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Adapted from Bishop Roberto Jemmott’s daily publication “Words of Encouragement" – The Lord's Servants Must Excel (October 16, 2014)

Growing up I hated when my mother would tell me not to do something without given me an alternative or another option. My mother would say, "Don't go swimming in the lake." I would question her as to why I should not go swimming in the lake, and she would answer "because I said so." I hated that response and I promised myself that I would never say it once I became a parent, but when I became a parent I did the same thing. What my mother should have said when I questioned her was that the lake was filled with alligators and that I should only swim in the pool or beach. The Bible is replete with alternatives, one such text is Ephesians 5:18 (NLT): "Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,"

The Second Epistle to Timothy was written during Paul's second arrest and imprisonment, which eventually resulted in his execution. This Epistle was Paul's final message to his spiritual son Timothy. Paul warned Timothy that he should not quarrel; but that he should be kind, teachable, and have patience when dealing with difficult people.

"A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people." 2 Timothy 2:24 (NLT)

Notice the one negative (must not quarrel) and the three positive things that Timothy needed to excel in rather than to quarrel with people. Let's look closely at each positive thing Paul instructed Timothy to excel in.

First, be kind; not just to the saints or his friends, but to everyone, even those outside the faith. Remember, kindness is part of the fruit of the Spirit. "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,"   Galatians 5:22 (NLT)

Second, he tells Timothy to teach at every opportunity. As believers, we need to be teachers not only with our words but with the lives we live. "Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others." 2 Timothy 2:1b (NLT)

Third, Timothy needed to learn how to be patient with difficult people. This is perhaps one of the most difficult things to do because difficult people don't make it easy for us to be patient with them; nevertheless we need to do it. Here is my confession and prayer:  Lord, you know I need help being patient with difficult people!

Remember, the Lord's servants are to be kind to everybody, teachers of the Gospel and patient with difficult people.

Be Blessed,

Bishop Jemmott

Believers' Ethical Living

Believers' Ethical Living

Adapted from Bishop Roberto Jemmott’s daily publication “Words of Encouragement" - Believers' Work Ethics (October 9, 2014)

The following paragraph was taken from the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics web page, the article was written by Thomas Shanks, S.J.:

"In The Leadership Compass, John Wilcox and Susan Ebbs write, 'Moral behavior is concerned primarily with the interpersonal dimension of our behavior: how we treat one another individually and in groups — and, increasingly, other species and the environment.' The key here is that morality brings us into contact with others and asks us to consider the quality of that contact."

As believers what is the quality of your contact with others, do they see Christ from your contact? Is your contact different from that of the world?

As believers, our morality is governed by the Scriptures and when we come into contact with people who have a different morality how is the quality of that contact? Does the contact bring glory and honor to the Lord? Read Paul's instructions on how our lives should contact and impact the world of the non-believer.

"Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. Then people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others."

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NLT)

When we fail to live ethical lives as believers we allow the world to criticize the Church because of our behavior. It's time for believers to live according to the biblical standard. From the above text the Apostle Paul gives us instructions on how to live ethical lives:

First - The believer must "live a quiet life"; a better translation could be to live a tranquil life. Have you ever met someone who is boisterous, always talking so that every one can hear his conversations whether you want to are not! Well Paul instructs us to be the opposite of that person. However, living a tranquil life is not hiding behind closed doors, waiting for the rapture; it's going about living our daily life in a tranquil fashion.

Second - As a believer you must "mind your own business"; don't be a busy body. Let me tell you what Paul is not saying, he is not saying that we should not get involved in the community, work place or the church. What he is saying is that we should not be gossipers or walk around stirring up strife.

Third – Believers, you must "work with your hands"; in other words, be productive. Every believer should be productive; we should not live from hand-outs, we should work. God created us to be fruitful and to multiply; everything you need to succeed is within you.

If we practice these fundamental principles outlined in the Word of God for living ethically, non-believers will not only respect our way of living, but will also join us and become believers.

Be Blessed

Bishop Jemmott

The Difference Between A Mature and Carnal Believer

The Difference Between A Mature and Carnal Believer

Don Clowers, in his book, Spiritual Growth, says the following:

"The fact that a Christian is carnal does not mean he or she is not born again. The carnal Christian may be a new convert who is just beginning to grow. Or it could be someone who has been saved for many years but is still a baby in the things of God. He accepted Jesus years ago but made no effort to develop and mature in spiritual matters. That person chooses to be fed with milk instead of meat. The flesh rules and there is no indication of a daily trusting in God."

Truly Mr. Clowers hit the nail on the head when he says that carnal a Christian chooses to be fed with milk instead of meat, and their flesh is in control of their life. The apostle Paul shows us the difference between the mature and carnal believer. Read what he says about the difference between the carnal and mature believers in 1 Corinthians 3:1-4 (NIV)

​"Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, 'I follow Paul,' and another, 'I follow Apollos,' are you not mere human beings?"

Allow me to outline a few differences between the carnal and mature believers.

Carnal believers live by the flesh, in other words their flesh and its desire control them.  The mature believer is controlled by the Spirit and lives by the Holy Spirit. Notice I said control. To control something is have dominion over that thing.  So, if your flesh controls you, it has dominion over you.  If the Holy Spirit controls you, He controls your life.  Again Paul writes "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law." Galatians 5:16-18 (NIV)

How do you know if you are controlled by the Spirit or by the flesh? Your behavior will reveal who is controlling your life. What kind of behavior is being manifested in your life, what is growing out of your life? Paul also said: "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."  Galatians 5:19-23 (NIV)

Are you controlled by the acts of the flesh? Then you are carnal. Is the fruit of the Spirit growing in your life? Then you are a mature believer.  Mature believers live by the Spirit; mature believers live by the Word of God; mature believers are not jealous and don't argue and quarrel with one another; and finally, mature believers don't choose sides. 

If you are a carnal believer, it's time to put away your carnality and begin to grow in Christ.  It's time to stop drinking the milk of the Word and eat the meat of the Word of God. 

Be Blessed!

Bishop Jemmott 

Train them

Train Them 

Many people know that a person's character and personality is largely established by the time they are very young. The traits that will define that individual throughout his or her life can be clearly identified when he or she is as little as 7 years old. In a new investigation, scientists show that, by the time they start going to school, children already exhibit the personality traits that will remain with them throughout their lives. This was clearly established in a new paper, written by experts at the University of California in Riverside (UCR), LiveScience reports.

Can you imagined by the time your sons and daughters are eligible for first grade their identity and behavioral traits will be established? For those of you who discount the Bible as an ancient book with no relativity for today's society, think again. Listen to King Solomon's wisdom and advice on raising children, which he wrote many centuries ago in the Proverbs of Solomon, one of the books in the Bible.

"Train up a child in the way he should go,

Even when he is old he will not depart from it."

Proverbs 22:6 (NASB)

Solomon admonishes parents to train their children. Others can and should help you train your children, but foundational training – teaching them how to respect those in authority and adults – begins and ends in the home. If you don't train your children in the privacy of your home, the evidence of that lack of training will be manifested in public, resulting in embarrassment to you the parent.  Solomon also said, "Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them." Proverbs 13:24 (NLT)

There is nothing cute about a misbehaving child and there is no such thing as being too young for discipline. As Solomon said, if you love your child, you will discipline them. In closing this blog, you should never discipline in anger because anger opens the door to abuse. Let the training begin before it's too late.

Be Blessed!

Bishop Jemmott

My Words

Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English short-story writer, poet, and novelist. He wrote tales and poems of British soldiers in India and stories for children. He authored some of my favorite childhood stories The Jungle Book, which was the basis for Disney's cartoon, but perhaps my favorite one was Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, the story about a boy and a mongoose.  Young people today should read his short stories. I love what Mr. Kipling said about words; "Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind."

Yes, words can intoxicate or they can destroy; that's why the wisest man said the following:

"For my mouth shall utter truth, and wrongdoing is detestable and loathsome to my lips. All the words of my mouth are righteous (upright and in right standing with God); there is nothing contrary to truth or crooked in them. They are all plain to him who understands [and opens his heart], and right to those who find knowledge [and live by it]."

Proverbs 8:7-9 (AMP)

What kinds of words are proceeding out of your mouth? Are you speaking truth or are you bending and twisting your words so that you and you alone benefit from them? Are your words upright and right standing with God? If God is a party to your conversation, would He approve of the conversation, or are your words crooked and contrary to the truth?

Are your words plain and easy to understand; are they from your heart? Are they words of knowledge or words that others can live by or depend on? As believers, we should always speak words that encourage, not destroy.

The Apostle James informs us about the danger of words."A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it! It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell." James 3:5-6 (MSG)

WHAT KINDS OF WORDS ARE COMING OUT OF YOUR MOUTH, EDIFYING OR DESTROYING WORDS?

Be Blessed!

Bishop Jemmott

How to Know God's Will!

How to Know God's Will!

Do you want to know God's will for your life? Here are four essential steps that will reveal His will for your life. 

Step 1: Offer your body as a living sacrifice to God, not man! As believers, our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit. Stop offering it up to sinful acts. It's your choice! 

Step 2: Stop living according to the world's standards and principles. Just because everyone is doing it doesn't mean it's right. 

Step 3:  Stop conforming (to act in accordance or harmony; comply) to the world's standard and be transformed (to change in condition, nature, or character; convert) to the biblical standard. 

Step 4: Renew your mind. In other words, change your thinking!

You need to complete all steps; only then will you know the will of God for your life. 

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Romans 12:1-2 (AMP)

One final observation, if you claim to have completed all steps and still the will of God has not been revealed to you, read verse two again in the Message Bible.

"Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."

Romans 12:2

Be Blessed!

Bishop Jemmott