A Prayer for the New Year

Happy New Year!

We praise the Lord for the gift of another year. Thankful for his mercies for the past year and praying for more of his grace in the coming days.

On the new year’s eve, a friend shared with me this diary entry from Matthew Henry which I have turned it into my prayer for this year. I am sharing it here perhaps you would like to make it your prayer too.

Matthew Henry (1662-1714) was a Presbyterian Minister in England. He is well known for his commentary of the whole Bible which he began to work in 1704 completing it from Genesis to Acts by his death ten years later. Several of his fellow ministers compiled the remainder of the commentary (Romans to Revelation) primarily from Henry’s own notes and writings. Matthew Henry also journaled and in his journal entry of January 1, 1713 he wrote:

Firmly believing that my times are in God’s hand, I here submit myself and all my affairs for the ensuing year, to the wise and gracious disposal of God’s divine providence. Whether God appoints for me health or sickness, peace or trouble, comforts or crosses, life or death — may His holy will be done!

All my time, strength, and service, I devote to the honor of the Lord Jesus–and even my common actions. It is my earnest expectation, hope, and desire, my constant aim and endeavor–that Jesus Christ may be magnified in me. In everything I have to do – my entire dependence is upon Jesus Christ for strength. And whatever I do in word or deed, I desire to do all in His name, to make Him my Alpha and Omega.

I have all from Him – and I would use all for Him.

If this should prove a year of affliction, a sorrowful year to me – I will fetch all my supports and comforts from the Lord Jesus and stay myself upon Him, His everlasting consolations, and the good hope I have in Him through grace.

And if it should be my dying year–then my times are in the hand of the Lord Jesus. And with a humble reliance upon His mediation, I would venture into the eternal world looking for the blessed hope. Dying as well as living – Jesus Christ will, I trust, be gain and advantage to me.

Oh, that the grace of God may be sufficient for me, to keep me always a humble sense of my own unworthiness, weakness, folly, and infirmity – together with a humble dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ for both righteousness and strength.

The Eschatological Hope in “There is a Fountain Filled with Blood”

William Cowper (1731-1800) wrote the hymn, “There is a Fountain Filled with Blood” in 1772 based on Zechariah 13:1, “On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.” The last verse of the hymn contains the eschatological hope that was also personal to Cowper:

When this poor lisping, stammering tongue
Lies silent in the grave,
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
I’ll sing Thy power to save:
I’ll sing Thy power to save,
I’ll sing Thy power to save;
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
I’ll sing Thy power to save.

William Cowper had a great fear of public speaking. After he successfully completed law studies in college, Cowper was supposed to undergo bar exams to practice law. However, the fear of being examined publicly to be admitted to the bar, as it was a practice then, forced him to decide not to practice as a lawyer.

Later In 1763, through his father, Cowper was about to secure a job as one of the clerks of the British Parliament. However, the requirement for public interview for the post led him to depression and attempted suicide. He later wrote in his memoir, “All the horrors of my fears and perplexities now returned. A thunderbolt would have been as welcome to me as this intelligence (interview) … Those whose spirits are formed like mine, to whom a public exhibition of themselves, on any occasion, is mortal poison, may have some idea of the horror of my situation; others can have none.”

It is also believed that Cowper might had a speech impediment that made him stammer. However, despite this impairment and glossophobia (fear of public speaking), Cowper with great eschatological hope looked forward to his glorification when his stammering tongue would be made perfect hence would be able to sing “a nobler, sweeter song.” It is as if Cowper had Corinthians 15:42-43 in mind, “So also it is with resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.” What a great eschatological hope!

Like Cowper, all of us have defects of some kind. Some of these defects are more noticeable than others. Some are spiritual while others are physical. However, we are assured that in glory all imperfections, defects, or weaknesses whether spiritual or physical will be no more. We will have perfect bodies and sinless souls. There in glory we will forever sing nobler and sweeter songs of Christ’s power to save. Praise the Lord for such a great salvation!

The Eschatological Hope in “Amazing Grace”

John Newton wrote “Amazing Grace” around Christmas time of 1772 while pastoring an Anglican Church in Olney, England. I had a privilege of visiting the church building a few years ago. Initially, Newton wrote the hymn under the title, “Faith’s Review and Expectation” but was later changed to “Amazing Grace.” The original hymn had six verses with the last two containing a great eschatological hope.

In the fifth verse, John Newton highlighted the truth that many of us Christians will experience one day. Our life is mortal (subject to death). A day is coming when our flesh will fail and our heart will not beat again. However, that will not be the end of us, for we will pass through the veil and experience a life of joy and peace.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

“The veil” is a reference to the holy of holies (the earthly dwelling place of God’s presence) in the Old Covenant temple. The veil or the curtain concealed the holy of holies. Only the high priest was allowed to go through the curtain once a year to make atonement for the sins of God’s people (Exodus 30:10; Hebrews 9:7). However, when Christ died on the cross, the curtain was torn into two from top to bottom (Matt. 27:50-51) signifying that he had offered a perfect sacrifice once for all for all his people. All his people could now access the presence of God through him. So yes, on that day when our flesh and heart shall fail, we will enter into the presence of God to an everlasting joy and peace, for to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8).

The sixth verse was based on 2 Peter 3:12 and Revelation 21:

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.

On the final day, the current earth and heaven will be dissolved and made anew (2 Peter 3:12), and we will dwell with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth forever (Rev. 21:1). The new earth will not have the sun because the glory of God will be our light (Rev. 21:23), and God will be ours and we will be his forever (Rev. 21:3)

Years later, an American hymnwriter by the name of E.O. Excel added a verse to the hymn which goes:

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

The eschatological hope shines brighter in this verse also. After we have lived in the presence of God in the new heaven and new earth for ten thousand years it would not mean that our time with God is getting shorter. Actually, I believe it would feel just like a second because we will live with God eternally. Counting time in heaven will not count. What amazing grace! What amazing hope!

The Eschatological Hope in The Old Christian Hymns

One of the fascinating things I have observed when singing old Christian hymns be it in my personal devotion, family worship, or corporate worship is the eschatological hope in most of them. Eschatological hope is a theological term that refers to the fulfilment of God’s promise to make all things new in the new heaven and new earth which includes no more sin, no more death, no more sorrow, no more pain, and no more tears but a sweet dwelling in the presence of God forever. It is amazing to notice that most of the old Christian hymns, especially, in their last verse are filled with such hope.

But sadly, this eschatological hope is often missing in the lives of many Christians today. If you allow me to get a bit personal, when was the last time you had a lengthy discussion with a fellow Christian on heaven or your glorification? Could it be that we have bought into the lie that “Christians can be so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly good.” However, the truth is that we are of no earthly good until we are heavenly minded. C.S. Lewis was right when he observed that history testifies that it is those Christians who thought most of the next life that did the most for the present life. When Christians cease to think of the other world, they often become so ineffective in this world.

Therefore, in the next months, Lord willing, I would like us to spur one another toward more reflection of the biblical truths of heaven as contained in the Christian hymns of the past. Obviously, I won’t be able to cover every hymn as there are many of them. My approach is to focus more on the well-known hymns. I pray that this will be a great encouragement for us to be more heavenly minded like those Christians gone before us as we also wait for our blessed hope the appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). Apostle John writes about our Lord’s second coming in Revelation 22:20: “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus Christ.” Christ’s coming is closer now than when these hymns were written.

What Should Christians Make of Death Penalty?

The debate on whether Malawi should abolish death penalty or capital punishment continues to gather momentum. The Evangelical Association of Malawi and other mainline denominations have already come out in the open to support the abolishment proposal. However, other Christians are in favor of keeping the penalty in our laws. In God’s providence I recently preached from Genesis 8:20-9:17 which I think adequately addresses the place of capital punishment in the human society.

As we come to Genesis 9:20 we meet Noah, who has just come out of the ark after the flood, building an altar to God as an act of worship. The Lord is pleased with Noah’s worship and reinstates the creation mandate which he first gave to Adam and Eve in Genesis 1:28 “To be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1, 7). Then the Lord also establishes death penalty for murder and decrees, “And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. ‘Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image’” (Genesis 9:5, 6)

If an animal attacks and kills a man, God orders that the animal should be killed. If one man kills another man, God requires that the life of the murderer should be taken away too. The reason for this commandment is that man was made in the image of God. John Calvin comments, “No one can be injurious to his brother without wounding God himself.” One undebatable truth in Genesis 9:5, 6 is that it is God himself who established death penalty.

Further, it is worth noting here that when the first murder in the history of mankind occurred in Genesis 4:8, God reserved the right to take the life of the murderer, Cain, to himself (Genesis 4:15). However, now God gives this right to man. “Man” in this passage should be understood as human government as we read in Romans 13:4 that human government is “the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.” After Genesis 9:5, 6 we don’t read anywhere else in the Bible where God reverses death penalty for murder which means that the command still stands today.

Some Christians who are against death penalty appeal to Matthew 5:38-40 as a ground for abolishment of death penalty. In Matthew 5:38-40 Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, ‘Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.’” Does Jesus here abolish death penalty for a murderer? Not at all!

“An eye for an eye” or lex talionis in Latin is a legal principle that punishment should fit the crime. Courts should not give a greater punishment to a smaller crime or a smaller punishment to a greater crime. This principle rightly applies to criminal justice. However, people in Jesus’ time were abusing and seizing it as pretext for taking personal revenge on those who wronged them. So, Jesus is teaching that outside of criminal matters, Christians should not pay evil with evil but instead should overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). The example of a slap on the cheek is not literal as that would mean Jesus forbids self-defense in the face of an attack.

Christians might differ on their view of death penalty for murder and we should respectfully agree to disagree. But I believe that it is hard to argue that death penalty for murder which was established by God himself in Genesis 9 is no longer required today. I just can’t find any biblical evidence in support of that argument.

What is the New Heaven and the New Earth?

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth has passed away, and the sea was no more” (Rev. 21:1)

Apostle John had a privilege to see the new heaven and the new earth in a vision. Now, what is this new heaven and the new earth that Apostle John is talking about here? This is the question that many Bible scholars and theologians have wrestled with, and there are are two main views. One says that this new heaven and new earth will be entirely new and different from the one we have now while the other one holds that the new heaven and the new earth will be a renewed or a transformed heaven and earth but not necessarily an entirely new heaven and new earth.

I am persuaded of the later view because of three main reasons. First, other passages of Scripture show us that the new heaven and the new earth will be a renewed one. Consider Romans 8:20-21 in which Paul writes, “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” Notice that Paul says that the current creation as we know it will be set free from the bondage and corruption of sin. God is not going to completely wipe away this creation and make a new one rather he will liberate and renew this current creation.

Second, when we consider that in the new heaven and new earth believers will be the same believers, we know today but with renewed bodies and not necessary totally different people than the ones we know we should also conclude that the new heaven and the new earth will be a renewed universe rather than a totally new creation. The Dutch theologian, Anthony Hoekema put it well, “The difference between our present bodies and the resurrection bodies, wonderful though they are, do not take away the continuity: it is we who shall be raised, and it is we who shall always be with the Lord. Those raised with Christ will not be a totally new set of human beings but the people of God who have lived on this earth. By way of analogy, we would expect that the new earth will not be totally different from the present earth but will be the present earth wondrously renewed.”

Third, consider that sometimes the Bible uses the word “new” to mean “renewed” or “transformed” and not necessarily an entirely different thing. For example, 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” This verse does mean that when we get saved, we become an entirely different new person. We are the same person who has been renewed in Christ. Of course, our lives change; our thinking changes; our likes change but we are still the same person renewed in Christ. Or consider in Ezekiel 36:26 in which the God says “I will give you a new heart” meaning a changed or transformed heart. In the same way new heaven and new earth in Rev. 21:1 does not mean an entirely new heaven and new earth but a renewed or a transformed heaven and earth which is far more glorious than the current heaven and earth.

As believers we should always long for the new heaven and the new earth. It will surely come! However, it will not be entirely another one made from nothing as God did in the beginning (Genesis 1:1). The new heaven and the new earth will be the current heaven and the current earth renewed with much greater glory and goodness beyond human description (1 Cor. 2:7).

The Reformed Pastor Conference

May 29-30, 2024, pastors from different denominations met at Christ Presbyterian Church in Blantyre, Malawi for the 2024 Reformed Pastor Conference. The theme for this year’s conference was, The Sufficiency of Christ. Pastor David Woollin from Grace Immanuel Reformed Baptist Church and Heritage Reformed Books in Grand Rapids, Michigan spoke on the three offices of Christ: prophet, priest, and king. He also spoke on faithfulness in ministry.

The Reformed Pastor Conference was started by Christ Presbyterian Church (CPC) in partnership with the Malawi Reformation Network (MRN). The name of the conference was inspired by an address taken from Acts 20:28 by a 17^th Century Reformed and Puritan pastor, Richard Baxter, which was later turned into a book titled The Reformed Pastor. The first Reformed Pastor Conference was held on October 27, 2019 at African Bible College campus in Lilongwe, Malawi.

The four major objectives of the Reformed Pastor Conference are:

To encourage pastors to be ordinary means of grace pastors. The Westminster Shorter Catechism question and answer 88 reminds us: “The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of redemption are, his ordinances, especially, the Word, sacraments, and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation.” The conference seeks to encourage ministers to continue believing in the power of God’s word and constantly preach it faithfully. We would like also to encourage pastors to continue cultivating a healthy prayer life as an indispensable part of their ministry.

To provide a platform where pastors can get a better understanding of the Reformed faith. The Reformed faith or being Reformed can sometimes be misunderstood or even caricatured. But through the conference we pray that pastors, especially, those that are not familiar with the Reformed faith or are considering to become Reformed in their faith and ministry (Reforming pastors) might get a good grasp of the faith.

To share Reformed literature and resources. One of the greatest challenges that the church in Malawi (and this can be said of Africa as a whole) faces is lack of sound biblical literature and resources. Reformed Pastor Conference seeks to bring pastors together once a year and share with them reformed literature and resources that are beneficial to their ministry.

To promote fellowship and networking among Reformed pastors in Malawi. Pastoral ministry can sometimes feel very lonely, more especially, when you do not have many like-minded pastors who can encourage you in your work. Since Reformed pastors are a minority in Malawi, the conference seeks to promote fellowship and networking among these ministers.

May you join us in praying for revival and reformation in our lives, churches, our nation of Malawi, and the whole world at large.

As Your Days, So Shall Your Strength Be

On Thursday, November 9, 2023 the Malawi Government through its central bank, the Reserve Bank of Malawi, devalued the value of the Malawi currency, the Kwacha, against the US Dollar with 44%. One major impact of this move was the immediate increase of the inflation rate of food items from 36.8 as recorded in September 2023 by National Statistical Office . There is fear and panic for many Malawians who most of them live from hand to mouth. Yesterday, November 10, 2023, I sent this brief note of encouragement to the members of my church family, Christ Presbyterian Church, Blantyre.

Dear my beloved church family,

I am sitting in my study after a long day which most part of it included hearing the fears of many for the future as the economic situation in our country continues not to inspire much hope. I thought of writing this quick note to you beloved people of God. It could be that you are also scared of what the future holds for you and your loved ones. Maybe you are despairing of life itself as Paul would say in 2 Corinthians 1:18.

One verse that is lingering in my mind as I finish my day is God’s own promise to us his people in Deuteronomy 33:25. Moses is about to enter the glory of his Lord, so he blesses all the twelve tribes of Israel. When he comes to the tribe of Asher, he blesses it and says, “Your bars shall be iron and bronze, and as your days, so shall your strength be.” My main focus is on the last part of the verse“as your days, so shall your strength be.”

The Lord promises to supply us with strength (grace) for each day he gives us. We can count on this promise for it is coming from the one who neither changes nor lies. The key thing to notice well is that this grace will be available as each day comes. In the midst of difficult economic times like these ones, if you are like me, you want to receive the grace for today and tomorrow and even next week today. But the Lord never supplies tomorrow’s grace today. His mercies are new every morning. He gives grace every day in a fresh way.

So beloved people of God may this promise be your encouragement and comfort if you are getting anxious about tomorrow in these hard economic times. Let us continue to draw close to Christ, work honestly with our hands, and trust our God through Christ to supply us with strength or grace to go through each day. As the great African theologian St. Augustine once observed, “Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love, and the future to God’s providence.” May we all do that. Also, to borrow the words of the hymn writer:

“Afflicted saint, to Christ draw near,
Your Savior’s gracious promise hear;
His faithful Word you can believe:
That as your days your strength shall be.

So, sing with joy, afflicted one;
The battle’s fierce, but the victory’s won!
God shall supply all that you need;
Yes, as your days your strength shall be.”

Good night, beloved saints! May the Lord bless and keep you and continue to make his face shine upon you in Christ.

Introducing All Things Reformed Podcast

Last Tuesday, October 31, 2023 as we commemorated the 506 years of the Protestant Reformation my friend, Zee Chunga, and I launched our podcast, All Things Reformed. As I have been pastoring in this beautiful country of Malawi, one question that I have often received is, “What is the Reformed Faith?” This podcast is an endeavor to answer this question. Zee and I believe that as you listen to the episodes of this podcast you will be able to have your question answered.

All Things Reformed Podcast is for those who are Reformed as well as those who are exploring the Reformed faith. For the former we seek to help them get more grounded in their faith and equip them to effectively answer any question about our faith (1 Peter 3:15) while for the later we seek to help them get a better explanation of the Reformed faith. We desire to see more minds renewed by God’s truth and sound Christianity, more especially, the Reformed Christianity grow more in Malawi to the glory of God and the good of Christ’s Church.

I have known my co-host, Zgololake (Zee) Chunga for almost twenty years now. Zee loves the Lord and His Church. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and Communications from African Bible College, Malawi. He is currently working as development communication specialist. He is also a member of the church I pastor, Christ Presbyterian Church. I am thankful for Zee’s willingness to use his skills and gifts to produce the podcast. Please pray for him as he works on the weekly episodes.

You may listen or subscribe to the podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts. Let me also ask that after you have listened to the podcast, feel free to email us feedback at here. Let us know how we are doing and how best we can serve you well through the podcast. You may also consider to sponsor the podcast, please let us know. Above all, join us in praying that All Things Reformed Podcast will be used to disciple both young and old with sound doctrine.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Grieving Miscarriage Loss

Recently my pastoral duties called me to walk alongside two dear families as they grieved their respective losses through miscarriage. It was a reminiscent of our own loss some years ago when my wife and I lost our unborn child of three months old. What do you say or do in such moments of pain or even anger? It is impossible to come up with one-size fits all answer. Nevertheless, here are some things we found helpful and brought comfort to my wife and me in our loss.

Remember the hope of resurrection. In 2 Samuel 12:15-23 we read of the child that David had with Bathsheba out of their adulterous affair. The child became sick as soon as he was born. David humbled himself before the Lord and pleaded for the healing of his child. But the Lord decided to take the child away through death. David then rose up from the ground where he lay all night fasting and praying. He washed himself, changed his clothes, and went into the temple to worship God. This puzzled his servants and they asked him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food?” David responded with the hope of resurrection and said, “I shall go to him (the child), but he will not return to me.” This too should be the hope of every believer grieving miscarriage. One day you will go to your child.

Don’t be afraid to reverently ask God questions. When miscarriage occurs there are many questions on the parents’ mind. Often the parents wonder why did God allow this to happen. Do not hesitate to humbly bring your questions before God while acknowledging that he is the potter and you are the clay. God does not condemn his questioning children. The book of Psalms is full of questions that God’s children humbly asked him. He rendered a listening ear and he still does. He might not always answer every question you ask, but you must be assured that he notices every tear you shed and every pain you feel (Psalm 56:8). That privilege alone to pour your heart to God relieves much pain and sorrow. As one hymn writer wonderfully observed, “Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.”

Do not be afraid to process and grieve in the way that is unique to you. What is the best way to mourn the loss of miscarriage? Should you blame yourself when you grieve differently from others who went through a similar loss? Is something wrong with you when you are slow in processing the loss? Are you incongruous to prefer keeping the loss to yourself and a limited circle of family and friends? The answer to all these questions should be in the negative. Different couples process and grieve their loss differently. The only commonality in all grieving believers should be the gospel hope of resurrection (1 Thess. 4:13). Further, if in grieving you are descending into despair or depression then for sure there is a need to ask for help from your pastor or a godly counselor.

Husbands, support your wives in grieving miscarriage. This might sound a bit illogical because the husband is also mourning the loss. However, often miscarriage is more hard and painful to the mother than the father. It was the mother who was carrying the baby in her womb. She was closer to the child than the husband. The husband might heal quicker from the loss than the wife so the husband should seek to be more understanding to his wife. Be there for your wife and render a listening ear. Ask what might help to relieve the pain a little. It could be taking a walk together or even getting out of your environment for some days. This is not to say that you should be a superman. You can’t and you were not meant to be. Both you and your wife need to lean on the ever-sustaining arm of Christ. He alone is able to sympathize with your weakness and supply the strength and comfort you desperately need.

Lastly, a word to family and friends of a grieving couple. Sometimes it is said with good and sincere intentions but it often sounds insensitive and less comforting to the one grieving. Please avoid statements like, “I know it hurts but be encouraged the Lord will give you another child.” Praise the Lord if he will give another child, but that will be ANOTHER child. That child will never replace the one that the couple has lost now. Let them with hope in Christ bear the sorrow of their loss. When it will please the Lord to grant a gift of another child, they will certainly celebrate then. As the wise man said there is time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 2). So let the time of grieving be the grieving time.

There are a fewer sorrows in the world greater than losing a child through miscarriage. Each one of us being fearfully and wonderfully made by God will grieve the loss differently. Yet the blessed hope of resurrection should be typical to all believers. Death does not have the final say. The empty grave of Christ is our hope. Where he is, is where we shall be also. On that day Christ will wipe every tear from our eyes. Oh, Lord hasten the day!