The Love Challenge (Part Two)

We are discussing love from the perspective of 1 John 4. To get the context, please read part one first if you haven't already. We have reached 1 John 4:8: "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love".

So, how do we know we are born again and are like God? We examine our behaviour, interests, priorities, how we interact with people, our desires, and so on, and we test and compare them against who God is, as described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. 

According to these passages in 1 John 4, if you do not walk in love,  you are not
born of God and do not know Him. You may have said the sinners' prayer,  you may be active in a lot of Christian and religious activities, be active in church, but Paul puts it as follows in 1 Corinthians 13:1-2: If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. [2]If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

If all Christians love enough to actively make a difference in other people's lives, the world would be a much different place. We don't need to be world missionaries or trained as pastors. We only need to touch people where we are - in the shop, on the street,  in the parking lot, at work. We only need to be witnesses,  telling our stories. We need to comfort, encourage, exhort, motivate, and teach people what we have learnt in our walk.

Jesus told His disciples in Acts 1:8: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." His disciples could reach parts of Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, but needed their downline of disciples (that's us) to reach the ends of the earth. Who did Jesus speak to in the above passage? He spoke to all His disciples, including all those who would follow Him throughout the ages. Are you a disciple of Jesus, His follower? Yes? Then He spoke to you as well. What are we to do? We are to be witnesses of what we have seen the Lord do and what He taught us. We need to care. Satan will throw circumstances your way to keep you busy and so focused on yourself and your problems that you would use it as an excuse not to act in love. 

Jesus said in John 13:35: By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” It's not by your church-going, or your religious duties, or even your good works that people will connect you with Jesus. Lots of unbelievers do good works. It's by our love. It's by being Jesus for others, doing what He did and having the attitude He had that links us to Him in the minds of observers. Love is not a feeling, the warm heart we often confuse with love. Love is an action, an activity, something you do. How else can we love our enemies as Jesus commanded us in Matthew 5:44? We cannot feel love towards them. How can you feel love towards someone who wants to harm you, someone who hates you? How would you love your enemies then? By doing good things for them. The Lord made it easy for those attentive to His voice. Ephesians 2:10 tells us: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

The Lord prepared your love activities for you even before you were born and presents them to you daily as opportunities to show off His love. What are you doing with those opportunities? Colossians 4:5-6: Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. [6]Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

What will Jesus do about your opportunities? On the day of judgement of the believers, He is going to call you to account for the good works God went to the trouble of preparing for you and presented to you as opportunities, and is going to require an explanation of what you have done with them. What are these opportunities? They are opportunities to love, so the world can see who Jesus' disciples are and therefore who He is. They are opportunities to make a difference in people's lives, to the glory of God.

To be continued

The Love Challenge (Part One)

Together with our precious and faithful Holy Spirit, I am going to attempt to bring clarity on the reality of love, mostly from the writings of John, the disciple whom Jesus loved. It is evident from John's writings that he had a deeper understanding of who Jesus was, and I can only presume that it came from his close walk with Jesus. I imagine him hanging onto every word and movement Jesus uttered while the others were picturing Jesus as an earthly king to set them free from Roman oppression. He had deeper insight into who Jesus was and what He came to do. He certainly had great insight into God’s amazing love, and he put a lot of emphasis on it in his writings in both the gospel of John and in his letters, the Epistles 1, 2, and 3 John.

Let us start with 1 John 4:7: Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

I thought one had to say a sinner's prayer to be born of God. 

When we are born of human parents, we inherit their characteristics - our features, talents, nature, and personality. Have you ever been told, "I can see your mom in you," or "you remind me so much of your dad"? When you do certain little things, such as clearing your throat, making certain facial movements, or speaking, aren't you often reminded of one of your parents you see in yourself? Even weaknesses your parents have/had show in you.

What is the sign of being born of God? 

May I quote a description of God to you?

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Amplified: [4] Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.

[5] It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

[6] It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.

[7] Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].

We'll read in 1 John 4:8 that God is love. We can, therefore, replace the word love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 above with the word God. These are all of God's characteristics. We said earlier that you were born to your parents and inherited some of their characteristics.

Therefore, if you are born of God, you would have inherited His characteristics, which are summarised in one word: love.

Can you change the mannerisms, strengths, and weaknesses inherited from your parents? No, you can't. You are stuck with them.

Can you change the characteristics that you inherited from God? No. So what if you don't act in love, which is who God is? That brings us to 1 John 4:8: "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love".

Oops! So, how do we know we are born again and are like God? We look at our behaviour, interests, priorities, how we deal with people, our desires, etc., and we test them against and compare them to who God is as described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. 

We will continue next time.

I am Healed!

More than a blog article, this is a testimony that hopefully creates faith in you to remain healthy or be healed. 

I had some training in effectively and briefly praying for healing. I have seen several healings and have concluded that the fewer words you use in prayer for healing, the more power you experience. I'd love to testify about this one result.

I was working in a pharmacy, and after I had served this lady, I asked her if I could pray for her for her illness. She agreed, and I took her aside and prayed the brief, powerful prayer I had prayed so many times before. She was healed, and I felt prompted to ask her if she knew Jesus.  She said no. So, I asked her whether she'd like to know Him. She said no. Her abruptness took me aback a little, but I heard the Holy Spirit tell me the church had hurt her. Then a wonderful thing happened. 

"Do you pray for everyone you serve here?" she asked,  meaning in the pharmacy with medicine.

"No," I said. 

"So, do you only pray for those God tells you to?"

"Yes," I said.

"So God told you to pray for me?"

"Yes."

"So God cares about me."

"Yes, He does."

"Then I'd better make things right with Him."

That was it. The Holy Spirit took over, and she preached the gospel to herself. I was blessed by the joys one can experience when you allow the Holy Spirit to lead.

This, however, is not my story and the purpose of this testimony, but is meant to show how alive and present the Lord is for those who believe. 

The time came that I needed prayer for healing, and I realised that if others get healed when I pray for them, why not me? Laying hands on myself would, however, be silly. 

Jesus said in Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. He also said in Mark 16:18 ...they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” The latter, He said as part of the Great Commandment.

Note that Jesus used two important terms. In Mark 11, He said "have received" and in Mark 16 ", they will be healed". There are no ifs and buts.

So, I decided that if I call healing of my illness, I have received it and I shall be healed.

From then on, every time I get symptoms of any illness, I simply declare "I am healed by the blood of Jesus" or "this pain has gone away by the power of Jesus". Without fail, I get healed. Some healings take longer than others, but I get healed.

The condition, however, is faith in God's words as recorded in the Bible. There are no "what ifs", "buts", or "is it the will of God?" He stated His will clearly in Mark 16:18 and various other places in the Bible. He wants people to be healed. I simply don't accept illness. Many patients I serve in the pharmacies seem proud of their illnesses. I often hear people say, 'I suffer from this' and 'I suffer from that'. In my mind, I then say, 'If you want to suffer, then suffer, but I'm not going to suffer. Jesus died for my illnesses and promised to heal me, so I seek healing until I find it.'  Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you (Matthew 7:7). God said it, I believe it, that settles it.

Then again, I tell everyone about it, giving the Lord the glory. He loves glory, and every time you do it, He looks for the opportunity to help you so you can give Him the glory publicly again.

We read at the end of the account where Jesus healed the man at the pool of Bethesda in John 5:14: Later, Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you."  From what Jesus told the man, I have learnt that if illness doesn't leave, I look into my life for sin to repent of and let go, so healing is not kept from me due to sin.

How about you? Are you going to take the Lord by His Word? Do it, and be healed of all your illnesses as you call your healing.

Silencing the Barking Dogs - a Testimony

When the Lord said in Proverbs 3:5 & 6, "[5] Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. [6] In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths,"  He meant it. Here is how I know it.

On two occasions in my life, my neighbours' dogs have barked endlessly in the middle of the night. Eventually, I got fed up and phoned them in the middle of the night to ask them to silence their dogs. That was the end of both of the relationships. The last neighbour refused to speak to me for 7 years and found all kinds of silly things to complain about.

I then decided a barking dog is not worth a broken relationship, and the Holy Spirit gave me this brilliant plan. Every time the latter dog barked, I simply asked the Lord to give it peace and to remove the trigger. Within seconds, it stopped barking. This happened without fail.

We then moved home, and guess what? My neighbour has three barking dogs among the hundreds of others across our little town. Guess what else. God gives them peace instantly every time I pray, causing them to stop barking.

Wouldn't you say that the above counts as making my path straight, as Proverbs 3 puts it?

Another thing I love to do is to tell everyone about it, giving the Lord the glory. He loves glory, and every time you do it, He looks for the opportunity to help you again so you can give Him the glory publicly.

If we examine human nature and honestly reflect on ourselves, we can understand why verse 5 above was added. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 'All your heart' means with your entire heart, but it also means with everything your heart is concerned with. 'Leaning on your own understanding' often tells us we think it's petty. "Why would God concern Himself with irritating, barking dogs. He has much greater worries than those."

The Lord loves us so much that our concerns are His concerns. If barking dogs irritate me, they do Him as well, for He feels for me. To Him, empathy with His loved ones is part of His love for us. That is why He sent Jesus to empathise with our state.

The other thing is that good relationships between neighbours are important to Him. His Word refers to it all the time. So, if He could resolve my problem with barking dogs before I mess up the relationship with my neighbour in my attempt to solve it, He redeemed a relationship.

The barking dogs issue is only one practical example. There are many petty things in your life that the Lord wants to help you with if you just call on Him. Like the hijack attempt on my car. Men smashed my car windows, and in my fear, I only managed to cry, "Help Jesus!" The next moment, they ran away.

Faith is not something you say, it's something you do. What's the point in serving the Lord and reading the Bible if you don't apply it practically in your life? God said it, I believe and apply it, that settles it..

Take the Lord at His Word and believe Him.

Where to Find Faith

The famous chapter on faith in Hebrews 11 starts with these words: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  — Hebrews 11:1 (KJV) Hebrews 11:1 in the Amplified Bible reads: NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].

The above passage says that if we hope, i.e., have an expectation for something we asked the Lord in

prayer, faith is the reality we hold on to until we receive what we expect. It's like a ticket to a concert. When we bought the ticket long before the time, we hadn't seen the concert yet, but the ticket is evidence of the concert we hope to see.

Faith is not only needed for things asked of the Lord, but in general life, such as in business deals and when something is planned, produced, etc. The same principles apply to the faith we need for the latter. We have hope, an expectation of how something will work out. We apply faith, which is the evidence that it will work out, until we see the result. Without faith that the hope will manifest, we will not persevere.

Where does faith that the Lord will come through for you come from? How do we get faith? According to Ephesians 2:8, we are saved through faith, which is a gift of God: "For by grace you have been saved [through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God..." This passage refers to salvation, but faith, in general, is a gift from the Lord.

How does He give it, and how do you receive it?

We read in Romans 10:17: "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." The Word of Christ is the Bible, the written Word, everything recorded about what Christ has said and done. What has He said and done? John 1:1-5,14: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” The entire Bible is about Jesus Christ.

We read the written Word, the Bible (the Logos, in Greek). It contains a lot about the Creator and His relationship with His creation. Yet, although we have all this knowledge, we still find it hard to believe because faith comes from God. We need to receive this faith from Him to have the ticket, the title deed of what we hope or expect.

Romans 10:17 mentions hearing, which comes from the Word, the logos. What is this hearing? Is it hearing the preacher or the pastor's message?

Let me illustrate what I understood. When your employer walks into the general office announcing that one of the employees there will be promoted, will you take it for yourself, having faith that you will be promoted? No, you won't. It could be any of the employees. This is like the logos, the written Word; it's for everybody. It does not necessarily create faith in the reader. However, if your employer comes to you telling you that you will be promoted, will you then have faith?

Have you ever had a specific passage jump out at you while reading the Bible? You just knew it spoke to you, touching your heart. It meant something special to you, creating faith in your heart. What happened is that you were reading the Word of Christ, the logos, when you heard the Lord speak to you through the passage that jumped out to you, the rhema, and it created faith in you. The latter is the 'hearing' as per Romans 10:17.

"So, faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." (Romans 10:17). God has given you faith through the message He gave you personally from the written Word, the logos, the Word of Christ.

An example from my life. Many years ago, I was reading Psalm 91 when verses 14-16 jumped out to me. I heard the Lord say to me: “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him. With long life, I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

At the time, I didn't know why the Lord gave me faith for protection, but I made this passage my own by memorising it and praying it whenever I was scared. The Lord was faithful to His promise and protected me innumerable times, even when I did stupid things that deserved the consequences.

One day, however, when I prayed this Rhema passage, the Lord stopped me and told me, "Why should I protect you, for you're not loving me?"

"What do you mean, Lord?" I asked.

He took me to John 14:21 and 23, another rhema I received that prompted me to constant obedience. John 14:21, 23:

V21: "Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

V23: "Jesus replied, 'Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.'"

He told me about something specific in which I was disobedient, and I repented.

Can you see where faith comes from and why "the word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, and penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart"? (Hebrews 4:12).

This is what Christianity is about - a living, active relationship with the Word, the Creator of everything that exists (John 1:1).

Therefore, if you need faith for something, ask the Holy Spirit what passage, chapter, or book you should read and then read until you hear the Lord speak to you from the Logos. Sometimes one needs faith at the spur of the moment to do something difficult, make a challenging decision, or take a bold step. One doesn’t necessarily have time to read until God speaks to you. Then, knowing the Bible well helps you to receive faith in that moment because the Holy Spirit can bring a passage to mind from your memory, which will give you faith. Continue reading the Bible so it can take root in your memory. I find listening to the audio Bible, which is freely available on phone apps, very profitable.

Let's go and find faith in the Word of Christ through hearing what God tells you as you read it.

Hierdie nuusbrief is gerig aan al ons voorbidders wat so getrou vir ons gebid het tydens ons uitreik na die kinders en kinderwerkers in die Kalahari, asook aan al die werkers en mense waarmee ons daar saamgewerk het.

Die Begin

Op 25 Februarie 2023 het ek en Meisie Bott ons eerste kontak gemaak en begin reëlings tref vir wat ‘n heerlike Goddelike afspraak uitgedraai het. Aanvanklik wou die gemeente in Rietfontein, wat naby die Namibiese grens geleë is, ons net vir die Vrydag en Saterdag 16 en 17 Junie akkommodeer, wat nie vir my en Julia sou werk nie weens werksverpligtinge tuis. Maar die Here het ander planne gehad. Die datum, wat vir beide partye die beste gewerk het, was vanaf 26 Junie tydens die skoolvakansie. Soos wat ek en Meisie reëlings getref het, het Meisie die Here kort-kort hoor planne byvoeg. Gevolglik het die program soos hieronder uitgedraai.

Die Aankoms

Na ‘n lang, maar heerlike rit op paaie wat ons nog nooit gery het nie - die steil Van Rhyn’s pas en die lang, baie stil, reguit stukke met die droë, mooi omgewing - het ons Saterdagmiddag laat by Meisie en Hendrik se oord, Kalahari Info Centre and Accommodation aangekom en is warm ontvang. Ons het vir die

week daar oorgebly en is deur hulle geseën met verblyf en te veel kos. Ons het die voorreg gehad om hulle wonderlike personeel te leer ken en te seën met die geestelike kos wat ons kon gee. Ek sien daarna uit om die Here se seën te sien uitstort in reaksie op hulle vrygewigheid.

Sondag het ons die Rietfontein VGK kerk se diens bygewoon en ek kon duidelik die Here se salwing daar aanvoel. Ons het van die betrokkenheid van baie mense in die diens gehou. Dis wat die Here graag wil hê.

Opleiding en Kinderaanbiedings

Maandag het die opleiding in Philandersbron begin. Ons het 9 werkers opgelei. Die videoprogram behels die wys van ‘n 3-5 minute video en dan die bespreking van ‘n vraelys oor die video met die kinders onder leiding van die Heilige Gees. Hiertydens word die kinders bedien met behulp van die vrae wat hulle verdere lering gee. Ons opleiding bestaan uit teorie in die oggend, wat demonstrasies van die proses insluit en dan in die middag ‘n geleenheid vir elke werker om self ‘n video en die vrae aan te bied, net om hulle gemaklik met die proses te kry.

Dit was aangenaam om die werkers se gawes en entoesiasme te beleef terwyl hulle dit aanbied met die minimum voorbereiding (weens gebrek aan tyd). Weereens was die gasvryheid uit die boonste rakke.

Aan die einde van die opleiding het ons ongeveer 70 kinders bederf met die Woord van God in die vorm van ons video en prettige vrae besprekings. Die kinders was skerp en deelnemend en het dit baie geniet.

Dinsdag het ons sestien werkers van die VGK kerk en die Lutherse kerk in Rietfontein opgelei. Weereens het ons die werkers se deelnemendheid geniet en het hulle aanbiedings vir ons baie hoop gegee vir die toekoms van kinderwerk in die Kalahari. Tydens die praktiese sessie het ons in twee groepe verdeel en gesien hoe die Here sy instrumente vir die kinderwerk in die area slyp.

Woensdag vroeg het ons die pad gevat na Welkom, op die grens van die Kgalagadi Transfrontier Wildpark (die ou Kalahari Gemsbok Park). Daar het ons ses werkers opgelei en besef dat die Here oral, selfs in die stowwerige klein dorpies, kwaliteit mense opgerig het vir Sy Koninkrykswerk.

Kgalagadi

Corera, ‘n amptenaar in die park en koördineerder van die kinderwerk daar, het vir ons plek gereël in die personeel gastehuis in die Twee Rivieren kamp in die park. Die son was aan die water trek toe ons daar aankom en ons het besluit om by die voëlskuiling (bird hide) te gaan sit in die hoop om iets te sien. Ten spyte daarvan dat ons gehoor het dat daar nie juis diere soontoe kom nie, het die Here ons bederf met ‘n pragtige Gemsbok wat kom water drink het.

Die volgende oggend het ons met eerste lig in die park ingery. Ons het ‘n uur en ‘n half tot ons beskikking gehad en het besluit om ‘n driekwartier uit en terug te ry. Die guns van die Here was met ons en ons het ‘n luiperd, Julia se gunsteling dier, met twee tiener welpies vir lank kon beskou soos wat hulle op ‘n randjie vertoef en gespeel het. ‘n Ander toeris, ‘n fotograaf, was nogal jaloers dat hy drie dae lank

moes wag om hulle te sien en ons kry die voorreg binne vyftien minute nadat ons begin ry het. Die Here gee om vir elke klein behoefte wat ons het. Daarna het ons ‘n trop Gemsbokke en Springbokke reg langs die pad gekry.

Kinderkonferensies

Die Donderdag het ons ‘n kinderkonferensie, wat bestaan uit drie videos afgewissel met speletjies en eetgoed, by Welkom aan 60 kinders 

en die Vrydag by Rietfontein aan 100 kinders aangebied. Die kinders was weereens deelnemend en het dit geweldig geniet. Ons was op ons beurt baie beïndruk met die kwaliteit van die kinders se gedrag by al die plekke waar ons bedien het. 

Op pad terug van Welkom, Donderdag, het ons by Klein Mier gestop en ‘n videoprogram vir ongeveer 30 kinders aangebied.

Keimoes

Intussen het ‘n gemeente in Keimoes by Meisie gehoor van die opleiding en ons gevra om by hulle te stop op pad terug. Ons het dus op Sondag 2 Julie tien van hulle werkers opgelei en weereens beleef hoe die Here mense gekies het vir Sy plan om die kinders ‘n toekoms te gee. Ons het oorgebly by George en Kitta met wie ons kosbare gesprekke oor die Woord van God en die Here gehad het. George het die gedagte gekry om die tieners, wat by hom katkisasie doen, te laat insit by die opleiding. Hy was besorg dat hulle dalk woelig kon wees, maar hulle het aan ons lippe gehang. Die ongeskonde waarheid van die Woord bind altyd die aandag as die Heilige Gees beheer toegelaat word.

Na die opleiding het ons ongeveer 30 kinders bederf met die Woord in die vorm van ‘n video aanbieding.

Wat vir ons wonderlik was om te beleef, was hoe die Here ons gebruik het om die werkers geestelik toe te rus met Woordkennis, gebedstrategieë, en geloof vir die taak vorentoe. ‘n Mens kan net uitgee wat jy ontvang het.

Die Ritte

Iets wat ons baie geniet het was die paaie en die ritte. Die pad tussen Calvinia en Upington was baie reguit en baie stil – net ertstrokke. Die pad tussen Upington en Rietfontein was pragtig so tussen die rooi sandduine deur, maar was so stil dat, as jou kar sou breek, hulle jou seker eers twee dae later sou kry 😏. Die pad voor die oord waar ons gebly het was so stil dat jy gevaar loop om nie te kyk of daar ‘n kar kom as jy wegtrek nie.

Nadat ons by Keimoes weg is het ons vir die eerste keer vinnig na die Augrabies waterval gaan kyk 

en toe oor Springbok terug gery. Dit was nou vir jou ‘n baie mooi pad met sy variasie van berge, koppies, hope groot klippe en rotsformasies van ‘n verskeidenheid

kleurskakerings. Die Here is darem ‘n kunstenaar duisend.

Na ‘n week van ongelooflike Goddelike teenwoordigheid en ingrypings is ons terug by die huis, verlangend na die mense van die Kalahari wat baie diep in onse harte ingekruip het.

Baie dankie aan ieder en elk wat bygedra het tot hierdie Goddelike tyd, van die voorbidders tot die studente, die dames wat die kos voorsien het, Meisie en Hendrik wat die verblyf in Rietfontein voorsien het, Tongketa, die wag by die oord, wat ons baie gehelp het, Corera wat die veblyf in Kgalagadi voorsien het en die Here wat alles bestuur het. Loof sy grote naam!!

Ons is reeds besig om ons volgende opleidingstrip te beplan.

Ek wil net afsluit met 'n gedagte. 'n Boodskap wat die Here sterk op ons harte gelê het tydens die opleiding was "jy moet weergebore word".

Nikodemus het volgens Johannes 3 na Jesus gekom en gevra wat hy moet doen om gered te word. In vers 3 lees ons: Jesus het geantwoord: "Voorwaar, voorwaar Ek sê vir julle, niemand kan die koninkryk van God sien as hulle nie weergebore word nie." Nikodemus het dit nie lekker verstaan nie en toe antwoord Jesus in vers 5-7: "Voorwaar, voorwaar Ek sê vir julle, niemand kan in die koninkryk van God ingaan as hy nie uit water en Gees gebore word nie. 6 Vlees baar vlees, maar die Gees baar gees. 7 Jy moet nie verbaas wees oor ek sê: 'Jy moet wedergebore word nie.'"

God het vir Adam en Eva belowe hulle sal sekerlik sterf as hulle van die boom eet. Soos julle weet het hulle nie dood neergeslaan nie. Wat het gesterf? Hulle gees het gesterf vir God. Dis hoekom mense nie die Bybel of vir God kan verstaan nie. God kan Hom nie aan mense, wie dood vir Hom is, openbaar nie, want die mense het nie kontak met Hom nie. Hulle gees en dus hulle kontak met Hom is steeds dood omdat hulle in sonde gebore word - Adam se sonde.

Die enigste manier om weer lewendig te word vir God is deur wedergeboorte wat weer jou gees lewendig vir God maak. Ek onthou baie duidelik hoe ek na wedergeboorte skielik die Bybel verstaan en gereelde openbarings van wie God is, gekry het. Soos Jesus gesê het; jy MOET weergebore word deur die Gees om 'n lewende verhouding met God te hê.

Hoe word jy weergebore? Bid eenvoudig as volg:

1. Here ek erken dat ek 'n sondaar is en daarom nie kontak met God kan hê nie (Romeine 3:23). Ek bely my sonde.
2. Dankie dat die Here Jesus gekom en die prys betaal het om my van my sonde te verlos. Ek aanvaar die geskenk.
3. Ek plaas my hele hart en lewe onder U beheer en wil U gehoorsaam.
4. Ek vra dat U Heilige Gees my vul en my lei, leer, help en troos.

As jy hierdie begeer en gebid het, is jy nou weergebore. Lees jou Bybel en gesels gereeld met die Here en sien hoe jy Hom ontdek.

Vrede vir almal!

Henry en Julia

The Ant Lifestyle

 May this video be a revelation to you.

Where is God?

Where is God? We read in the Bible that He is in heaven, but also that He lives in believers. How can He be in heaven as well as in our hearts? The following illustration gives a good idea of how this works.

Defeating violence, crime, and maladministration

We tend to criticize situations in South Africa or whatever country we live in, make jokes about politicians, and send around funny, mocking, and critical videos, don't we. But shouldn't we rather do something about the problems? What can we do, you may ask. In Zechariah 4 verse 6 we read that it’s “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty. In the video below I discuss a way that has worked well for me to deal with spiritual forces and people. 

In the video, I address the situation in South Africa, but the principle can be used to deal with any challenges, whether it's personal, political, logistical or whatever may be a concern for you.

I suggest you first watch the video below before you open this link mentioned in the video:  https://bibbytes.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-courts-of-heaven-by-robert-henderson.html. The first 15 minutes give enough information to help understand what I am going to discuss here.

The email address mentioned in the video is info@t-a-c.co.za.

Earn your income God’s Way.

When I put my mind to something I can pretty much do a lot of things. I particularly enjoy being led by the Holy Spirit as I write down revelations from the Word of God. One thing, however, I’m not good at is the ability to speak clearly. My mind and my tongue continuously misunderstand one another. For a long time, I’ve desired to make videos of my teachings, since many people prefer watching a video to reading. A video can also be listened to while you are doing something else like driving or cooking. I’ve attempted to make a video a few times, but just couldn’t get myself to publish them.

Then I got all my courage together and made and published the last video I posted on Facebook called “Conquer your Thoughts”. Believe me, I swallowed a lot of embarrassment. A couple of days ago, I prayed a lot in tongues at work and suddenly the solution to my problem came to mind. However, by the time I got home in the evening, I have temporarily forgotten about it, but the Lord hasn't. The very first thing that came up when we watched a YouTube video was an advertisement for a voice-over software app. See the result below. Now, I’m going to make videos!

This is my usual article and the video script:

These days everyone talks about ways of making money. Online money making initiatives are booming and business opportunities are plenty. We receive endless emails offering opportunities to make money.

Here is a story for you. Years ago I was woken by a man talking on our Christian radio station about the tithe the Bible refers to in Malachi 3. Like many people believe, he was of the opinion that the tithe mentioned in Malachi three was Old Testament and we need not pay it anymore.

Malachi three reads as follows: “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.

“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’

“In tithes and offerings.  You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me.  Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”

Although I knew about paying my tithe, this influenced me to be careless with my giving. I knew that the more you give, the more abundantly you'll be provided for and that it's not limited to 10% anymore, as we read in Luke 6:38. “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Yet, I gave insufficiently.

As a result, Satan has stolen much from us through the years. We have lost so much money through con artists and our own mistakes.

But Jesus never leaves or forsakes us. The Holy Spirit kept prompting me to give.

I am a locum pharmacist and discovered that every time I give, I get sufficient work immediately. But giving is difficult if you live from day to day, so I found it hard to give.

Then I received a teaching that pointed out that the tithe has nothing to do with Malachi 3. Tithing comes from Abraham who tithed to Melchizedek. We read in Hebrews 7:1-3: This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. Then we read in Hebrews 5: 5-6: Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.” And he says in another place, “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

So when we give 10% of our income to someone who serves God, we actually give it to Jesus, the High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.

My mind and heart were opened and I decided to give 10% the moment I received money. My personality likes the guideline of 10%. I think most of us like guidelines, which is why the Lord set the guideline of 10%. Previously I first wanted to fill gaps with the money I received and consequently had nothing left to give. Now I give it immediately.

Since I started giving like this, I have never been lacking.

Who should you give to?

Many people have an issue with some churches that do not spend their money wisely. The Bible does not have clear guidance as to where we should give. Let the Holy Spirit guide you. Give to those who feed you spiritually and to those who do God’s work. As a couple, we divide our tithes between missionaries we support, the church where we serve and receive, and a radio station from where we also receive spiritual input.

The important part is to give at least 10% of your income the moment you receive it. With the measure you give, it will be given to you. God loves a cheerful giver. If you are faithful, God is faithful.

Why don’t you pray with me? Father, please give me the grace to give as you expect me to give. Holy Spirit, please show me where the money should go to, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Golden Nugget from Living Sword Videos - Deal with Your Thoughts

Good day my friend

Do you struggle with unwanted thoughts? The Holy Spirit in 2 Corinthians 10:5 has some answers on how to deal with them. The talk in the video below has some clarity for you. I trust this will help you. Feel free to leave some comments below.

Are you going when the call comes?

In our previous message, we touched on the rapture of the saints from the perspective of being light and living a pure and blameless life. I want us to stay on this topic until the Holy Spirit wants to move on. 

In 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, we read about the rapture (Click the link to read the passage). There are two schools of thought about when the rapture will happen. Some believe it will be before the seven-year tribulation starts, and others that it will take place halfway through the great tribulation.  

My belief in the pre-tribulation rapture might not change your mind if you believe in the mid-tribulation rapture. But this is irrelevant because, regardless of when He comes, the question is whether you will be ready to join those who will meet Jesus in the air when He comes on the clouds to fetch his bride/church. 

 

We read in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 that a trumpet sounding will precede the coming of Jesus on the clouds. Dave Jones, who did an extensive discussion on the end times, said an interesting thing. He said that at the very moment the trumpet blows, each born-again believer will have the opportunity to choose whether they want to meet Jesus in the air. 

 

I bet you're thinking now that the choice is obvious, but it's not. When I heard Dave Jones saying this, I immediately thought of the following written in Luke 14:16-20 (Click the link). Jesus told the parable of the banquet that has been arranged, and those invited started making excuses. When I heard Dave's words, I believe the Holy Spirit connected the two in my spirit. The trumpet sounding and the cry of command from the archangel will be the invitation for the bride of Christ to join Him for the wedding banquet of the Lamb. 

 

At that moment, each believer will be in either of two positions. You will be ready to say "yes, yes, yes, here we go!" or you'll have an excuse. The choice you make will depend on your priorities at that time. Are you sold out to Jesus, or do you have material things that are important to you and which you feel still need your attention? I’m referring to things such as a business, a type of sport, a social position with its responsibilities, and people such as family and friends. Jesus said in Matthew 10:37-38 (click to read) that loving those who are close to you more than you love Him makes you unworthy to be His disciple.

 

If we consider the latter two passages in the light of the rapture, consider the following scenario when the trumpet blows. You will then have the choice whether you want to meet Jesus in the clouds or to

• look after your business or
• marry your dream spouse or
• look after your children or
• whatever is more important to you at that moment.

I think that, if either of the latter is your choice, you'll stay behind and go through the great tribulation. In other words, if you feel you can't go now because your children need you or your business or whatever need you, you'll stay behind. 

 

The trick, however, is that you won’t have time to contemplate it at that moment. You need to make up your now. Nothing else, apart from Jesus should have any value to you. You ought to eat, sleep, and dream that day when Jesus comes to fetch his bride. You ought to dream about the wedding feast of the Lamb. 

 

Should our lives then stop while we wait in anticipation for that day? By no means - my policy is that I live as if Jesus would come today. In other words, I bear as much fruit as possible and am as pure and blameless as possible. But I plan my future as if He is never going to return. In other words, life goes on, but I remain ready.  

Do you have to keep looking to heaven in anticipation of His coming? In Luke 12:35-48 (click to read), Jesus covered both the options in this respect. He tells His servants to be on the watch for Him coming. He does not want believers to be caught unawares but to expect His coming all the time, looking out for Him.

Then He also urged servants to remain busy with service and not be caught being idle and disobedient. In other words, believers should not just stare at the clouds expecting Jesus to return, but should remain busy with evangelism and caring for God's people. While doing this, they ought to expect to see Jesus in the clouds at any moment. They ought to keep their ears attentive to the voice of the angel and the sound of the trumpet. 

 

What is your position? Is anything in this world more important to you than being with Jesus?

From the Epistles of John: Who will go with Jesus?

Good day dear friend

We are busy discussing 1 John 1:5-6.

Last time I promised that we will look at the kinds of deceptive darkness we walk in, which do not go along with God, the light.

What is it that you do but do not feel comfortable about? You maybe justify yourself that it is not that wrong. 

Perhaps you excuse your behaviour from 1 Corinthians 6:12 as we often do, thinking that everything is permissible. Or do you tell yourself that God would not mind? Yet you have that lack of peace - something keeps niggling at the back of your mind that this is not right. It could be a known sin that you justify, like deciding that a lie is only a white lie. It could also be petty theft; you take small things like stationery from work and justify it by saying they don’t pay you enough anyhow. Then it could be a matter of relationship. You feel that the person deserved it and therefore you are not going to forgive them. Or it was not your fault, so the other person should be the one to apologise.

While we’re on this topic, I’d like to point out how wise the Lord is. Why do you think it is written in Matthew 5:23-24 that when your brother or sister sins against you, you should be the one to make right with them? Is it possibly because they might feel condemned and find it difficult to ask for forgiveness? Therefore, the loving thing to do is for you to recognise it and be humble enough to go and forgive them without their asking.

Do you have an idea how bright God’s light is and how little darkness He tolerates? Yes, we are forgiven in Christ and we live by grace, but we do read in Philippians 2:12-13: “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfil His good purpose”. If we have been saved by grace and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-10), why would the Lord have put Philippians 2:12-13 in the Bible? If we are not saved by works but by faith in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, what salvation is Philippians 2 referring to? It is being saved from the power of our flesh and Satan’s attempts to keep us from becoming like Jesus, from becoming the light God is. We have to work at it along with the Lord.

Consider the following:  “…as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless”, (Ephesians 5:25-27), “But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel”, (Colossians 1:22-23), and “But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.  So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him”, (2 Peter 3:13-14). Doesn't this set a standard for us, something to work toward?

We so easily justify the things our flesh likes to do, but which are condemned by the Word of God. There are many small things we do and are convicted of by the Holy Spirit, but because we like it, we ignore His promptings. This is the darkness that John referred to in our passage under discussion. Purity and holiness open the canal for God’s power and peace to work in and through us. When Jesus comes to rapture His church, He comes for a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless, (Ephesians 5:27). I don’t know whether you experience the same, but it is as if the Lord is intensifying the promptings for me to live holy and blameless. He prompts me daily to confess behaviour not previously confessed and to deal with relational issues and bad habits, such as being critical and judgemental. It is as if He desperately wants me to be ready for the rapture, and the tempo with which He works on me (Philippians 2:13) seems to be extremely urgent.

People, the time for playing church and having a form of godliness is over. It’s time to get serious with your sanctification.