Sermons From My Mount (High Horse) Part 1

Be Careful: A single Deed may Decide the Fate of Mankind.

Basil Waine Kong

I have become an old man, enjoying my retirement after many fruitful and joyful years. I have been blessed with good health, a loving and dedicated wife, successful children and bright, beautiful grandchildren. As I undertake the final leg of my journey, I take the occasional liberty of imparting thoughts regarding my relationship with God and share the significant truths I have discovered.

This is my testimony:

I have come this far by faith
Leaning on the Lord
Trusting in His holy word
He never failed me yet

My relationship with God, my spirituality and my commitment to live by Christian principles is an issue of the Heart that by its very definition must be based on faith.

Man without God and spirituality is just a torso. Life involves not only the satisfaction of physical and social needs, but also addressing a divine requirements for a relationship with the Almighty. This personal relationship with God requires an uncompromising commitment to human justice.

Religion without indignation for evil is intolerable. Religion cannot co-exist with injustice. According to Father Lewis (Stella Marris Church) "We must fight for what is good, we must fight for what is the truth, we must fight for what is just, we must fight for what is honest, we must fight for what is decent and that fight should not be exercised by some, that fight should be exercised by all and the truth is to be spoken by all." We cannot worship God and abuse others---physically or emotionally. I believe in the dignity, equality and respect for ALL human beings. You certainly can be better off but never better than anyone else.

Divine likeness is something all human beings share. Because we are created in the image of God, each human being is a reminder of God’s presence. Human life, therefore, is sacred and has intrinsic value. So, the murder of any human being is an affront to God and a grave moral sin. Even natural death of a loved one is traumatic enough much less the senseless and brutal murders occurring in Jamaica (particularly the likle pickney dem).

When anyone engage in acts of violence and murder, he or she desecrates the likeness of the Almighty. On the other hand, he who loves our fellow citizens, honors and gives pleasure to God. When Christ was asked what was the greatest commandment, He answered: “To love the Lord with all your heart, mind and soul and the second was like unto the first, to love your neighbor as yourself". On these two commandments hang all the laws of the universe.

So, reach out to your fellow human beings, and beautify yourself with good deeds with integrity. These acts are the true essence of your beauty and strength. Your inner splendor can illuminate the world. The fear of offending or hurting another human being must be as sacred as your fear of God. To be arrogant towards God is blasphemy.

What does God want from us? I believe God wants us to serve Him with all our heart and soul; to keep His commandments and His statutes; to fear Him; to walk in His ways; as well as to practice honesty, stillness, humility, and obedience to his word. We have eyes to see, but see not; we have ears to hear, but hear not. God is everywhere but we cannot find Him. We have his words but we ignore them. I believe He is the way---the only way to a life well lived, happiness, health, eternal life, paradise, nirvana and enlightenment.

A life well lived means more than to accomplish something or even great things. It also means to make a contribution. If you aid a creature, you are helping God; If you aid the poor and downtrodden, you are addressing a concern or a need that God has. When you do good and reward good, you revere the spirit of God. When you smile at someone they smile at someone else. Do it often! When you do good, you increase the amount of good in the world that increases the likelihood of good coming back to you.

Religion is not based on our awareness of God, but God’s interest in us. The Great Architect who created the universe wants to have a relationship with you and me and want us to communicate with each one of us. You can open a channel to him at any time you wish and he is never too busy----that is amazing to me! In fact, I was always skeptical that God could know and want a relationship with every one of us until I realized that even now, you can send an e-mail to every person in the entire world with a computer in one second. We cannot even imagine what God can do.