As a fruit, righteousness is much sought after from the tree of faith. Jesus highlighted its importance by prioritising its value. Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Here, James the Lord’s brother, makes an important connection between peace and righteousness. Making peace was also taught by Jesus to be of great reward. Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
Peacemaking, however, is so much more than just being peaceful. Unfortunately, it is also very difficult, particularly in a world ruled by envying and strife. Much of the strife we witness today is a result of differing points of view competing for supremacy.

James advises a way to make peace and claim the fruit of righteousness by using an alternate strategy. He counsels believers to use ‘wisdom from above’ which we confess as the truth, but done in a spirit of meekness, showing love to the hearer. (James 3:17) “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”

This type of good conversation suppresses competition because it has the traits of gentleness mixed with mercy and it is done without favouritism or hypocrisy. The result is calm and fruitful conversation which hopefully clears up all confusion.

A win-win for all involved.

We find that Balaam is a biblical figure mentioned in the book of Numbers, in the Old Testament.  He is known for an incident involving a talking donkey. Here I wish to give a summary of the story: Balaam was a prophet from the region of Pethor, The King of Moab, Balak, saw that the Israelites were becoming a powerful nation and feared their presence. Balak wanted Balaam to curse the Israelites in oracle to weaken them. Balak sent messengers to Balak, offering him rewards if he would curse the Israelites, Balaam consulted with God, who initially instructed him not to go with the messengers. However, when Balak sent more prominent officials with greater promises, Balaam sought God’s guidance again.

God allowed Balaam to go but wanted him to speak only what God commanded him. As Balaam was on his way, an angel of the Lord stood in the path with a drawn sword, Although Balaam’s donkey saw the angel and tried to avoid it, Balaam, in his impatience, became angry and struck the donkey three times.

Then a remarkable event occurred: the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and it spoke to Balaam, asking why he had beaten her. Balaam’s eyes were opened, and he saw the angel standing before him. The angel explained that the donkey had saved Balaam’s life by turning away from the angel’s sword.

Realizing his error, Balaam acknowledged his sin and offered to turn back, but the angel instructed him to continue on his journey to see Balak. However, Balaam was only allowed to speak the words that God put in his mouth.

When Balaam reached Balak, instead of cursing the Israelites, he pronounced blessings over them according to God’s instructions. Balaam’s attempts to curse the Israelites were repeatedly thwarted by God, and he ended up pronouncing blessings three times.

The story of Balaam and his talking donkey serves as a reminder of God’s sovereignty and the importance of obedience to His commands. It highlights the concept that even when someone intends to do harm, God can use unusual means to accomplish His purposes.

We must remember that Balaam brought a prophesy, that took almost 1500 years to come to pass when he prophesized the birth of Christ. Numbers 24:17 “I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, And shall smite the corners of Moab, And destroy all the children of Sheth”.

One of the greatest teachings we have on this is the hymn we all have sung for many years – ‘what a friend we have in Jesus’. When we read the background of its composition, it takes on new meaning.

It was written by a man named Joseph Scriven who lived in the 1800’s in Ireland and he fell in love with his childhood sweetheart. On the day before they were to be married, they rode on horseback to meet one another and tragically her horse bucked and threw her off, she hit her head on a rock beside a riverbed, rolled unconscious into the water moments before Joseph arrived. She died and he found his fiancé dead in the middle of the river, we can only imagine, life falls apart for him.  He now leaves Ireland as he doesn’t want to face everything he knew there.

He moves to Canada and encounters the powerful Grace of Jesus. He falls in love with Christ’s word and he decides to devote his life to living out the teaching of Jesus known as the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew Chapter 5, 6 & 7.  He takes a vow of poverty, he’s very handy and he works for people. But the story goes, he actually wouldn’t work for anyone that could afford him. If they could afford to pay him, he wouldn’t do the work, it was only for people that didn’t have the means that he would do the work. Joseph Scriven’s nickname was the Good Samaritan, always helping people who were in need. A young lady saw this very Godly man and took interest in him, he took interest in her and he fell in love again with a woman named Eliza Roche. They were engaged to be married and weeks before they were to be married, at the age of 23, Eliza came down with pneumonia and died. Two times, not once, but two times the love of his life is taken from him. He never fell in love again.

Years went by and when his mother was dying back in Ireland, he obviously didn’t have the money to go and see her because he had taken a vow of poverty. So, he wrote a poem to her and he sent the poem to her. The poem actually started to become very well known, although he never took credit for it. Years later, by accident, a friend was in his house and saw the original notes of this, now a hymn, and found the words to it. And he said to Joseph, “Did you write the words to this?” And Joseph said, “Well, to be honest, “the Lord and I wrote it together.”  The poem that he wrote to his dying mom is now the hymn that has been for a couple hundred years, ‘What a Friend We Have in Jesus.’ Feel the power of the lyrics that this man wrote, knowing the story behind what he endured in life. He asked the question, “Can we find a friend so faithful, who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness, take it to the Lord in prayer. Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged, take it to the Lord in prayer.”

Psalm 34 -15 “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And his ears are open unto their cry.”

The mocking revilings of these groups of people around the cross seem nothing compared to Apostle Peter’s earlier three denials of Christ in public, at a time and place when humanly He would have welcomed moral support. “I don’t even know Him!”

All the other disciples, except Apostle John, had also forsaken Jesus. They fled and followed Him at a distance after He was arrested in the garden. Annas, the former high priest, designed a sadistic way of tormenting Jesus, questioning Him about His teaching and His disciples in John 18:19 “The high Priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.” The inquiry and interrogation concerning His supposedly faithful followers were far more excruciating than lashes inflicted upon His bare back. “Tell me about your disciples. Why aren’t they here? What are they doing now?   Where are they hiding? Tell me about Judas, Peter, James, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and the others.” Jesus chose painful silence for His answer. Such a toughening process prepared Him for more emotional insults and physical tortures yet to come at the cross.

God’s wisest saints often choose to endure pain rather than escape it. Someone penned these lines; “To be released from sorrow, from sickness, weariness and pain. To be released from sin’s enslavement, from Satan’s enslavement, from Satan’s influence and domain. Could this be death?”

Our Lord Jesus Christ paid the full price with His own precious Blood to save all. We cannot add to the sacrifice made by our Lord Jesus. We cannot earn our right to be in His presence. Yet there is a sense in which we may be able to share in His suffering – bearing the cost of following Him.  Luke 9:23 “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
And let us pray with the repentant sinner who was saved – who spoke vital words; “Jesus, Lord remember me when you comest into thy Kingdom.” Let us learn from the Lamb and hold fast to the promise of our Lord – 2 Corinthians 12:9 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee:  for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”

Jeremiah the Prophet spoke God’s word to the nation of Judah in the lead up to their Babylonian captivity. Approximately 600 years later, the ‘hope of Israel’, their Saviour, was born into the world. Jesus came to save the Israelite nation from the captivity of sin and the wages of death.

Unfortunately, the words of the true prophets came to fulfillment, and He was forsaken resulting in names being written back into the earth. The promised from fountain of life had come, but whenever the fountain is rejected, access to the life-giving water is lost. Psalm 36:9 “For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light”. Proverbs 13:14 “The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.” Proverbs 14:27 “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart the snares of death.”

Thankfully, with the victory of Jesus Christ, He was able to write the names of those who believed in Him into another book, the Lamb’s book of life. As a remedy to death, a wonderful New Hope was thereby set in place.

Revelations 21:6, “And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.”

Jesus’ disciples witnessed the beginning of this new way when a woman who had committed adultery was brought to Him for condemnation. He was seen writing into the dust, which along with His statement, ‘He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her,’ convicted the hearts of the accusers and they let her live. Freedom from judgement and death to walking in forgiveness and life.

John 8:11-12, “She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

The text word for today reads conspicuously foreign.  The repetitions are unusual.  Other time Christ had often made very clear statements. The frequent use of not seeing and seeing seem almost puzzling, which is reinforced by the connecting, temporary paraphrase “and again for a little while”. The legible repetitions in the course of the text are, first of all, a very typical example of the methodology used by the rabbinical students. They conduct their discussions by repeating what they have heard in order to memorize Master’s words. Was what Jesus said to the disciples in this way enough for them to understand? Is it enough for us to understand?

“Just a little while longer…”. It will not be long before His execution. Jesus knows that those who believe in Him will fall into great distress, sadness and uncertainty. He does not omit that the world will celebrate His humiliation and mockery with joy and satisfaction. But His successors will be all the more oppressed and will suffer. He’s clearly preparing them for it. According to the Jewish understanding, the words “weep” and “lament” are closely related to lamentation, which underlines the seriousness and consequence of this announcement of farewell.

After this, Jesus speaks again of “a while…”, this time in reference to the disciples seeing him again. The meaning of the choice of word “while” has since been interpreted in many ways. With the different interpretations of this fact, I agree that Christ speaks of meeting the disciples after his resurrection. The Easter experience, also the statement “… I am going to the Father” and the Ascension, as well as the sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, lead the disciples into different forms of perception and presence of Christ. Through all images and events He promises His divine but: “I will see you again!” (Verse 22). After Easter in the flesh, at Pentecost in the form of the spirit – but always the same Jesus.

We are used to saying: we do not see Jesus Christ in person like the disciples, but we see Him because and as the Holy Scriptures testify to Him. Is that enough for us to understand?  “I will see you again” is His promise, which gives us joyful expectation and a living relationship with Him. How we see Jesus, what relationship we have to Him is individual, shaped by upbringing, knowledge gained and certainly also by our church attendance. We have very different experiences in which, for example, demands and suffering, but also joy and happiness shape our bond with Jesus and our view of Him. Our experiences sometimes lead us to doubt, lack of understanding, impatience and powerlessness. This should not give rise to false self-doubt, exclusionary theories of sin or mechanisms of repression that go as far as questioning the faithfulness and presence of our Lord. Need and sadness, fate of life and even threatened faith are the divine “but“, the promise of reunion, subordinate. “You too have sadness now; but I want to see you again, and your hearts shall rejoice, and no one shall take your joy from you. (Verse 22)

So we stand with the disciples, should always remain questioners in our discipleship and can rejoice in His promise from the refrain “I am with you every day”, also quietly in the questioning, listening and threefold repetition according to rabbinic care. The divine “but“: Jesus wants to see us again and is waiting for us until eternity. From belief in the resurrection to belief in the present – not only because belief in the present is placed in all time through the words and deeds of God and their acceptance, but because the living presence of our Lord characterizes Him in our time. “Jubilate” – Rejoice!

Let us always hold fast to His words “I will see you again”.

We see through tribulation we are given a gift of patience. Sometimes we do not exercise that gift. When something happens in our life and it is not what we want, it is not what we planned, if we become impatient – does it change the situation? No! We must as we receive tribulations in our life, we must then pause and in patience work our way through those temptations and those problems. The Apostle James goes as far as to say that if we can allow this patience to become the ruling factor in our lives when we have temptations and troubles, that it and it alone will bring us to full salvation, because in this patience we will return unto God, we will think of Christ’s sufferings, and all of a sudden we realise that what we are having imposed upon us is nothing. The Son of God who came from heaven, this was His creation, and look what it did to Him.  Did He ever rebel?

In patience He waited for the promise of His Father. We must learn patience within our lives, within our natural life and within our spiritual life. In our spiritual life down through history many times mistakes were made because of impatience. Many times it was foretold that the Lord would return within a certain time, not because of what the person wanted but this great desire, this impatience to receive the fulfilment of the promises of God, and those souls were not possessed. In patience we possess our souls the Scripture says, so we must all learn this patience.

Many times we hear that we have a loving Father, and many times within our life when something goes wrong we then doubt that He is a loving Father. Many times our thoughts and sometimes even our words will say — “If there is a loving Father why did He allow this to happen to me?” That is not the patience that we require.  We must remember that He is a loving Father. He will look after us. He is there for a purpose. We are His creation. He loves us. He has sent His only begotten Son so that we can be redeemed. We must liken it unto a natural father in our lives when we are little children. If we are walking along with our natural father, and we stumble and fall and hurt ourselves, what child rises and blames his father for that accident. That is not what he looks for. He will look up to his father to see a loving father who is reaching down to help him up and set him on his way again, and that is in patience. We must learn to be as little children? and we must learn to trust our Heavenly Father, and at all times give thanks for His blessings.

The apostle wrote to the Corinthians, that it is only when we give united thanksgiving unto the Almighty God that His blessings can flow freely upon us, according to His will. As we give thanksgiving within the church, will it be individual thanksgiving or will it indeed be as the apostle urged, that we unite in sincere thanksgiving daily unto the Almighty God that He has called us into this great hope and promise of that which stands before us, and that we can give unto Him something that is from our hearts. We can approach this by changing our attitude perhaps too many things within our life. We must learn patience, and in that we will receive the full salvation and the full blessings from the Almighty God.

I read of what a young man wrote to his parents from his hospital bed. His life had been one set back after another. Operation after operation. Many would say a miserable existence, but he wrote.  “God never promised that life would be fair, the promise was that when you inevitably have to confront the unfairness of life, He will be with you.”

John 6: 26-27 “Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.”

Jesus Christ was comparing the food humans need in this present world and the food we should eat that is given by Him who was sent by His Father. The earthly food we are having now, since Adam and Eve, the bread given by God and eaten by the Israelites in the desert did not last long because all have died. The Spiritual food from Christ lasts eternally.

The problem, of the disciples in searching for Jesus when they boarded the ship going to Capernaum, He, Jesus, did not go with them. They tried to seek Him travelling to, as it were, to another barangay, instead He went His own way, walking over the sea. They were afraid, but He said unto them, “It is I; be not afraid” and they willingly received Him into the ship.

Verse 25. The people said Teacher, how did you come here?  We were looking for you because you did not board the boat. Jesus rebuked them because they looked to the natural food given and thought that if Jesus was not with them, where would they get the bread to feed them? They did not look to the miracles. The first thing we should always see when we seek Jesus in this teaching is: –

• The power given by His Father.
• The miracles done through Him.  When Jesus called all the sick, with any kind of infirmity — they were cured and healed.
• The five loaves and fishes were more than enough, with 12 baskets extra.
• Jesus did not need His disciples to take Him to the next barangay. He has the power to go where He will.

Jesus said, labour for the food that will not perish, but that which endureth unto everlasting life. Yes, God has created us human, to that we enjoy and use all things that we need from His creation, but there is one thing God wants from us in return. Whether we remember to praise and thank Him. All nations and countries have their government. They have their national anthem to sing when they come together and in their schools. The same applies to Christian duties and responsibilities. Sunday is set aside every week, a day for God; giving Him our time; a day to worship Him by seeking Jesus Christ.

The Bible teaches — give to Caesar and give to God, what is for God? Thanksgiving and offering but we can’t give anything if we do not works. This is the same thing in our Spiritual life. The Bible teaches us to do something good for somebody every day, and we are required by Jesus to go and do His work.  Not only the Apostles, but all who believe and have faith in Him. Mark 3:35. “For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister and mother.” The will of God is for us to move, put into action Christ’s teachings and commandments, all what we read and are taught what He did, His character displayed, that we are to reflect as servants, believers, to others. Christ is that bread of life, He is the way and the truth, and our labour must be for His glory and His Kingdom. This becomes our green card to become citizens of Heaven.