His way? Well, pray, get close to God, in His word and He will show us the way!