The true test of a person’s spiritual life and character is what he does outside the church building.

Richard Sibbes (1577-1635)

The Mice in the Piano

Pastor Joseph Clark
August 12, 2026

“He who denies the existence of God, has some reason for wishing that God did not exist.”

—Saint Augustine

“Whoever acknowledges Me before others, I will also acknowledge before My Father in heaven. But whoever disowns Me before others, I will disown before My Father in heaven.”

—Matthew 10:32–33

The Mice in the Piano

Once upon a time, there were two little mice. They were brothers, and they had lived their entire lives inside a piano. It was the only world they had ever known.

Their parents and siblings had died of old age, leaving the two brothers as the last members of their family. They spent their days exploring their strange little world and listening in wonder to the beautiful music that constantly filled the piano.

They could not see where the music came from.

Their parents had taught them that the music was produced by a great and mysterious being who lived beyond their understanding—the one who played the piano.

The two mice loved to think about this great player. They talked about him, wondered about him, and delighted in the beautiful music he produced.

Then, one day, one of the mice went exploring.

When he returned, he was thoughtful and unusually serious.

“There is no great player,” he told his brother. “It is all a myth. I have seen the inside of this piano. The music is produced by wires, hammers, strings, and mechanisms. I have seen them with my own eyes!”

The brothers abandoned their belief in the great player.

They were convinced that they had finally discovered the truth. They understood the mechanisms of the piano, and therefore they believed they had explained away the musician.

They examined the wires, hammers, strings, and mechanical workings repeatedly. The more they learned about how the piano worked, the more confident they became that there was no need to believe in a player.

But they had overlooked something very important.

Knowing how the piano works does not explain who is playing it.

And so, while the two mice congratulated themselves on their newfound wisdom, the great player continued to play.

The mice simply could not see him.

The Limits of Human Understanding

There is an important lesson in this little story.

Human beings are intelligent. We have learned extraordinary things about the universe. We have explored the depths of the oceans, walked on the moon, examined the microscopic world, mapped the human genome, and discovered astonishing laws governing the physical universe.

But our ability to understand something does not mean that we understand everything.

The Bible repeatedly reminds us that humility is essential when approaching God.

Jesus said:

“Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

—Matthew 18:3

He also said:

“Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”

—Matthew 19:14

And again:

“Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

—Luke 18:17

Jesus is not telling us to abandon reason or become intellectually childish. Rather, He is calling us to humility, trust, and dependence upon God.

Scripture says:

“Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

—Matthew 18:4

The Christian life begins with recognizing that God is God—and we are not.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”

—Ephesians 2:8

And:

“The righteous shall live by faith.”

—Romans 1:17

Faith is not a rejection of reason. Faith recognizes that human reason has limits.

Living in a Skeptical Age

In 1897, Francis Pharcellus Church wrote his famous response to eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon concerning her question about Santa Claus. Church observed that people can become skeptical of anything they cannot see or fully comprehend.

Although Church was writing about Santa Claus—not God—the broader observation is worth considering.

We live in an age that often treats what can be measured as though it were the only thing that can be real.

But there are many things we accept as real without seeing them directly.

We cannot see gravity.

We cannot see thoughts.

We cannot see love.

We cannot see electricity itself.

Yet we observe their effects.

Likewise, Christians believe that although God cannot be placed under a microscope or reduced to a laboratory experiment, His existence can be considered through the evidence of creation, reason, morality, human consciousness, history, and ultimately the revelation of Jesus Christ.

The fact that we cannot see God with our physical eyes does not prove that God does not exist.

The mice could not see the piano player either.

That did not mean he wasn't there.

When People Mock Our Faith

A close friend of mine, an Archbishop, once told me a humorous story from his childhood.

He had been at a park with his mother when he ran over excitedly and told her that the sun was actually a star and that the stars in the sky were also suns.

His mother, apparently overwhelmed by the complexity of the information, responded with a blunt declaration that, in essence, the sun was the sun and the stars were the stars—and that was the end of the discussion!

Sometimes we can become uncomfortable when someone challenges what we believe.

That is particularly true when people we respect dismiss Christianity as foolishness.

Richard Dawkins, Woody Allen, Isaac Asimov, Mark Twain, Carl Sagan, and many others have expressed skepticism toward Christianity or belief in God.

But Christians should not respond with anger or hatred.

We should respond with grace.

Forgive them. Pray for them. Love them. And share the Gospel with them.

The Apostle Peter instructed Christians:

“Always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks you for the reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”

—1 Peter 3:15

That is an important distinction.

We are called to defend the faith, but we are not called to be quarrelsome.

Jesus said:

“If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.”

—Matthew 10:14

And He warned:

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls before swine.”

—Matthew 7:6

There comes a time when we must recognize that arguing louder will not make someone believe.

Our responsibility is to faithfully proclaim Christ.

The Holy Spirit is responsible for changing hearts.

What About Suffering?

One of the most common objections to belief in God is the existence of suffering.

People ask:

“How can I believe in a loving God when there is so much suffering in the world?”

This is a serious question, and Christians should never dismiss it with a shallow answer.

The Bible itself contains people crying out to God in the midst of suffering. Job asked difficult questions. David cried out in the Psalms. Even Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus.

Christianity does not pretend that suffering is imaginary.

Instead, Christianity tells us that suffering exists in a fallen world and that God entered that suffering Himself through Jesus Christ.

The cross is Christianity's answer to the claim that God is indifferent to human suffering.

God did not remain distant from our pain.

He entered our world.

He suffered.

He died.

And He rose again.

The Apostle Paul writes:

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

—Romans 8:18

C.S. Lewis famously described pain as God's “megaphone” to a deaf world.

Suffering does not prove that God does not exist. For many people, suffering instead becomes the very circumstance that drives them to ask the deepest questions about meaning, morality, mortality, and God.

What About Hell?

Another question frequently asked is:

“How can a loving God send people to Hell?”

The Christian answer begins with the extraordinary love of God.

Jesus said:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

—John 3:16

God offers salvation freely through Christ.

The Gospel is not a message that God delights in condemning people. It is a message that God has provided a way of salvation.

Jesus came to seek and save the lost.

The seriousness of judgment is precisely what makes the offer of salvation so important.

God does not force anyone to love Him.

The Gospel calls us to repent, believe, and receive the grace of God.

Faith and the Evidence of Creation

The universe raises enormous questions.

Why is there something rather than nothing?

Why does the universe possess order?

Why are the laws of nature intelligible?

Why does human consciousness exist?

Why do human beings possess an awareness of moral obligation?

Science can investigate how many things work. But questions concerning ultimate meaning and purpose extend beyond the laboratory.

The Christian does not believe that science is the enemy of faith.

Quite the opposite.

The universe is intelligible because Christians believe it was created by an intelligent God.

The laws of nature can be investigated because Christians believe those laws reflect an ordered creation.

The human capacity to reason can be used to explore the universe because Christians believe human beings were created by God.

Science can tell us much about the mechanisms of the piano.

But science alone cannot answer the question:

Who is playing the music?

Believers in the Scientific Community

Christianity has never belonged exclusively to the uneducated or uninformed.

Throughout history, many highly accomplished scientists have believed in God.

Among them are figures such as:

Isaac Newton, whose work transformed physics and mathematics.
James Clerk Maxwell, one of the great figures in electromagnetic theory.
Gregor Mendel, whose experiments established foundational principles of genetics and who was also an Augustinian friar.
Georges Lemaître, a Catholic priest and physicist whose work on an expanding universe helped establish the foundation of what became known as Big Bang cosmology.
Francis Collins, physician-geneticist and former director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, who has publicly identified as a Christian.
Charles Townes, Nobel Prize-winning physicist and inventor of the maser and co-inventor of the laser, who was an openly religious Christian.

These examples do not prove Christianity simply because these scientists believed.

But they do demonstrate something important:

Faith in God is not incompatible with intellectual achievement.

A person does not have to abandon intelligence in order to believe in God.

Nor does becoming a Christian require someone to stop asking questions.

Christians should welcome honest questions.

The Problem With the Piano Mice

The two mice made a fundamental mistake.

They confused an explanation of the mechanism with an explanation of the ultimate cause.

They discovered the wires.

They discovered the hammers.

They discovered the strings.

They discovered the machinery.

And then they concluded:

“Therefore, there is no piano player.”

But that conclusion did not logically follow from their discovery.

In fact, their discovery of the piano's complexity could have led them to ask an entirely different question:

Who designed this?

And that is the question we must ultimately ask about our universe.

Where did everything come from?

Why is there something rather than nothing?

Why does the universe operate according to discoverable laws?

Why does consciousness exist?

Why do we have an innate sense that some things are genuinely right and others genuinely wrong?

And perhaps the greatest question of all:

Who are we, and why are we here?

The Christian answer is that we are creatures made by our Creator.

We are not accidents without purpose.

We were created by God, for God, and ultimately for relationship with Him.

We Are the Mice

There is another lesson in the story that we must not miss.

Perhaps the greatest danger is not being ignorant.

Perhaps it is believing that we know everything.

We are the mice in the piano.

We live inside a universe vastly larger and more complicated than our minds can fully comprehend.

We see only a fraction of reality.

We understand only a fraction of what exists.

And yet we sometimes look at the small portion we understand and confidently declare that nothing exists beyond it.

The Bible reminds us:

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the LORD.”

—Isaiah 55:8

And:

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways!”

—Romans 11:33

The proper response to a God who is greater than our understanding is not arrogance.

It is humility.

It is worship.

It is faith.

The Music Continues

The two mice eventually stopped believing in the piano player.

They became convinced that they had explained everything.

But outside their tiny world, the musician continued to play.

The music never stopped.

The fact that they could not see him did not mean he was absent.

And perhaps that is where many people find themselves today.

They have examined the mechanisms of the universe.

They have learned about physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, and astronomy.

They have become fascinated by the machinery.

But they have never stopped to ask whether there is a Creator behind it all.

The Christian message is that there is.

His name is Jesus Christ.

He is not merely an idea, a philosophy, or a comforting story.

He is the Son of God who entered human history, died for our sins, and rose from the grave.

And He calls every one of us to respond.

Jesus said:

“Whoever acknowledges Me before others, I will also acknowledge before My Father in heaven.”

—Matthew 10:32

The question is not merely whether we believe that God exists.

The deeper question is:

What will we do with Jesus Christ?

The piano is playing.

The music is all around us.

The question is whether we will remain convinced that there is nothing beyond the wires and hammers—or whether we will humble ourselves, listen carefully, and seek the One who is playing the music.

Do not be so certain that you have explained the piano that you never look for the Player.

—Pastor Joseph Clark

Why Does God Permit Suffering and Evil?
Pastor Joseph Clark — August 11, 2026
“Is man merely a mistake of God's? Or God merely a mistake of man?
— Friedrich Nietzsche
“All thinking men are atheists.”
— Ernest Hemingway
“There is something infantile in the presumption that somebody else has a responsibility to give your life meaning and point…”
— Richard Dawkins
One of the most frequently asked questions of pastors is this: If God is all-powerful, merciful, and loving, why does He permit so much suffering and evil? If God is good, why doesn't He simply stop it?
It is an important question, and Christians should not be afraid to confront it.
My answer may not satisfy everyone, because Christianity does not teach that we are entitled to understand every purpose of God. Scripture says, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God” (Deuteronomy 29:29). We know what God has revealed; we do not know everything He has withheld.
We must also distinguish between what God causes and what God permits. God is sovereign over His creation, but Scripture does not teach that God is the author of sin. James tells us:
“When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.”
— James 1:13
So why does God permit suffering?
The answer begins with this: Suffering has a purpose within God's redemptive plan.
That does not mean that suffering itself is good. Evil is evil. Death is an enemy. Sin is rebellion against God. Scripture never asks us to call evil good or pretend that tragedy does not hurt.
Rather, Christianity teaches something far more profound:
God is so sovereign that He can take even suffering, tragedy, injustice, and evil and use them to accomplish His purposes.
The greatest example is the cross of Jesus Christ.
Human beings intended the crucifixion for evil. Yet God used the cross to accomplish the redemption of sinners.
Peter declared:
“This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.”
— Acts 2:23
The cross therefore gives us the foundation for understanding suffering. God does not need evil to be good, but He can sovereignly use what is evil to accomplish what is good.
1. God can use suffering for an eternal purpose.
Paul writes:
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”
— 2 Corinthians 4:17
Paul does not say that suffering is pleasant or insignificant. He calls his troubles “light and momentary” only when compared with the immeasurable weight of eternal glory.
Cancer, grief, betrayal, violence, injustice, poverty, persecution, and death are very real. Christianity never asks us to pretend otherwise.
But Scripture teaches that God can take even terrible circumstances and use them for purposes that reach beyond this temporary life.
That is part of God's redemptive plan.
God is concerned not merely with making our earthly lives comfortable. He is preparing us for eternity.
Think of the thickness of a Bible. If that represented eternity, our earthly existence and worldly suffering is so short and fleeting, it would be like a single page.
That does not make suffering pleasant.
It puts suffering into an eternal perspective.
2. Suffering exposes the reality and consequences of sin.
The Bible does not present this world as the paradise God originally intended. Sin entered God's creation through human rebellion, and its consequences spread throughout humanity.
Romans 5:12 says:
“Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.”
We also contribute to suffering ourselves. Human greed, hatred, selfishness, violence, lust, pride, corruption, and injustice have consequences.
Scripture describes Satan as the ruler of this present fallen order. “The whole world is under the control of the evil one” (1 John 5:19), while Paul calls Satan “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Yet Satan is not God's equal. Satan operates only within the limits God permits.
The book of Job makes this remarkably clear.
Job suffered terribly, yet God remained sovereign. Job did not understand the reason for his suffering, but he ultimately came to a deeper knowledge of God. In the middle of his suffering, he declared:
“I know that my redeemer lives.”
— Job 19:25
We may never know whether a particular hardship is a test, a consequence of human sin, an attack of the enemy, or simply the result of living in a fallen world.
But we do know this:
God can redeem it.
3. God can use suffering to bring people to repentance.
Consider the words of Jesus in Luke 13. Some people had been killed by Pilate, and others had died when a tower collapsed. Jesus specifically rejected the idea that these people were necessarily worse sinners than everyone else.
Then He said:
“But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
— Luke 13:3
Jesus did not use tragedy to give a philosophical explanation. He used it to confront humanity with the reality of eternity.
Suffering reminds us that this world is temporary. Death is real. Eternity is real. Judgment is real. Salvation is real.
Sometimes suffering causes a person to ask questions that prosperity never would:
Where is God? What is the meaning of life? What happens when I die? Am I ready to meet my Creator?
And ultimately, those questions can lead us to Jesus Christ.
God can use suffering as an instrument that turns a person's heart toward Him.
4. Free will has consequences.
God created human beings capable of genuine love, obedience, rebellion, and choice.
Love without choice is meaningless.
God could have created humanity like robots programmed to say, “I love You,” every hour. But programmed affection is not love.
I can program my phone to tell me it loves me every hour. That does not compare with hearing my child freely say, “Dad, I love you.”
God gave humanity meaningful freedom. But meaningful freedom necessarily carries consequences.
If God prevented every sinful action before it happened, human freedom would cease to have meaningful consequences.
We cannot simultaneously demand genuine human freedom and demand that God prevent every consequence of human choices.
Much of the suffering in this world is the direct or indirect consequence of human sin.
5. Suffering can become part of our sanctification.
The Christian life was never promised to be painless.
Peter writes:
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
— 1 Peter 5:10
Paul says:
“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
Jesus Himself said:
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
— John 16:33
Christianity does not promise escape from every hardship. It promises that Christ will be with us through it.
We are called to carry our cross, follow Christ, persevere under trial, and allow God to shape us through circumstances we cannot control.
James writes:
“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”
— James 1:12
Suffering can therefore become part of God's sanctifying work in us.
It can teach perseverance.
It can expose what is in our hearts.
It can strip away pride.
It can deepen our dependence upon God.
It can produce compassion for others who suffer.
And it can make us long more deeply for the day when Christ will finally make all things new.
6. Without suffering, we would have little understanding of the seriousness of eternity.
This is a difficult point, but it must be considered.
If humanity lived forever in a world without death, pain, consequence, or hardship, we could easily become convinced that this temporary world was all that mattered.
But Christianity teaches that this life is not the end.
There is salvation and there is judgment. There is heaven and there is hell. There is eternal life and eternal separation from God.
The suffering and brokenness of this world remind us that something is profoundly wrong with creation—and that we need redemption.
The Gospel announces that God has not abandoned us to that brokenness.
He entered it.
7. God did not merely watch suffering from heaven—He entered our suffering through Jesus Christ.
This may be the most important answer of all.
God did not respond to human suffering by remaining distant from it.
Jesus Christ suffered.
He was betrayed, falsely accused, mocked, beaten, humiliated, crucified, and killed. He experienced rejection, physical agony, injustice, and death.
And then He rose again.
The cross demonstrates that God can bring the greatest good out of the greatest evil.
The crucifixion was humanity's greatest act of evil against the Son of God, yet God used it as the means of redemption.
That is the heart of the Gospel.
God redeems.
He redeems sinners.
He redeems broken lives.
He redeems suffering.
He redeems tragedy.
And ultimately, He will redeem creation itself.
The Christian therefore does not worship a God who says, “I have no idea what suffering feels like.”
We worship a Savior who can say, “I have been there.”
I Understand That Suffering Hurts
I do not write this as someone who has never suffered.
I have experienced betrayal, divorce, sin, self-loathing, false accusations, slander, threats, persecution for my faith, serious family crises, illness among people I love, and the tragic deaths of friends. Others have suffered far more than I have. I have not experienced every form of grief, and I would never pretend otherwise.
I do not claim to be an expert on suffering.
But I know the One who is.
And the answer I offer is not ultimately my own philosophy. It is the testimony of Scripture.
For those who say, “I don't expect special treatment. I simply want to live a good life without hurting anyone or being hurt myself,” my answer is this:
Stay faithful. Walk with Christ. Keep going.
You may not understand everything God is doing. Job didn't. Joseph didn't. The disciples didn't understand the cross.
But God's purposes were greater than what they could see.
From Crisis to Opportunity
Suffering can become a defining moment.
The question is not always, “Why did this happen to me?”
Sometimes the better question is:
“Lord, what will You do with what has happened to me?”
We cannot control everything that happens to us. But, by the grace of God, we can choose how we respond.
We can become bitter—or we can become faithful.
We can turn away from God—or we can run toward Him.
We can allow suffering to destroy us—or we can allow God to use it to deepen our faith, strengthen our character, increase our compassion, and sanctify our lives.
That is why suffering can become an opportunity.
Not because suffering itself is good.
But because God is good, and God can bring good out of what is not good.
Romans 8:28 gives us this extraordinary promise:
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Notice that Scripture does not say that all things are good.
It says God works in all things for good.
That distinction matters.
The Christian response to suffering is therefore not denial, despair, or rebellion. It is faith.
We remain steadfast. We help those who are suffering. We practice mercy. We refuse to create unnecessary suffering for others. We forgive. We pray. We persevere.
And above all, we look to Christ.
He suffered.
He died.
He rose again.
And because He lives, suffering and death do not have the final word.
Why, Then, Does God Permit Suffering and Evil?
1. God can use suffering for an eternal purpose.
2. Suffering exposes the reality and consequences of sin.
3. God can use suffering to bring people to repentance and salvation.
4. Human freedom carries real consequences.
5. Suffering can become part of our sanctification.
6. Suffering reminds us that this life is temporary and eternity is real.
7. God entered our suffering through Jesus Christ and ultimately defeated sin and death through His cross and resurrection.
There is one truth that holds all seven points together:
Suffering has a purpose in God's redemptive plan.
We may not understand every reason God permits a particular tragedy. We should never presume to know God's specific purpose in another person's suffering.
But we can know that suffering is not beyond His sovereignty.
The cross proves it.
The empty tomb proves it.
And the promise of Scripture proves that one day God will finally and completely deal with everything that causes suffering.
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.”
— Revelation 21:4
Until that day, we remain faithful.
We suffer with hope.
We serve with compassion.
We persevere with courage.
And we keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus Christ—the One who suffered for us, died for us, rose again for us, and promises that one day “the former things have passed away.”
Christ wins.
And in Christ, suffering is not the end of the story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI-C0wtzqV8
The Fort (2026) Full Movie | Dean Cain & Kevin Sorbo |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a world shattered by pandemics, war, and natural disasters, a small group of survivors takes refuge inside an abandoned fort, transforming it into a final stronghold of hope, faith, and resistance.
But safety is an illusion.
As their community grows, so do the dangers. Secrets rise, trust is tested, and a growing darkness threatens to destroy everything from within. What was once a sanctuary becomes a battleground for truth, belief, and survival itself.
Featuring a powerful ensemble cast including Dean Cain, Kevin Sorbo, Julie McCullough, Richard Grieco, and Eddie McClintock, THE FORT delivers a gripping post-apocalyptic thriller filled with action, mystery, and powerful spiritual depth.
A story of resilience, sacrifice, and the ultimate battle between light and darkness when the world falls apart, faith is the last line of defense.

How sweet Your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey.

Psalm 119:103 NLT

_____________________

Carefully listening to God’s voice equips us to share His message boldly with others.

_____________________

The Holy Spirit takes up residence in believers, making their bodies a holy place for the dwelling of God’s special presence.

Richard L. Pratt, Jr.

_____________________

Heavenly Father, please help me live knowing that You’re trustworthy and will one day welcome me home.

___________________

Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.

Proverbs 15:22 NLT

It is easy to start in Ministry, but can you remain faithful till the end (Testimony Part 10)

VIDEO LENGTH 46:44
Timestamps

00:00 Introduction
05:08 I've decided to spend more time at the feet of Jesus by meditating and studying God's Word
08:33 It is easy to start in Ministry but to endure and continue is another. Who will build a tower and only lay the foundation. Who will go to war with half the men and give up before the war. Count the cost
15:01 One of the biggest challenges in Ministry for me was to continue on with Ministry work, even if my bank account is low and the fuel gauge of the vehicle is almost on empty.
16:05 I departed from New Castle and on my way passing through to Richard's Bay. I used to sleep off underneath a tree in the vehicle, waiting of on the Lord (Psalms 27:14)
29:58 I was led to Pelican Island to meet uncle Niel and his wifey aunty Kim with their two dogs staying on their boat
36:14 Uncle Niel tried to convince me of the Flat Earth conspiracy agenda

See full video uploaded on YouTube under 7 Step Ministry OF Jesus Christ
https://youtu.be/-5Z6D_E5nOA?si=HPxdalGLyCmlY1LF

You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.

John 5:39 ɴᴋᴊᴠ

When Paul and Silas preached to the Bereans, it is recorded of them that they “were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11). They searched it in order to test the veracity of what Paul and Silas preached. It must be searched diligently, and earnestly. We will gain little by a mere cursory or casual glance at it. We must read it and meditate on it, and as we do so we begin to see Christ in all the greatness and loveliness of His Person. Moreover, the Lord promises, “you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13). “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart” (15:16). Jeremiah must have been searching, and he was rewarded, for he says, “Your words were found.” He found treasure. He found that which spoke of the Lord, and he ate what he found. The Lord Jesus is the Bread of God, and the Bread of life (Jn. 6:51–55). When we find some precious portion that speaks of Him and we eat it—that is, we take it in, and meditate on it—it becomes the joy and rejoicing of our hearts.

“Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Ps. 119:11). We must endeavor not to let what we search for, and find, to slip away from us. We must hide it in our hearts, so that in times of trouble, grief, and temptation, we can call them to mind. Like Joseph who stored up grain for the days of famine, we must hide the Word in our hearts to sustain and comfort us in difficult days.

Richard A. Barnett


https://gbv-online.org/calendar/773/date/2026-07-29

Dear Brothers & Sisters,

Grace and peace to you in Jesus' name.

My name is Rev. Richard Rohi Sylva-Jaja. I have been in ministry for many years, having been ordained on 10th April, 1992. By God's grace, I serve as a pastor, Bible teacher, author, and missionary.

Last year, my wife, our family, and I spent time seeking God's direction for our next mission field. We had planned to relocate to Brazil as missionaries, but the Lord clearly redirected us to Karji, Kaduna State, Nigeria. We arrived in November 2025 and immediately began the work He placed in our hearts.

Since then, God has enabled us to plant The Maker's House Church (also known as AFLAME) and establish a Bible Training School. On 5th July 2026, we graduated our first 13 students, and today the church has grown to over 100 worshippers. We give God all the glory.

One of our greatest challenges is our place of worship. We hold our services in the open space in front of our residence. Whenever it rains, our services are disrupted, making it urgent for us to erect a simple worship shelter on the piece of land God has graciously provided for the ministry.

We also need basic ministry equipment such as a public address system, musical instruments, a generator, and discipleship materials. Beyond this, we are reaching out to many struggling families in our community with both the Gospel and practical acts of love.

I have attached two short documentary videos that show the work God is doing in Karji.

If the Lord places it on your heart, we would be grateful for your prayers, financial support, or an introduction to individuals, churches, or organizations that have a passion for missions and church planting. Every gift, no matter the size, will help us establish this growing ministry and reach more lives for Christ.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. May God richly bless and reward you.

Yours in Christ,

Rev. Richard Rohi Sylva-Jaja
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The Story Behind the Hymns
THE STORY BEHIND "GO TO DARK GETHSEMANE"

“Go to Dark Gethsemane” is a solemn Lenten hymn that invites believers to reflect deeply on the suffering of Jesus Christ during the final hours before His crucifixion. The hymn was written in 1820 by the English clergyman James Montgomery, a respected Christian poet and hymn writer known for creating texts that guide worshippers through the events of Christ’s life.

Montgomery wrote the hymn as a meditation on the Passion of Christ, particularly the moment in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus went to pray on the night He was betrayed. According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the garden after the Last Supper. There, He prayed in deep agony, knowing the suffering that awaited Him. Scripture records that His sorrow was so intense that “His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

The opening line, “Go to dark Gethsemane,” is an invitation. Rather than merely observing the story from a distance, the hymn calls believers to spiritually enter the scene, to stand quietly and watch Christ in prayer during His hour of anguish. Montgomery urges worshippers to remember that Christ faced temptation, fear, and suffering willingly for the salvation of humanity.

The first verse focuses on Christ’s inner struggle in prayer. While Jesus wrestled with the weight of the coming crucifixion, His disciples struggled to stay awake. He asked them to watch and pray with Him, yet they repeatedly fell asleep. Montgomery uses this moment to teach Christians an important lesson: when facing temptation or trials, they should look to Christ’s example and learn how to pray with perseverance.

Each stanza of the hymn follows the events of the Passion. After Gethsemane, later verses lead worshippers to the judgment hall where Jesus was condemned, and finally to Calvary where He was crucified. In this way, the hymn becomes a devotional journey through the suffering of Christ, guiding believers step by step through the most sacred moments of Holy Week.

Due to its reflective and prayerful tone, “Go to Dark Gethsemane” is most often sung during Lent and Holy Week, especially on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Its melody is typically paired with the tune “REDHEAD” composed by the English musician Richard Redhead in the nineteenth century. The tune’s quiet, minor character perfectly complements the hymn’s contemplative message.

More than two centuries after it was written, the hymn continues to invite Christians into a moment of quiet reflection. Montgomery’s words remind believers that the path to the cross began in a lonely garden where Christ prayed in sorrow, and where His followers are called to watch, reflect, and learn from His example of faithful prayer.