The world of nature and creation provides and supplies humanity with all kinds of natural and physical resources to sustain life, but humanity in his own ego, ignorance and greed squanders, abuses and exploits beyond measure …, writes Bishop Tutai Pere.

On Wednesday, April 6 in Rarotonga: Strength in suffering – “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of Righteousness” (Mathew 5:10) and on Thursday, April 7 in Kiwiland: The full reveal – “Immediately He spoke to them and said, take courage it is I. Don’t be afraid” (Mark 6 50). In both these situations Jesus offers strength, encouragement, peace and calm to any suffering as a result of talking, walking, behaving, working and living right for God, and anyone caught up in whatever storm, situation, condition and circumstance that overwhelms and challenges one’s life endeavouring to live right for God! On both sides of the spectrum, Jesus comes offering His General Mercy without favouritism and partiality in His Word in Mathew 5:45, “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on both the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust”.

In the same manner he offers both physical and spiritual healing, deliverance and relief to all suffering sickness, downtrodden, perhaps neglected and rejected – both whether living for God or not! The general mercy of God is showered and poured out unto all who seek to receive and embrace.

On the other hand, we see the special mercy of God offered and promised to those truly believes and honours to claim and own. John 3:16 declares, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus Christ), that whosoever (in the world chooses and accepts) beliveth in Him (Jesus Christ) should not perish but have everlasting life”. The world of nature and creation provides and supplies humanity with all kinds of natural and physical resources to sustain life, but humanity in his own ego, ignorance and greed squanders, abuses and exploits beyond measure, therefore nature as in our climate change, environmental impacts, famines and pestilences (like Covid-19 pandemic and evolutionary variants) are all becoming threats to his own survival and livelihood. But Jesus Christ will be to those who have chosen to believe, live, serve and die in him is promised eternal life that no ungodly mind but the new birth and Holy Spirit of God in them will reveal as they live right in Jesus Christ to the end of this earthly life and that which is to come.

Lastly of course is ‘The sovereign mercy of God’ which Jesus Christ very plainly made it so very simple to a Jewish ruler (keeper of the laws of Moses) thus, “Marvel not if I said (past tense) unto you, you must be born again” (John 3:7).

What did Jesus tell him (Nicodemus)? Points back to verses 3 & 5: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man/woman be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 5, ... Except a man/woman be born of the water and of the Spirit, he/she cannot enter into the Kingdom of God”. This is the ‘Sovereign Mercy of God’ – for those not born of the flesh only but of the Spirit in order to enter eternity (no other way). Finally, how then did the Church of Jesus Christ began? Go no further and nowhere else but to Acts 2. There at verse 38 & 39, Peter, the mouth speaker of all the Apostles and the first 120 Holy Ghost Believers from the Upper Room in Jerusalem (to the question asked by the crowd and multitudes assembled in Jerusalem on that Pentecost Sunday) says thus: “Repent, and be baptised, every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. 39, For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call”. In another word, without true repentance there is no true submission to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and therefore no Holy Ghost is given without identification in water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ.

Finally, our Friday April 8 theme: Not taking advantage – “Don’t harm yourself, we are all here” (Acts 16:28) sums it all up where at verse 33, Paul and Silas, who were miraculously released from prison that same night, “Took them (the prison keeper) the same hour of the night (after midnight), and washed their stripes; and was baptised, he and his (entire household). 34, ... all rejoiced, believing in God (Jesus Christ) with all his house”. Our world of humanity is now locked in chaos, confusion, ignorance and rejection of Jesus Christ – war in Ukraine, Covid pandemic irreversible, the United Nation afraid to do anything against Russian aggressions, three years only given if gas emissions and warm climate continues rising, a third Nuclear World War looming – no telling what our future holds? But we know Who holds our world and future? None other but our Creator God Almighty – His name is Immanuel ‘God with us’ Jesus the Christ, the Great I Am, Alpha & Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, and Author and Finisher of our faith. Have we or are taking advantage of the given privilege of Salvation in Jesus Christ or still thinking as many who have already died without? “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other Name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” Acts 4:12. “In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33b)
Rest in hope! Rest in Jesus! He is Faith, Hope and Love Abide!