53. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - Forgiveness, what is in it for you? Part 2

We are busy discussing forgiveness the way Jesus instructed us in His model prayer: “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors,” (Matthew 6:12).

Forgiveness usually is automatic or immediate and usually includes a blessing and forgetting. However, it is easy to say you forgive somebody but later catch yourself speaking negatively about him. You may have forgiven him for what he did, but you still feel bitter toward him. Then the next time the person does the least wrong, your flesh is more than ready to accuse and criticize.

This happens because you have not blessed the person, and you do not trust the Lord to deal with him. Maybe the person will forever irritate you, and you will have to forever forgive and bless him. Why do you think the Lord told us to love and forgive our enemies? We are to use the exact words that Jesus used on the cross as recorded in Luke 23:34: “Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’”

Since the evil one is behind most bad relationships and sin, most humans

do not know what they are doing. Not even Judas knew what he was doing when he betrayed Jesus. Only when the devil released the blinding grip of lies he had on Judas did he realize what had happened. He had remorse and returned the money. We are not to keep anything against anybody, ever.

James 5:16 says, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (KJV).” This passage has much more to it than we may see at face value. We are to confess our sins to each other, which includes anybody in the church of Christ all over the world. Second, the healing can range from curing disease to freeing one from errors and sins to bringing about one’s salvation. Lastly, the prayer must be effectual and fervent and must come from a righteous person, one who has forgiven and who is forgiven, one in right standing with God.

            How often do we pray because we must? When we work, do we

simply want to get the day over with, or do we get satisfaction from the results? Do we work with an I-am-here-because-I-must-be attitude, or are we energetic and enthusiastic about our work?

In the same way, the only prayer that will heal is an energetic, fervent prayer that expects results. Do you remember the widow with the unrighteous judge in Luke 18:1-8? She continued until she got results. How much opportunity is given for such prayer in our church, prayer that includes confession of sin? How much time is spent in your church in public spiritual warfare?

In the NIV, the model prayer ends with “and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one.” This is spiritual warfare in its basic form, resisting the activities of evil through the power of God. In the model prayer, Jesus teaches that the devil is a reality and is to be fought. We fight him using the authority of the name of Jesus. We can tell the devil, “The Lord rebuke you,” (Jude 1:9) or “We resist you in the name of Jesus,” (James 4:7) or “Get behind me, Satan, in Jesus’ name,” (Mark 8:33) or simply the words of the model prayer. This also must be fervent and effectual.

Why are we commanded to use the name of Jesus? If you are a civilian, and you jump in front of a speeding car with your hand up, would the driver stop? No, but if a police officer does it, the driver will obey. Why? It is because, in his uniform, he represents the authority of the government. The name of Jesus represents the victory Jesus had over Satan at Calvary. Jesus is now Satan’s boss. Satan has to bow at the mention of Jesus’ name (Philippians 2:10). We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12), and we need to resist them.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen (Matthew 6:13 KJV).

If there is one thing the devil desires passionately to steal from Christians, it is time and energy to pray, because prayer moves the mighty arm of God. That is why the model prayer ends with the above words.  It is a declaration that Almighty God, to Whom the Kingdom with all its power and all its glory belongs, is the One who backs our prayer. If a politician stands up and says certain radical things, which his party instructed him to say, he stands there comforted by the fact that he is backed by his party, especially if the party is the ruling party.

Therefore we declare at the end of our model prayer: “O God You rule over the universe; therefore we know that our prayer is not only backed by You, but that You wait for our prayers as Your mandate to do great and wonderful things.” Bringing Glory to God declares where we stand in the spiritual realm. It shows our faith in the defeat that Jesus brought over Satan, who constantly tries to turn our faith away from God. Satan’s main purpose is to get us discouraged and so lose our faith in God. Therefore, bringing glory to God defeats Satan and pleases the Lord.

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.

52. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - Forgiveness, what is in it for you?

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors,” (Matthew 6:12). The type of forgiveness we ask for is the same type we give. We will therefore only be forgiven once we have forgiven our debtors and in the way we have forgiven. To emphasize this important condition, Jesus added verses 14 and 15. “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matthew 6:14, 15).

This is the model prayer, not the only prayer. We can pray whatever we wish, but our prayers must contain the basic elements of this example. One of the most important elements of prayer is forgiveness. Jesus died specifically to open this door for us. Jesus was dead serious; therefore it would be unwise to live in unforgiveness. Ask any Christian psychologist, and he will tell you that many psychological, as well as physical conditions, have their roots in unforgiveness. I have heard many testimonies in which people forgave others and immediately received healing and deliverance from all kinds of conditions.

We set ourselves a standard concerning forgiveness. In this prayer, we

declare that we want to be forgiven in the same way we forgive others. If we forgive conditionally, refusing to forget wrongs done to us or acting in bitterness, we will receive the same kind of forgiveness. Never forget that Father controls everything in and around us. If we live in forgiveness, we bank forgiveness. Then when we need forgiveness ourselves, we have enough in the “bank” for the Lord to prompt others to forgive us.

Many times, I have forgiven people who owed me, setting them free from their debt. Then I have been forgiven much more. If we have the courage to take God at His word, to believe that His promises are true, and then fulfill the conditions of those promises, we will see them come true. The more we forgive, the more we are forgiven. With forgiveness comes abundant blessing, because then nothing forms a barrier between God and us anymore.

I find it impossible to keep a grudge and therefore have been forgiven much, simply because the Lord is faithful to His Word. Living in automatic forgiveness makes life so much easier because we don’t consider retaliation. An intimate relationship with the Lord is essential in this. Sinful man in himself cannot forgive. If you can say when offended, “The Lord will deal with this person, it is not my problem,” then forgiveness becomes simply passing the offense on to the One who can handle it best.

“Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you and your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear,” (Isaiah 59:1, 2). If we have sin in our hearts, God cannot hear or help us. If we continue to sin without confessing, we are in trouble. However, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). But in this model prayer, there is a condition: as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Do you ever feel your prayers get only as far as the ceiling and then evaporate into thin air? We often cry, “God, where are you? Why don’t you help me?”

He often helps us in unexpected ways, but we should look into our attitudes and behaviour toward those who sin against us. In the model prayer, we ask for God’s forgiveness as we have forgiven our debtors. We set the standard for God’s forgiveness. He is very clever. We cannot treat people as we wish and then expect God to have mercy on us. God is prepared to forgive us in the way we already have forgiven our debtors.

Why does God not hear our prayers? Our sin, which is not forgiven, still forms a wall between God and ourselves, because we were not prepared to forgive those who sinned against us - the ones He loves dearly and cares much for.

Who must we forgive? If nobody sins against you or owes you anything, you’re a lucky person. Does somebody persecute you or is nasty to you because you are a fruit-bearing Christian living a godly life? What about your “unrighteous” government and authorities, or the businessman who has cheated you, and what about the terrorists? If we examine our daily lives, we have many to forgive. To be continued...

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.

51. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - Praying the Lord's Prayer with Power

“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”(Matthew 6:9-13)

            Some Christians pray the Lord’s Prayer in a habitual manner, which is not wrong, because the Lord listens whenever He is addressed. But this prayer demands more commitment from us than we suspect. For instance, if we add the words, “in and through my life,” we get the following:

 “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name in and through my life. Your kingdom come in and through my life. Your will be done in and through my life on earth as it is in heaven.”

The result is a commitment. We ask God to let those around us recognize His name as holy through the way we live. We ask Him to let His Kingdom come in our lives, making Him King of our lives. We ask Him to let our lives be the vehicle through which His Kingdom will be established. We commit to sacrificing our will and making it subject to His. 

How is the above to be done? As it is done in heaven. Is this what we

 experience? Could materialism reign in heaven as it presently does on earth? Would false religions, idolatry, and humanism be tolerated in heaven as Christians tolerate it? If Jesus was on earth today, would He be as passive about evangelism as we are? What would the topics of discussions in heaven be—politics, sports, gossip, and jokes? Or would we discuss the wonders of God and His Word? What would recreation in heaven be like—secular movies, partying, violent computer games, and dancing? Or would God be constantly worshipped, and would His Word enjoy high priority? Is that what we experience here on earth?

How holy does the world consider God? Why do we get the impression that the world has no awe or respect for God? In countries where Christianity has freedom and a majority, how much influence does the Kingdom of God have? Is the Christian church (and we are not talking about religious institutions, but true Christianity) still respected and a powerful voice to the nation, or do people just do as they like?

How much say does the King of kings have in your community or country? Who sits on the throne of your life? Who stands in the pulpit of the church? Do you follow your own desires and will, satisfying their carnal demands? Does your congregation follow the will of the Lord for your specific area, or does it follow good ideas and programs received from other sources, copying other moves of God?

Give us this day our daily bread. Do we have to ask for only our daily bread? What about my new car, my better income, my health, and my protection? We think God wants us to prosper, so asking for only our daily bread might be asking for too little. Is that right or wrong?

“For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:32, 33). All we need to ask for in prayer is our daily bread. Then we can focus our prayer on the needs of the Kingdom of God and our (and our neighbor’s) righteousness before Him. Then you have used your time well. The Lord knows what we need. He also knows about that car and house. He knows what is good for us and what He has in mind for us concerning His Kingdom. To be continued...

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.

50. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - Prayer Secrets

And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew. 6:5-8)

Once again, we must ask ourselves why we pray. If we look at verse 5 above, we could liken it to a person (we’ll name him John) who has a room full of friends with him when he calls another friend, Mike.

            John glances at his friends. “Hi Mike, what a joy it is to talk to you again. I remember the day that you needed me and I was there for you. The last time you helped me was great too. I can’t do without your friendship.”

John looks to see whether his friends are still listening. “You impressed me when we solved that problem with our project, but I did pretty well too.”

            John called Mike in order to impress his friends. Do we ever do this when we pray, especially in public? What goes through our minds when we pray? Do we wonder what people think of our prayer? Are we concerned whether our prayer sounds all right? Do we feel fulfilled after we’ve prayed? Has our prayer brought religious satisfaction to us? Have we completed the duty or project well?

            When you talk with someone you care about, you focus on her. You look

her in the eyes, concentrate to understand what she tells you, and ask questions to make sure you got it right. You repeat what she says as a sign that you get the message. When you speak, you make sure that she listens and understands by asking relevant questions and by checking on her attention. You are not aware of your surroundings. That is why two couples can converse simultaneously at the same table on two subjects without affecting each other’s discussion. It involves intimacy.

            So when you talk with Dad, concentrate on Him and converse with Him. There is no need to use big words and a “holy” tone of voice. Just talk.

Also, allow your emotions into your prayer. If something is important or urgent, it will show in the intensity of your prayer. You don’t need to go into a physical inner room, either. You can switch to your inner being whenever you wish and wherever you are. Everybody knows what it means to be deep in thought. You are not aware of your surroundings, yet you automatically continue to mow the lawn, fold the laundry, or whatever you need to do while maintaining fellowship with our Father.

Some people’s jobs allow them to work and fellowship with the Lord at the same time because their work is very mechanical. Others have the opportunity while driving, walking, etc. I have been in such deep prayer while walking the dog that I travel significant distances with my eyes closed. In the car or at work I have had to be careful not to close my eyes. The Lord is living in our spirits, and we can have fellowship with Him during prayer. It is easier to do this when we are alone in our physical inner room. This can be any place where we are out of earshot and close observation of others. When we give Him our full attention, unaware of our surroundings, we will hear His voice and receive His guidance.

A physical inner room is a good thing, but our real inner room is our spirit. When we tune in to our spirit, turning our attention away from our thoughts, we enter our inner room, making true contact with Father and hearing His voice. We can be in a physical inner room and still not make contact with Him. On the other hand, we can walk or drive down the street, intensely aware of the Lord’s presence, hearing what He wants from us.

“Pray continually,” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Nobody needs to know you are praying, and because praying shows faith and is therefore pleasing to Dad, He will reward you.

            The Lord knows what we want before we ask. Therefore, my family has learned the “Thank-You prayer”: thank You, Lord, that You will protect us today. Thank You Lord that You care for the thousands who have lost loved ones, and so on. May the Lord teach you to pray effectively.

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.

49. What Does God See? Part 2 AND healing testimonies!!

In the previous post, we began to discuss the issue of doing our righteous acts with the aim to be seen by people. Today we continue with this subject.

If we look at some big ministries, especially those linked to or named after one person, we see that it is easy to be caught up with the ministry’s demands. Everything appears to be about the ministry and the person to whom it is linked. Why did the ministry reach such heights? God made it grow; there’s nothing wrong with that.

But why is the ministry linked to and dependent on one person? Why is one person the lord of the ministry? We so often hear of so-and-so ministries. So-and-so built up this mighty church. Did he do it alone? Did he do the miracles? Was it he who brought in the people? Was it he who thought up all the lovely things to say? Was it by his authority that the devils fled?

            This person runs the risk of doing righteousness for the praise of others if he does not constantly pass glory on to God. In fact, it would have been better to name the ministry something else that would refer to the Kingdom instead of a person.

Some argue that the leader doesn’t lift himself up; the people do it. True, but why then does he accept it? Even in the smallest of churches, the pastor may become lord. Some people tend to build a relationship with the church and not with God and worship the pastor rather than the Lord. The other day I stood by as a man told the pastor he had given a lovely message. By saying, “Thank you,” the pastor fell right into the trap. He did not pass the glory on to God.

Once I chatted with the sound technician of a church when a lady ordered a CD of the day’s message. With awe in her voice, she said she adored the way the minister preaches. A lady once told John Wesley that his sermon was good. He answered that the devil tried to tell him the same thing.

            I encourage you to give God the glory, lest we follow the way of Herod—physically or spiritually. “On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died,” (Acts 12:21-23).

On the other hand, being too timid, too secretive, or too private makes us ineffective. We are often so scared that we might focus on ourselves that we do nothing. The secret is to do what you must do but pass the glory on to God.

I was blessed by a pastor recently. He had every opportunity to become proud. He is a highly qualified man who stood before a large congregation in a new 1800-seat auditorium built for over six million dollars. That Sunday morning, he told of the media coverage of the church’s first service in their new building. His joy visibly stemmed from the exposure the media had given the Kingdom of God, not necessarily that particular church.

He said he would like to put something right that the newspapers had gotten wrong. They had said the church was the pastor’s brainchild, and that he was the one who had built it up. “Please understand,” the pastor said, “it was God’s vision. He, together with all the faithful people, built it up. Not me.” He also rejoiced that some of the newspapers gave God the glory. That is how the Lord likes it.

Testimonies

In previous posts, I have referred to the website http://tlrmovie.com. It

contains videos about the Lord's great power in miracles. Inspired by it I have attended a three-week Pioneer school and started to pray for this sick at a clinic where I've worked last week. I have seen many healings such as people arriving at the desk unable to walk without support, walking away rejoicing, a man whose hand was seriously hurt and in a bandage declaring with a big smile: "I actually don't need this medicine now for I'm healed", a man arriving at the desk unable to even lift his arm, which was limp with pain, but after prayer showing me how he can use his arm and hand, and a man with a hurt neck repeatedly exclaiming his surprise since his neck was healed, and many more. I also had a man, whom I prayed for a month ago for his AIDS to heal, thanking me for the prayer, proclaiming it has worked.

Dear reader, please realize that the Lord Jesus Christ through His Holy Spirit wants to be the head of the body, which we call the church. He wants to use all people as His disciples to make a difference in our world through His power, not only the church leaders. "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power" (1 Corinthians 4:20). Anyone filled with the Holy Spirit can do anything under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. "I can do all things

through him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13). "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father" (John 14:12).

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.

48. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - What Does God See? Part 1

“Be careful not to do your “acts of righteousness” before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honoured by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:1-4)

           

Does this passage mean we are never to talk or testify about the things

the Lord has done through us? Does giving to the needy always have to be secretive, resulting in guilt feelings if someone finds out? Is the “submarine” Christian lifestyle—“Christianity is a private thing”—what God intended faith to be?

In establishing our Christian lifestyle, we must look at the message from the Bible as a whole, a unit. If we look at our passage, we see that what Jesus is most concerned about is, once again, attitude. What is the motivation behind our righteousness and our giving? Is it to impress those around us, to draw attention to us, make us the focal point? Or is it to give glory to the Lord? Be careful not to do your “acts of righteousness” in front of others in order to be seen by them. Don’t announce your good works with a trumpet.

The key in this passage is who gets the glory. If someone is helped, he has to thank somebody. He has to praise someone’s goodness. The way you go about doing righteousness and giving determines who is going to get that thanks and praise.

If people see or hear about your deeds (whether from you or others) would they praise you or God? What is your motivation for helping others? Do you hope they will see God behind it and therefore come closer to Him, or do you hope people will like you because of it and maybe give you a better position in the church culture? If people praise you, do you accept the praise, or do you pass it on to God?

I have often been tempted to this. The Lord often uses me to initiate and start something new in the church or Christian organization by encouraging the pastor and taking the first steps. It usually takes off with great glory and success, but nobody knows I was involved. Often people praise the pastor for it, and God is glorified. Sometimes I am tempted to sulk about it, but by the Lord’s grace I know I have done my duty. Then I quietly slip into the background. God has seen it and He will reward me one day.

            Everything belongs to the Lord. We have nothing. Why would we steal a tiny bit of glory or praise that does not belong to us when the Lord promises an amazing reward in heaven one day? We must become more heavenly minded. This short life on earth is only a rehearsal for heaven. When we set our minds on results and rewards in this life, working for accomplishments and rewards, we are very short-sighted. What we then receive is of temporary nature and not eternal value. In the words of our Lord from our passage above: “I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full,” (Matthew 6:2).

Instead, we must forget about the present and see whether our deeds are pleasing to God so that we can receive our eternal rewards from Him. Whatever we do, we must expect nothing now. One day the accounts will be settled. To be continued...

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.

47. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - What's Church like for you?

In post number 45; Sermon on the Mount Secrets - How to be Perfecthttps://bibbytes.blogspot.com/2019/11/45-sermon-on-mount-secrets-how-to-be.html, we started to discuss what an exciting, co-operating church would be like. What we usually see in churches today is some form of singing that is called praise and worship. One or more musical instruments lead the people who, often passively (forgive me, but everyone knows his own heart) sing along. In some cases, a worship leader directs the congregation in singing the various choruses. Songs of praise, which are considered of jubilant nature, are sung first, followed by worship. Worship songs are usually considered slower songs that would incline worshippers to a prayerful attitude and atmosphere.

In some churches, time is then allowed for individuals to bring a word, a

prophecy, or a testimony. This has fallen away in many churches or has become only a formality without real enthusiasm or power behind it.

Then comes the preaching of the Word of God, and in some churches it is followed by ministry on a personal level, because needs are often brought to the surface through the revelation of God’s Word. This is because God is always faithful even though we are unfaithful. He will always take any Christian church service seriously and will always be there. “For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them,” (Matthew 18:20). He will always receive any form of praise and will always minister to those who love Him.

The question, however, is what is in the hearts of the church attendees? A pastor once illustrated the way God experiences praise. He said that the Lord sees our heart, and therefore, while we sing, “How great thou art,” He probably hears, “Look at Laura, wearing the same dress again today,” or, “Why does the pastor wear that shiny suit?”

            We laugh, but often our thoughts are not with the Lord. We allow our carnal minds to reign. What do we have to praise God for? What fills our minds—excitement about God? Aren’t most people self-centered, seeing only their own needs and therefore focusing on them during worship?

“What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church,” (1 Corinthians 14:26).

To my joy, our pastors once decided that every home cell should have a weekly project of serving one another and the community. If we do, and every Sunday, we testify about the greatness of God who worked with and through us, would we not enter worship with a totally different attitude? Would we not have reason to praise God, and would our minds not be filled constantly with those good works we saw the Lord doing? Would others, who may be young Christians or who have grown cold and passive, not be motivated to follow suit? If a prophecy or interpretation of tongues was brought, would we not listen to it with the intention of acting on it? Is this not the way to start a revival instead of waiting endlessly for the Lord to do something? A child waits on his dad to do something about the problem, but a mature person applies what his dad taught him and does something about it himself.

 What does revival mean? If you want to revive a neglected business, you want to restore it back to its former glory. Waiting for the manager to do something wouldn’t accomplish your goal. His task would be guiding the revival process, but the revival would take hard work from each employee. For the church to revive to its former Book-of-Acts glory will take hard, consistent work from every disciple, under the Holy Spirit’s direction.

Be perfect (mature), therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (mature).

Once again; I have written the above years ago and are posting it here now. I have always believed and promoted that believers should make revival happen. We shouldn't wait for revival to happen and thus for God to do something. We should simply obey Jesus'command in Matthew 28:18-20: And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen, and in Mark 16:15-18: And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover,” and we'll see revival.

In the meantime, the Lord has raised up a movement that do church as the disciples in the book of Acts have done it - that make revival happen. The past two weeks we've seen enough healings, rebirths, and people filled with the Holy Spirit, for us to overflow with joy, and as a result, worship the Lord from the depth of our hearts - not only with empty songs.

What do you think? Would you like to become a disciple serving the Lord in total obedience to His abovementioned Great Commission?

Have a look at these links: 

• Examples of active obedience to the Great Commission.
• An explanation of how small-group churches can function.
• Exciting teachings about the true church.

If you have any questions, please contact me at cwhl@live.co.uk.

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.

46. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - Entertaining an angel

While driving home from Stellenbosch to Strand, South Africa, after work some years ago, I picked up a hitchhiker with a backpack. His name was Johan, and he was a fifty-four-year-old bushman from the Kuruman district. He was one of those people I enjoy having in my company, because he liked to talk and

therefore I didn’t have to; I could just listen.

He was on his way to Mosselbaai, looking for his sister, whose children he had been raising for the past eight years. She hadn’t been able to afford to keep them, and unless she signed them over to him, welfare would not help him.

Johan was a family man working for a farmer. He had never before been so far from home and had taken a wrong route. He had been on the road for fourteen days already and had covered about 1520 km (950 miles). Some of the drivers had charged him for his ride and, being quite poor, he had to sacrifice two of his blankets. The advantage of the detour for him, though, was that he had the privilege of seeing the beautiful Cape and the sea for the first time.

As we covered the 26 km (16 miles) between my work and home, I felt the urge to give him a place to stay for the night. However, it became a battle of the mind. Being a South African, I heard about race problems and crime all day long. Part of me didn’t like the thought of having a stranger in my house overnight. Dusk was falling, but it was still light enough for him to get a ride. Then Hebrews 13:2 crossed my mind: “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.”

We lived near the N2 Motorway, which would have been the best place for Johan to get a ride, since the same road passes right by Mosselbaai, his destination. I decided to give him both opportunities. I dropped him off on the N2 with some money for food as well as my telephone number and money for the public telephone. I told him to call if it got dark before he got a ride. As I drove on, my thoughts about crime and strangers still nagged at my mind, but I secretly hoped he would call. And he did.

The time I spent with Johan was a good time. The more we got to know him, the more we desired to bless him. At first, he felt uncomfortable walking into our house and sitting in the lounge because he lived in a clay house back on the farm and was treated most of his life as a farmworker. He ate with us and took a long, hot bath before he went to bed. I presume it was his first proper bath ever, because he had to carry water over a long distance to his house and wash in a basin.

He had picked up a cough on his long trip, so we gave him some cough syrup and vitamin C. The Lord knew Johan was His child and that he had suffered hunger and hardship, so He prompted us to meet Johan’s needs. We did not know then whether he was a Christian.

            Johan’s contribution, however, was much greater. We had a superb time during supper and thereafter. He treated us with stories of his world, a world unfamiliar to city-dwellers such as us. He told about his tame porcupines, his horses’ different temperaments, how they farm and that they eat certain parts of the cotton plant. He told us about his vegetables, which he raises inside the outer room of his house because it is too hot to grow a garden outside. We laughed at his stories about how baboons sleep and steal honey and corn, and his tales were all the more hilarious with his bushman-like illustrations and body movements.

All the time we talked, he gave glory to God. My first carnal thought was that he was trying to please us or that he was a typical religious South African.

The next morning, we were both very emotional when I dropped him off on the N2, as if in one night we had become lifelong friends. At work, I had a hard time concentrating because I kept re-living our previous night with Johan. I missed him and longed for his company. The worst thing was that I had forgotten to get his address.

A few days later, the telephone rang. The “angel” needed a place to stay again. With great joy we picked him up. He had a prosperous trip to Mosselbaai, only to discover that his sister was now living in another town.

This time he devoted his time to Isak, our nine-year-old boy. I watched while he sketched the prettiest flowers on a piece of paper, and all the time he was teaching Isak to draw pictures.

We were all tired and went to bed early. As I walked past his closed door, I stood for a moment and listened (maybe not so appropriate, but his prayer touched my heart). With utmost compassion, he praised Father God for His care thus far and pleadingly trusted Him to take care of him for the rest of his journey. 

Why did I share this with you? Was it so that you could think well of us? Is the right hand supposed to know what the left hand is doing? Should we not do good works in secret so that our Father can reward us (Matthew 6:1-4)? No, there is nothing good about me. I am much too wretched.

That first night I couldn’t sleep because I was worried that Johan would leave with some of our possessions during the night. When he came the second time, I was tired and not in the mood for another late night. You see, my carnal nature, the flesh, resisted my spirit. My spirit, being renewed by God and occupied by the Holy Spirit, was glad about this visitor, but my sinful nature resisted it. Galatians 5:17 agrees with this: “For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.” Paul proclaimed in Romans 7:18, 19: “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” Being good, for most Christians, is a sacrifice. Usually, all the glory belongs to the Lord. 

That opportunity was significant in my life. In years past, Julia and I had been hospitable and kind-hearted, but gradually, materialism and the cares of life had caused us to become self-centered—quite wretched, I must admit. After Johan came, we felt a strong desire to be as close to Jesus as possible. I needed to serve and love again. One of the more tangible ways to accomplish that was to start picking up hitchhikers. I always used to do it, naturally with the wisdom and protection of the Holy Spirit. It also used to create an opportunity to meet a new friend, let my light shine, and share the gospel.

Through the years, however, I had become always in a hurry, never had time to stop, and always found an excuse such as the fear of crime. Therefore, I didn’t have that opportunity to let my light shine anymore. Now I started once again to make a conscious decision to pick up hitchhikers, and that is how I met Johan.

            In the light of our neglect of the Lord’s command on hospitality and my desire to revive, hosting Johan was a major breakthrough. It was good for our spiritual lives and was a great step toward our ideal of being like Jesus.

This kind of testimony should be making the rounds all the time, because it encourages others to use opportunities the Lord gives us in order for God’s Kingdom to prevail. How about you? What has the Holy Spirit used to change your life, and how has He used you to change the lives of others? Colossians 4:5: “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.” 

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.