Week 4: BEING JUDGEMENTAL BREACHES THE CORE OF CHRISTIANITY

We are quick to judge others and Christians are no exception.
It is easy to point a finger at other people’s failures and it is amazing just how fast an accusing or derogaratory remark travels. It continues to amaze just how the remark will be embellished on its journey, until eventually it bears little or no resemblance to the original statement.

Being judgmental is contrary to the very core of Christ’s teaching because He said: ’Do not judge, or you will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged; with the measure you use, it will be measured to you’(Matthew 7:1-2).
The Lord showed compassion, mercy, forgiveness and love towards all His people and, as followers of Jesus Christ(Christians), it is imperative that we always do the same. If someone does something of which we may not approve, do we ever consider the background of the event and what unfortunate circumstances may have led to the particular act? Do we ask ourselves about the causes which led to the downfall of other Christians? Seeing that an action taken is not welcomed, what did we do to change behaviour or normalize the situation?

In the Holy Bible we have been taught that Christ’s attributes should cause us to show love and compassion. Instead we tend to be the soldiers who kill their partners in the war of sins. Being judgmental is also not showing gratitude to God for having saved us by sacrificing His son.

Instead of passing judgment on mankind and washing His hands of a fickle, sinful human race, God gave us Christ and out of His love, and through Christ, He died in our place so that we might have everlasting life.
You therefore have no excuse to pass judgment, because at whatever point you tend to judge others, you condemn yourself.
This is because most of those who pass judgment commit the very acts they judge(Romans 2:1).
Before passing judgment on each other, consider God’s love for you. Let us stop seeking sin in other people, whilst denying your own and believing only you will be forgiven.

If we claim to be real followers of Christ, why do we pass remarks discrediting other churches?   Three questions:
-What is a church?(Ephesians 2:19-22)
-Who is a sinner?(Romans 5:12-13)and
-How do you receive salvation?(Ephesians 2:8-10)

Remember, salvation is not achieved, it is received. Let us not only know about Jesus, let us understand who Jesus is in our lives, for it is our understanding of Jesus, not only what we know about him that will bring peace and fulfillment into our lives.

Message by Pastor Andrias Tumahole,Pilgrim Church Ministry

Week 3 :TRUE FREEDOM IS FOUND IN JESUS CHRIST

Jesus once said to the people who called themselves believers, ‘You will know the truth and the truth shall set you free.’

These people reacted by saying, ‘We have never been anybody’s slaves. What do you mean by saying: “You will be free?” ( John 8:32-33).

Even in these days the very same context is still taking place. Quite often you will find people saying that they are not interested in religion and by this they refer specially to Jesus Christ because they say that religion is so restrictive. For today’s young people, freedom means being able to do as you please, when you please and with whom you please. What these people fail to realize is that the freedom they are trying to create for themselves is a heavy bondage. It is a bondage to their will, to their sin and to satan himself. However, when they surrender their will to the Lord Jesus Christ, they discover true freedom for they are then able to be what they were created to be.

A locomotive is only free to travel the length and breath of the country while it stays trapped on its trail. The moment it liberates itself from this bondage, it binds itself to going nowhere and being useless. When we surrender to God, we discover what we were meant to be and are able to enjoy the freedom of a holy life that is spent in serving God with great joy. True freedom is only found in Christ Jesus.

Message given by Pastor Andrias Tumahole, Pilgrim Church Ministry

Week 2: DON’T LIVE IN THE PAST OR WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW

God gives each Christian a certain lifespan and an opportunity to use it. We must use the time and opportunities that we have been given to be good Christians and to spread the Good News, which we have received.
During our lifetime we must also care for others and for the earth. We have been given time to do our share in the Church of the Lord Jesus. The time belongs to God and He gives each person as much of it as he decides to. Some people receive a longer time and others live a shorter life.

Nobody knows how long he/she will live. On a certain day a  person’s time is over. Then the great question will be what did I do with my time and my opportunities?
Each person should use this time with wisdom. We have to give time to our daily work; we must give time to our neighbours as well as members of our families, not forgetting friends and co-workers. We must use every day of our life in the best possible way.

It is important to have a special time of prayer and Bible study every day. This is the secret of a Christian’s strength. In the Bible we get to know what God wants us to do. We also learn how to share the Good News with others.
Time which has passed, is gone forever and can never be used again. Yet many people think back about the things that happened in the past. Others worry about the mistakes that they made. This hinders them from using the present time correctly.

We must use the past correctly so that we can learn from our mistakes and experiences, in order to work better in the present time. The past must not hinder me today and tomorrow. Sometimes we never think about the future, we only live for today. We do not plan or make provision for the future and this is a great mistake. Other people fear the future and they are so worried about the things, which may happen that they cannot work properly today. This is wrong.

A Christian must think of the future and he/she must plan well, he/she must have a plan about how to do his/her work successfully. He/she must plan for the future of his/her family because if he/she neglects to plan, the opportunities will come and pass by, unused and unnoticed.

The most important thing is to understand what God’s plan is with my life. Only then I can be able to recognise and use the opportunities God gives me. I can only use this time that I have today.   Christ says that we should not worry about tomorrow, so let it be. (Matthew 6:34)

Message given by Pastor Andrias Tumahole,Pilgrim Church Ministry

Week 1: FALLING INTO SIN SOMETIMES DOES NOT MEAN YOU HAVE FAILED

Most of us can still not believe that no matter how big or terrible the sin that you commit, if you repent and do not commit the same sin again( 2 Peter 2:20-22), Jesus is there to forgive what you have done which was wrong before His eyes. We think and believe that if we have been involved in any type of offence which leads to sin, then we are completely destroyed. This is because of the treatment we get from this world.

MINDS

Something that we should bear in our minds is that we are all God’s people. Either Jew or Gentile, we are all God’s people ( Roman 9:24-26). Sin does not have the last word in a believer’s life. While we may sin, and sin seriously, it doesn’t mean that we are cast aside from God’s care. Neither does it mean that we are forever sidelined and rendered useless in God’s purpose.

THINK

If we think that we are without sin, we should be informed that we make God out to be a liar and His word is not ours,( 1 John 1:8-10). The purpose of Jesus coming to this world was to seek the lost, sinners who have gone astray    ( Matthew 9:9-13).

There may be many sins in your past, do not allow the devil to deceive you into thinking that your usefulness to God is over. While you may suffer from the disciplining of God, He will eventually restore you to a place of honour in His Kingdom, provided you repent of the past sins. You may even find that your days after repentance will be even more successful than your former days when served the Lord before your fall. This message of encouragement is especially for those leaders who have fallen.

Remember our ancestor David’s downfall, but he never said that he was completely cursed. He went back to the Almighty God where his help came from( Psalm 121).

Let me warn the rest of you to beware how we judge those who fall. The Bible warns us to correct those in sin, but carefully, lest we ourselves fall.

Message by Pastor Andrias Tumahole,Pilgrim Church Ministry