Pastor Claude Thomas Information Blog

Author: Pastor Claude Thomas

Does following Jesus mean you live a trouble-free life? We’d like to believe that difficulties, disappointments, and distresses are not part of the Christian experience. And because that desire is so strong, we may want to believe a man-made theology that says, “Trust Jesus and all troubles will vanish and smooth sailing will be ahead.” That is in stark contrast to the Bible and reality. Devoted followers of Jesus have known storms from the beginning of the Christian faith.

Early in Christian art, the ship became a symbol of the Christian community…body of believers… the church. No doubt the symbol was taken because ships experience storms on the seas… and Believers experience storms on the seas of life. And it certainly reflects an incident recorded in the Bible. “And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat so that it was already filling.”(Mark 4:37). The storm was a great and powerful.
Storms strike our lives. Relationships are tossed about and verge on breaking. Illnesses suddenly appear on the scene. Death unexpectedly comes knocking. Financial reversals visit. We all experience storms in life. And when they do, we want to be certain Jesus is in the “boat of our lives!”

Author: Pastor Claude Thomas

On a recent visit to the slums of Nairobi, Kenya, I was introduced to two young men whose lives had been changed. Feed The Children, Inc. partners with schools in the slums of Nairobi to provide food to feed the children. The headmasters of the schools lead the schools and see to it the feeding program is in place. But they do so much more.

One headmaster I met literally served as counselor and evangelist to the community of the school. As I talked with her, she told of her love for Jesus and how He had so impacted her life that she loved others… even the most unlikely and unlovely.

A group of “thugs” were terrorizing their community. People were afraid because the “young thugs” would rob, beat, and rape people. The headmaster said the Second Great Commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39) gripped her heart and she felt she must counsel the leaders of the “bad guys.”

Approaching the “bad guys” wasn’t a small task but the headmaster did it and counseled them that what they were doing was going to lead them to death! Through deeds of compassion and love, the leaders of the “bad guys” gave attention to the words of the headmaster. And when I met them, Ken and Ken, told me how Jesus had changed their lives when He saved them. They trusted Him as their Lord and Savior and now they were telling others how He could change them too!

I rejoice Jesus changes people! He changed Ken and Ken. He changed me. He can change you too if you will be allow Him to do it!