Issue 03 - Chalcedony by Lindie Gouws

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about

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There is something we receive from God that is above our human understanding,

p e a c e. It is not peace in the wordly sense of â&#x20AC;&#x153;absence of war or calamityâ&#x20AC;? but it is an inner peace. It is a silence, it is a knowledge that all is under control. It is a place where our minds, our mouths and our spirits are quiet and we can listen to the voice of God. God promises that He gives us peace of heart and peace of mind. In Psalm 23 we read how He leads us beside the still waters, how He restores our souls. In Revelation 21 He promises that to all who are thirsty, He will give the springs of the water of life, without charge. We know that He will lead us into the holy New Jerusalem. There where the foundations are adorned with all kinds of precious stones. The first foundation stone was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius (carnelian), the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth and the twelfth amethyst.

Upon these foundation stones MY World is built. Our third issue - our third foundation is

Chalcedony.

May the Lord richly bless this magazine and may it be an instrument that will lead many to live the Word.

What a blessing to pick up a truly Christian based magazine, read through, be blessed and relax. Thank you, I will eagerly await each issue; can one subscribe?

Many, many thanks for the gift. I thank the Lord that I won this magazine for 6 months; it was really from God. A fresh inspiration and motivation from God.

I pray that you will grow from strength to strength on a strong Biblical foundation and that you will continue to be a blessing. I particularly enjoyed your testimonies of Worshippers this issue as this is my passion, my daily work and walk.

I am an emeritus licensed minister of the Full Gospel Church here in Ravensmead. I’m still busy ministering and visit the aged and the assembly (Bejaardesorg). This magazine is really God-inspired and may it go from strength to strength in the Lord.

Perhaps one day I will share my written testimony with your readers.

Bless You – in His Vineyard

1 Cor 15:58

Starlet Robus Worship Leader Family Harvest Church Tygervalley

Yours-in-Christ Kathleen Apollis

Letters to

Thank you to all our readers for writing to MY World. Your letters are precious!

My name is Desyree Lotter. I was given your magazine by a friend. She felt that she was being strongly prompted to give it to me because there was something there for me but she didn’t know what. After reading the magazine I couldn’t believe what an amazing mag it was.

Thank you also to everybody who continuously phones us to inspire us to greater heights. We love your phone calls. Please e-mail your letters to letters@myworld.za.com or post them to Private Bag 2003, Krugersdorp, 1740.

It has been on my mind for a week now to contact you; I just wasn’t really sure what to say. I just thought I would start by saying congratulations for putting together such a wonderful magazine. The editorials are great and they inspire me to do more in spreading the Good News. I loved the extreme make-over editorials in the 1st issue of 2005.

Kind regards Desyree Lotter

Thank you for this precious and beautiful gift you have given to me. Through life’s journey I have learnt, it is only God and His Word that can sustain you. I am thankful to God for this magazine, which gives so much inspiration to its readers.

We are overcomers by the word of our testimonies. One person’s testimony is an encouragement to another, who may be searching for answers. And the only answer is the Lord Jesus Himself. May God bless you and use you in spreading His Word and His Goodness.

Love Sally

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Welcome to Chalcedony - Our issue of peace! At 01:28 on the morning of the 23rd of February, I woke up saying these words: “Tomorrow will soon become the past and the past will be used to set the standard for the future.” Not having a pen close by I typed it into my cell phone and sent the text message to my own cell number. I have woken up before with phrases or words but this word was very specific. It came as I asked God to give me the message for Chalcedony.

“Tomorrow will soon become the past.” Think of it for a moment. Our tomorrows are with us within the blink of an eye. The moment our tomorrow becomes today and draws to a close, it is already the past, it is not even yesterday. Telecommunications and technology are literally developing by the second and it creates a dimension where time and distance are no longer a limitation. Our world is one place! “…and the past will be used to set the standard for the future.” If our tomorrows then so suddenly become the past, and this past is used to set the standard for the future, what then is the past and what is the future? Yesterday, today and tomorrow are all three the “past”, and what we do during this “past” becomes the standard for the “future”, which is eternal life. Our lives here on earth (the standard we set) thus determines where we will spend the “future”, eternal life. And because time is going by so quickly, we should realise that there is no better time than now to give our lives to Jesus or rededicate our lives to Him. Your relationship with Him will determine your standard, will determine your eternal inheritance - heaven! Please do not allow your “past” (yesterday, today or tomorrow) to prevent you from living in the “future”! Set things right with Jesus, today!

photography andrea badenhorst

photography liezl du preez

killing

photography: liezl du preez

words: dini esterhuizen

to live The plight of the severely brain damaged Terri Schiavo reached the headlines of the biggest TV networks as well as local media for days on end. She slowly died from dehydration and hunger after her feeding tube had been removed on the ruling of the courts of Florida as well as the Federal court of the USA. The husband, her custodian, had requested that the tube be removed, claiming that this would have been her will. On the other hand her parents were desperately campaigning for her life. President George W. Bush, after a vote by Congress, signed a special law that moved jurisdiction over Mrs Schiavo’s life from the Florida courts to a federal court. A separate appeal made by the brother of the president, Jeb Bush, governor of Florida, was rejected. This happened in spite of a physician’s and the family’s claims that she was not brain dead, but was responding and communicating. Conservative Christian groups were supporting Terri’s parents and were deeply upset. In this article we look into the socially acceptable killing of vulnerable members of society. The editorial staff of MY World was, prior to this event, led in a prayer meeting to write on this subject. During the preparation of the article, the Schiavo case broke and propelled the debate into the world arena.

THIS ARTICLE IS NOT A DEMOGRAPHIC STUDY NOR IS IT TRYING TO ATTRIBUTE BLAME. THE PURPOSE IS TO CONSIDER THE WORLD AROUND US AND FIND DIRECTION FROM GOD’S WORD.

‘ YOUNG SHOULD PROTECT THE OLD’ FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, in God’s mandate to Adam and Eve, it is clear that He wanted mankind to be blessed and to be plentiful. “God blessed them and told them: Multiply and fill the earth and subdue it. Be masters over the fish and the birds and all the animals.” (Gen. 1:29). Even after the entry of sin, and God’s resultant destruction of the earth by a flood, His desire for mankind remained the same. God had saved the faithful Noah and his family from destruction, and after the flood He built a new population out of them. Again He reveals His desire for the human race in His Mandate to Noah: “God blessed Noah and his sons and told them, ‘Multiply and fill the earth.’” Besides His desire for us to be blessed and fill the earth, God furthermore considers having a long life on this earth to be a blessing in itself. “Honour your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God will give you.”(Exodus 20:12). What we see around us, is a far cry from the mandate with which God entrusts us and the blessing He bestows upon us. Studies worldwide reveal a strange and alarming trend: mankind seems no longer willing or able to procreate at a replacement rate. A decline in fertility rates is measured around the world - even in developing countries. In 1970 the fertility rate was approximately 3.3 children woman. per Madison Eve Maud to granny Thanks nnyy Gertie Carruthers and grandaughter Madi

killing

to live

“BUT I WILL REVEAL MY NAME TO MY PEOPLE, AND THEY WILL COME TO KNOW ITS POWER. THEN AT LAST THEY WILL RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS I WHO SPEAKS TO THEM.” ISAIAH 52:6 THESE ARE THE TESTIMONIES OF TWO PEOPLE WHO BECAME CHRISTIANS AFTER THEY EXPERIENCED THE POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS.

L E E N A ’ S

S T O R Y

words: retha fick

She was born a Hindu, but she’s not going to die a Hindu. Leena Chetty met Jesus. Today she is a free person. She has peace. Leena’s whole being radiates the peace of God and the joy typical of one deeply touched by His love. When she talks about Him and what He did for her, her eyes fill with tears of thankfulness. Leena knows Jesus. Her story is about the discovery of the futility of calling on false gods, and the power of the name of Jesus. “It was 1996 and I was a devout Hindu. As Hindu custom dictates, I offered sacrifices, said prayers and performed rituals regularly. Our home was filled with supernatural activity.” Leena knew that evil existed but she didn’t believe that ev i l s p ir i t s re a ll y e xi s te d. T h e oc c u rre n c e of the supernatural in their house confused and scared her. The Chetty family decided to look for help. “We were desperate and didn’t know what to do. We went to temples and to people who would go into trances and tell us our future. I continued praying to Hindu gods. Eventually my parents sacrificed animals, because Hindus believe that the blood of animals please the gods and motivate them to prevent evil spirits from tormenting you. We did

everything you can possibly think of.” The evil manifestations just became worse and the Chetty family failed to understand what was going on in their home. “It felt as if there was another family living in our ceiling, making our home their home.” Being such a devout Hindu, Leena still faithfully prayed. She became desperate. “I went to the lamp*: ‘Jesus, Moses, Allah, Buddha! Can somebody just hear and help me!’ I was so confused. I was miserable. I was lost. I felt like dying.” Leena had grown up hating Christians. As far as she was concerned, Christians were hypocrites. She did not even consider asking them for help. “I thought that they were living double standard lives and that I would not want to be like that. Christianity was my last resort.” 20

“G I V E M E SOME SIGN ” An incident that took place in May 1996 caused her to view Christianity in a somewhat different light. Her next-door neighbour and best friend, also a Hindu, was living with a so-called Christian. One night something strange happened in this house: a curtain caught fire without cause. When the fire had spread halfway up the curtain, the Christian man took a Bible and said: “In the name of Jesus, I command you to go”. The fire simply disappeared under the door. When Leena heard about this incident, she was very upset. “Here I was, a faithful Hindu, fasting and praying and trying to live a right life and there this Christian was - and in the name of Jesus he commanded a fire to go and it disappeared!” Leena realized

that it could only be Jesus and the power in His name that brought the victory. That night she prayed to Jesus: “I don’t even know who You are. I don’t even know if You are real, but if You are, please give me some sign.” Not long after she had prayed this prayer, Leena’s friend next door told her that a pastor was coming to visit them. Again Leena prayed to God: “God, if you are really and truly God, then, when the pastor comes tonight, let him call for me.” While visiting her neighbours that night, the pastor asked for the young lady living next door! It was the 13th of May 1996. The pastor told her: “My sister, you are going to serve the Lord Jesus and you are going to be a testimony for Him.” Leena laughingly told him that there was no way that she would ever become a Christian. “I was born a Hindu and I know I’m going to die a Hindu.” That night before the pastor left, he asked if he could pray for her. It was the first time somebody asked her that. “When he prayed for me, for the first time in my entire life I experienced true peace. I had never known it before. I felt a gentle breeze, almost like a wind. I started to cry gently, almost of relief. “Later God showed me that I had been baptised in the Holy Spirit. And I didn’t even know it then. But I did know that something beautiful was happening to me.”

“P L E A S E COME INTO MY HEART”

At home that night, for the first time she could not pray at the lamp before going to bed. “I went into my room, locked the door and knelt down. I just called out to Jesus: ‘I don’t even know who You are, but I know that You know me because of what happened tonight. Please come into my heart and take control of my life.’” There, alone in her room, Leena gave her life to Christ. She called upon the name of Jesus and was saved.

“I A M S O THANKFUL ” Since that day, her life has never been the same. “God has been so good to me. He healed all my pain. He allowed me to see Him and to know Him. I’m so thankful. I learned that God is a personal God, who loves me unconditionally. I furthermore learned that it is not rituals or the blood of animals that brings salvation, but the blood of Jesus, the Son of the living God.”

PROTECTED US ” Today, Leena recognises God’s faithfulness during those distressing times of her exposure to the supernatural. “It reminds me of Job. God allowed Satan to destroy everything, but saved their lives. We didn’t even know who Jesus was. God reminded me that although we hadn’t known Him, He had protected us.” * Place of worship in Hindu homes

“ P A U L ’ S ”

S T O R Y

words: dini esterhuizen

“PAUL” (not his real name) WAS BORN into a Muslim family in a Middle Eastern country. At the age of two and a half he was sent to a Muslim religious school called a Madressa, to study the Koran. By the age of seven years he had memorised a hundred and fourteen chapters. After school he attended university and for a short time worked with his father in his export business. He still recalls the time of the day that led to the most significant turning point in his life: “It was eleven o'clock in the morning when I met a missionary from the United States. He offered me a Bible and I declined. In a Muslim country you are not supposed to touch, read or keep a Bible at your home. Our home was very conservative." They met again after a few days and had a pleasant conversation. “I had a few questions regarding Christianity. He was very humble and he answered me very nicely. He said that I could hide this Bible under other books and read it when my parents and family members had gone to bed. So I accepted it and took it to my home, like a thief. Praise the Lord; I was a successful Bible smuggler!" he laughs. “I couldn’t wait for my parents to go to bed and three times went to see what they were doing. This was the first time that I could ever read the Bible and it was a historical moment in my life. When I looked into the TV lounge for the third time, my mother asked me what I was doing and I said: ‘No, no, everything is fine!’

“I HAD MEMORIZED A HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN HE AGE OF SEVEN YEARS.” CHAPTERS AT TTHE “After ten o’clock they went to bed. I read from eleven till one a.m. Reading the Bible for two hours every night became my routine for a couple of months. I read the Bible eight times in a few months' time. Then I attempted reading the books of other prominent religions like Buddhism and Hinduism, but I didn’t finish as they failed to move me.” Soon afterwards Paul became ill. The medical treatment had little effect and he started losing weight. His parents eventually decided to have him hospitalised and through lab tests liver cancer was diagnosed. Imported medication from the USA and Europe had no effect. Soon he completely stopped eating. He was lying in his private room in the hospital, with some liquids

administered through intravenous drips. “At that time I weighed 30 kg. The doctors called my parents to say that they couldn’t treat me any more and that I would die within the next three days. They had no hope for me.” Doctors recommended that he died in the presence of relatives and family members. He needed time on his own, however, and asked his mother if she would allow him to stay in hospital for one more night. His parents didn’t object. “That night I examined my life and said: ‘Well, God, I was given the opportunity to read the Bible but I never accepted You. And I read in the New Testament that Jesus gave life to dead people, He healed

sick people and gave sight to the blind. Jesus, I don’t know You, but You are not a dead Lord, You are a living Lord. And if You give life and reveal Yourself to me and heal me, I promise that I will serve You and work for You.’ It was eight o'clock when I started praying, and I kept praying until two a.m. When I finished, all of a sudden there was a very bright light from the window. I had never had such an experience. I was shivering and afraid and I said: ‘Who is there?’ “A voice replied: ‘Do not be afraid, I am the Lord Jesus Christ. I heard your prayer. You are fully healed and in future you will be My servant.’ I bowed down and I said, ‘Whatever the circumstances, I will follow You.’

“I then took a shower, the first shower I was able to take in a month. Until then I had been so weak that the nurse had to wash me. The next morning I witnessed to my fellow patients and to the doctors who had said that I was going to die. I told them that the previous night the Lord Jesus had totally healed me and changed my life, and they said that it was a miracle. “After that I went home and spent a couple of weeks with my family. One night I spoke to my father and said: ‘You know, no doctor, nor any other person on this earth could heal me. I have been faithful to Mohammed and Allah for the past thirty, forty years and still my prayers to them went unanswered. Only Jesus healed me and gave me new life. I now want to serve the Lord because that is my agreement with Him.’ 22

“My father gave me advice. He said: ‘We live in a Muslim country and have fanatic and terrorist Muslim organisations. If they find out that this happened in the family, they will come and bomb our home and burn our factory as well.’ I replied to my father, ‘The hand that gave me life will look after me.’ That was the end of the conversation. He gave me five minutes to change my mind: ‘Go to your room and decide on your future and then come back.’

to follow Jesus and there is no turning back.’ He said that the door of his house was open and that I had to leave the property immediately. He cancelled my family membership and disowned me. ‘Never, ever show your face to us,’ he said.” That night Paul stayed under a very big tree about two kilometers from their house. The weather was very bad. He took his shoes off, as was still his habit, and started praying to the Lord. After about half an hour a very big snake came right up to his bare right foot, but sailed away without harming him. He took this as a sign of God’s protection. The next morning he went to his friends and explained his situation. They invited him to stay with them. “While I was staying with them, I took my Bible and started preaching and sharing the Gospel at a traffic light. The police arrested me and put me into prison for a year and six months.

”By the grace of God I came out and didn’t lose heart. I started preaching and distributing tracts in another town. This time I was locked up for twenty-four hours. Again I resumed my preaching on coming out. It was not long before a Muslim fanatic grabbed me and took me to the police station. “It was a very big house. I went back to my room and then I said goodbye to my brothers, mother, sisters, the chauffeur and the chefs. Then I took my Bible and went to my father. I said,’ Father, I have decided

The senior police officer offered me a cup of tea. I was surprised and asked: ‘Why are you so kind to me in this country, where everyone hates Christianity?’ He

replied that his mother's paralysis had been healed after a missionary from America had prayed over her. Since then the whole family had left Islam and had become believers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Following these incidents, some of my well-wishers decided to send me overseas, so that I could do God’s work without being persecuted or disturbed.” Paul has since been preaching throughout our country at every opportunity; in churches, houses and on the street, and even in buses, on trains and during flights. The Holy Spirit arranges his schedule and guides him from one place to the next. On the night when he shared his powerful testimony with MY World, a lady in the group had received the news that her father was critically ill. His heart was failing and the blood vessels were so severely damaged that even a bypass operation was impossible. At the end of his ministry he was asked to pray for this man. Paul asked the lady what her father’s name was and where he lived, and then prayed with childlike simplicity: “Lord, we bring Jannie from Harrismith before You. Will You please give him a new heart and a new life? Thank You, Amen.” The lady later received word from home that the Lord had granted exactly that. There is power, healing, freedom and victory in the name of JESUS!

T H E

N A M E

J E S U S

Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK ‘THE NAME’ BY FRANKLIN GRAHAM. WE RECOGNISE THOMAS NELSON PUBLISHERS. WE CHOSE TO PUBLISH THIS SECTION COMPLEMENTARY TO OUR ARTICLE ‘THE POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS’.

IT IS OBVIOUS that no other single person in history has influenced human events more than Jesus Christ. I want to ask you a pointed question: If you had been in the World Trade Towers that morning of 9/11, would you have been ready for death? Most of us do not dwell on the thought of death. A visit to Ground Zero causes one to give it some thought. Whether God blesses us with a long life or a short life, there is one thing we all have in common – the grave. Eventually, whether in a tragedy like the World Trade Centre, from cancer in a hospital bed or a heart attack in your sleep, we all will face death someday. Do you know your eternal destiny? I have shared much about the Name above all names. But knowledge about God never saved anyone. It is not enough to know the story of Jesus. You must know Him personally.

From the Southern tip of Africa photography: liezl du preez

words: lindie gouws

I have heard many prophetic words saying that from the Southern tip of Africa we are going to see a spiritual revival. A revival that will set the world alight. Our nation is in the Southern tip of Africa and close to the most Southern tip is the Cape of Good Hope. I cannot help but think that God, in His awesome Majesty, inspired the name "Good Hope." Jesus says in the Bible that no one is good, except the Father Himself, and we read that Jesus is our only true Hope. ”Good" – Father; "Hope" – Jesus; and the "Light that will shine" – The Holy Spirit. MY World decided to spend Easter 2005 in the Cape of Good Hope. We visited a couple of churches and leaders and asked them to "talk to me." We left Johannesburg on the Wednesday before Easter. We decided to travel down to "the Good Hope" by car so that we could experience the people and the landscape. It was very much a "prophetic drive" as we drove with copies of “MY World” in our car and claimed the land for God. Our first stop was in Stilfontein, in the North West Province (but this story is for another time when we will visit this province.) The road was surprisingly quiet, especially before the Easter break. A comment I made to Liezl (our photographer) was that it felt as if there was an "invisible bubble" around our car. We had prayed with our colleagues that morning before leaving, asking God to give us special angels to guard over us and open the way before us. The peace within and surrounding us was tangible as we drove on the NI2 route. In Wolmaransstad we stopped over to fill up with fuel and grab a bite at the Spar. Here we met Rose. Unfortunately we could not take a photo of her, but try to picture her, dressed in her corporate uniform and a nametag: ROSE.

You won’t get lost at Mariner’s Wharf

She greeted us, unemotionally, probably seeing us as simply customers on their way! When I addressed her on her name: "Thank you Rose" her face lit up. She gave us a broad smile. I asked her whether she went to church and she said: "Oh yes, I believe in God." There we learnt that taking time to make a "talk to me" personal makes such a difference in somebody's life! Approaching Kimberley a couple of oncoming fellow travellers greeted us with a flick of their lights. We were submissive and adhered to the speed limits of the Northern Cape. The next time you drive into Kimberley, be sure to look out for the beautiful pink and white flamingos in the dam on the right hand side of the road.

Our halfway mark was Beaufort West. There we stayed over and early the next morning heard the news of Syclone Hennie that was approaching Mauritius. Knowing a couple of South Africans on vacation in Mauritius at that time, we prayed for their was all we safety and peace. That could do at another occurrence of such a natural phenomenon! Our first meeting in Beaufort West was at the Dutch Reformed Church with Rev Japie van Straden. He arrived with his daughter and they took us through the church. I am always astounded at the beautiful old churches in the smaller towns of South Africa. The architecture and character tells a story! It was heart warming to hear that there in Beaufort West, as in the "cities", people gather in what is generally known as cell, prayer or care groups. Their objective: To pray and intercede for one another! Rev van Straden took us to Pastor Johan Mostert from the Apostolic Faith Mission Revival Centre in Beaufort West. We met at his house, situated on one of the the highest

points in Beaufort West. "It is a blessing,â&#x20AC;?" he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We receive a cool breeze through our home when the heat waves hit Beaufort West." And the temperature in Beaufort West is generally high. Pastor Johan prayed with us and wished us well on our journey. The road led to Stellenbosch, synonomous with students, the wine estates and intellectuals. But more so, Christians with a passion! We arrived in Stellenbosch just in time for our meeting with Dr Theo Geyser from the Stellenbosch Congregation. We met him at their offices in Eikestad Mall. It was quite late the Thursday afternoon and he had other appointments to attend to. There was a man in the passage, (I later learnt he is partially mentally disabled) who visits their offices regularly. Although pressed for time, Theo stopped, touched the man, shook his hand and enquired about his well being. That touched us! After our meeting we were to meet with Pastor Fred May from Shofar Christian Church. Not knowing where the "Naked Truth" Restaurant is (remember, we come from Gauteng) we asked Theo. To my surprise he had, prior to our meeting, finished a meeting with Fred at the "Naked Truth" Restaurant. He accompanied us there. It was so encouraging to hear that although they are from different denominations, they meet for coffee! They're brothers! We met with Pastor Fred after a long day. Our meeting was almost an hour and a half, but it felt like 10 minutes. My summary of Fred May: He has Godly insight. The next day was Good Friday and we were privileged to attend the service at Logos Christian Congregation with Rev Gerhard Barnard. Beautiful and intimate worship! Before taking communion, we watched an excerpt of the "Passion of

Christ". The church was filled with silence. Will we ever really understand what took place on that precious Friday on the Hill called Calvary? Here at Logos I again realised that God is using every single vessel that is willing and available. Various members of the body of Christ are being used to edify the church. Large, beautiful paintings (with a strong spiritual message) decorated the front of the church. The artist, a lady and a member of the church, came forward and explained the meaning of her artwork. She brought a message and it edified all of us. The following day, Saturday, was photo shoot day. Liezl's words to me were: "I was blessed." As she drove around, focused on capturing God's beauty through her lens, she prayed that God would help her find somebody with character in his face.

This man was needy, he sat on a tin, asked for nothing but gave her a smile! She looked around and as she walked out of Hout Bay harbour, something made her turn around and she saw "Aikie". This man was needy, he sat on a tin, asked for nothing but gave her a smile! Easter Sunday we attended His People Church in Goodwood. This was such a pleasant experience as I saw Black, White, Coloured, Indian...the rainbow nation together, worshipping God. Pastor Tim Makamu ministered at Goodwood. A word in Sunday evening we season on FAITH! attended the Stellenbosch Congregation and was blessed with a word: Look for God in everything and everywhere. His greatness exceeds the limits of our understanding.

1. Shop in Wolmaransstad 2. Dutch Reformed Church Beaufort West 3. The V&A Waterfront 4. A man entertaining bystanders 5. The Hout Bay sign 6. The service at His People, Goodwood, on Easter Sunday 7. In the midst of the winelands (Stellenbosch), God is glorified 8. A seagull visiting at a restaurant, V&A Waterfront 5

“Aikie”: This man was needy, he sat on a tin, asked for nothing but gave us a smile!

A proudly South African artist entertaining the crowd at the V&A Waterfront

Isn’t God’s creation beautiful?

A fisherman’s boat in Hout Bay

OUR JOURNEY BACK TO GAUTENG

We left Stellenbosch early on the Tuesday morning after Easter. We decided that we would drive through to Johannesburg. We prayed that morning that our lower backs would not become tight and that we would have a blessed journey back. We drove 14 hours without an ache or a pain. God once more answered our prayer. We had passed Bloemfontein, when we realised that we had not filled up with fuel. As we drove closer to Winburg, I checked the fuel content and saw that we only had fuel for a further 20 km and there were no filling stations to come. I decided to take the Winburg turn-off and saw the fuel gauge drop. 20 km, 15 km - 10 km and as we stopped at the filling station the gauge registered ----- km's. God showed us that He was in control!

Back in Gauteng, just outside Vereeniging, a rain storm was brooding. The sky was turning red and as we looked to our right, Liezl remarked: "Look at that, Lindie." A red beam of light was shining through an opening in the clouds. We stopped, we felt Him and looked as the broad beam turned into a perfect rainbow. It was the highlight of our trip! 3

It was as if God was sealing off our "prophetic drive" to the Cape of Good Hope! 1. Groot Constantia Wine Estate 2. Lindie with two children, Hendrik and Gert outside Leeu Gamka 3. This time in front of the lens: Our photographer Liezl 4. The turn-off to Winburg 5. When Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey they welcomed Him with palm leaves. When next you see this palm tree in Camps Bay, remember Jesus 6. The highlight of our trip: A red rainbow

Rev Japie van Straden Dutch Reformed Church: Beaufort West “There is hope in Christ!”

Pastor Fred May Shofar Christian Church: Stellenbosch “We must come back to the Father’s heart!”

Pastor Johan Mostert AFM Revival Centre: Beaufort West “God is in control!”

WE ASKED SOME OF THE LEADERS OF THE WESTERN CAPE TO GIVE SOUTH AFRICA A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT:

Dr Theo Geyser Stellenbosch Congregation “As Christians we must move beyond our worlds to make a difference for Christ in His World. The world needs our love and compassion!”

Pastor Tim Makamu His People Christian Church: Goodwood “…The Church must advance His Kingdom by training Christians to become leaders, to release them to take the way and will of God into every sphere of life. Our nation needs strong visionary leaders.”

Rev Gerhard Barnard Logos Christian Congregation: Bellville “Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” 2 Cor. 5:5

Outside the Logos church in Bellville, is a significant sign - through the cross, above the world, God says: â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is MY World.â&#x20AC;?

Throughout our journey and interaction with people, we once more became aware that God is such an awesome God with so many facets to His character. We experienced the same God, the same Spirit, working in different ways, in different churches, with the same purpose...to bring people to Jesus!

photography liezl du preez

fruit,fruit,fruit â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothingâ&#x20AC;?.

John 15:5

mrs pretorius

mr jones

photography: andrea badenhorst words: author anonymous

goodness and kindness at Waterfall Village SMALL THINGS DONE WITH GREAT LOVE meant the world to us during my husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recent stay at Waterfall Village in Gauteng due to a terminal illness. The Holy Spirit worked through many people, but two names that deserve special mention, are those of Mr Jones (93) and Mrs Maryna Pretorius (77). Mr Jones said prayers for my husband every night before he went to bed. He even picked roses from the garden and arranged them in a glass vase to be enjoyed. Mr Jones regularly takes what is quite a far walk for a 93-year-old, to the frail care unit to pray for co-residents. He inspires others through his childlike faith

and by giving God all the praise. He insists that he is only a vessel. It is hard to believe that Mr Jones asked God to take him home two years ago, because he felt of no use. God spoke to him through Isaiah 55, especially through verses 8 and 9, where He says that His thoughts are higher than ours. Mr Jones realised that he could be of use by talking, praying and reading from Scripture to patients in frail care. Mrs Maryna Pretorius is quick to assist anyone who needs help, for example by building puzzles with patients in frail care. When I was physically and emotionally exhausted, she took me to her flat. She

prepared food and a bed for me and let me sleep until I woke up refreshed. She even said that I could go to her flat at any time to get some food or sleep, regardless of whether she was there. Her love, encouragement, goodness and kindness did wonders for my broken heart. Although aged, these two people minister to everyone crossing their path. They are still using their opportunities to bless other people and enrich their lives. Amidst all the trauma and pain, I experienced the body of Christ through the people at Waterfall Village. Only the Holy Spirit can enable human beings to love like this.

spiritual fruit

Kwa-Zulu Natal

spiritual fruit

g e ntl e ness

faithfu lness

Eastern Cape

spiritual fruit

good ness

Gauteng

spiritual fruit

Free State

spiritual fruit

North West

spiritual fruit

Western Cape

ki n d n e s s

p a ti e n c e

p eace

Every month, each province will have the opportunity to be one of the nine fruit of the Spirit.

spiritual fruit

Northern Cape

spiritual fruit

Mpumalanga

spiritual fruit

Limpopo

j o y

l o v e

s e l fc o n tr o l

Uitenhage ... Spiritual transformation and reconciliationa personal account photography: hennie huisamen & pierre van wyk words: pierre van wyk 38

TO REALLY APPRECIATE what is happening spiritually in Uitenhage, it is necessary to consider its sad history. Homes, churches and schools were leveled with the ground and whole communities relocated in order to separate different cultures. Feelings of bitterness reigned among the citizens. Against this backdrop of intense political turmoil, the current positive climate can only be described as a miracle. It was only after the first democratic elections that opportunities arose for the churches across denominational and cultural borders to reach out to one another, to face their pasts and the future together. In preparation of the “Love Southern Africa Conference” in July 1999 in Uitenhage, a Peace Conference was held in KwaNobuhle, one of the townships. Several churches were represented at the Peace Conference and through a process of reconciliation and repentance the Holy Spirit started to heal the scars that resulted from past experiences. The “Love Southern Africa Conference” gave further momentum to the whole process. Close to 5000 people, both young and old, gathered for five days to celebrate their unity in Christ. It was a glorious experience, as the Holy Spirit ministered to hundreds of people through various speakers. It was an opportunity for God to reveal to His church in Uitenhage His promises and plans. The existence of a spiritual desert was evident as God spoke to the Church through Isaiah 41. For a time after the conference it was relatively quiet as churches continued to deal

with their day-to-day concerns. This time became an opportunity for a group of people with a passion for Uitenhage to meet in prayer and jointly seek God’s will for the city. The group was small, but not too small to ensure that the promises and prophecies God declared during the “Love Southern Africa Conference” were woven like a golden thread through the spiritual roadmap of Uitenhage. It was an exhausting process and at times an uphill battle for al those involved. During 2001 the churches again started to regularly unite in prayer for Uitenhage. All the different cultural groups were always well represented at these meetings. These meetings were good, but they were not enough. There was a desire for more intimate fellowship. It was during this year that for the first

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;churches continued to meet together â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

time brothers and sisters from different churches and cultures gathered together for a whole weekend, away from the everyday distractions. Most had never worshipped, ate or shared a bedroom with people of a different culture before. The cultural differences were obvious, especially in prayer and worship. Some looked for earplugs, others joined in and discovered for the first time the joy of praying at the top of your voice. Soon differences started to fade as Christ became more visible and at the end of the weekend His presence was tangible. During the following two years the churches continued to meet like this and it paved the way for bigger things to come. In 2003 the churches in Uitenhage for the first time presented the Transformation

Africa Day of Prayer. The established relationships made it easy for all cultures to participate in this event. This event was presented again in 2004 and the Lord willing it will be presented again in 2005. The spiritual atmosphere over Uitenhage has changed dramatically over the past few years. There is a spiritual openness that was not present before. There is a hunger for the presence of God. The level

of prayer has steadily increased. Church leaders across denominations continue to pray together on a regular basis. The churches are reaching out to needy communities more than ever before. Many individuals, churches and ministries are faithfully participating in fulfillment of Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s promises and plans for His church in Uitenhage.

photography liezl du preez

workandplay "Whoever pursues godliness and unfailing love will find life, godliness, and honor."

Proverbs 21:21

the

rules of the 42

photography: andrea badenhorst words: dini esterhuizen thank you to Mosaiek Church Randburg for availing your facility for this photo shoot

game â&#x20AC;&#x153;I AM STILL THE SAME PERSON. I was an athlete before and I still am an athlete.â&#x20AC;? These are the words of 25 year old Pieter du Preez. Although the accident that left him quadriplegic happened as recently as 18 months ago, he displays no bitterness or dejection. He has completely forgiven the lady who caused the accident; has resumed both his sport and musical careers; and seeks to testify for God with his life. At university Pieter competed in bi- and triathlon events on provincial level and was selected for the National under 23 triathlon team. In June of 2001 he represented South Africa in Canada. Pieter also excelled academically. He completed an honours degree in investment management, studied abroad and was well on his way to becoming an actuary but is now more interested in specialising in investment management. The accident happened in October of 2003. Pieter was cycling when a lady missed a stop street, and he hit her car. He landed face down with his cheek bone on the road, immediately realising that his neck was broken. He had no feeling in his

body and although he knew that his leg was badly injured, he could feel no pain.

It’s OK, I have forgiven you and God is with me, so relax... He told the people around him not to move him, just to release the strap of his helmet as it was hurting him. He also told the bystanders where his phone was, and asked them to phone his parents. The lady who had caused the accident was in shock and crying and he tried to calm her, saying: “It’s OK, I have forgiven you and God is with me, so relax...” At that time he could still breathe on his own but arriving at the hospital he had to be sedated and connected to a ventilator. It appeared that part of his spinal cord had been fractured, which resulted in him being paralysed from the chest down. He is functioning as a C6 quadriplegic, retaining a small degree of use of his triceps. Pieter’s recovery has been remarkable until now, but there is no certainty of the degree to which he will still recover. He is satisfied with whatever the final outcome will be. Says Pieter: “The accident couldn’t have happened at a better time in my life. I had always been a positive person but my attitude had never before been more positive than at the time of the accident. I had gone through a period of struggling with the Lord.” Just before the accident he was at his fittest, but he had experienced a series of set-backs, such as injuries and a flat tyre at a crucial competition.

This caused huge disappointment. He then read a book that opened his eyes to an important truth: “I had given my heart to the Lord long before, but I realised more than ever before that everything happens for a reason and that there is a greater plan with everything. This accident was also part of God’s plan.” Now Pieter sees absolutely everything as a challenge. At first he could almost not dress himself, but he eventually managed. Initially it took him forty minutes. He kept on practising, however, and timed himself. He now manages in seven and a half minutes and is working towards his goal of five minutes. He also used to enjoy singing and playing the guitar. As the guitar is impossible now, he got himself a mouth organ. Singing is difficult because he can only breathe with his diaphragm; but he is getting there, he says. These days he is even experiencing the need to break through barriers of overprotection unintentionally set by well-meaning people. Pieter is determined to be a triathlon athlete again, using the racing wheel chair, the cycle with hand pedals and swimming. He is starting slowly, he says, swimming about a kilometre per day. He also plays rugby with an adjusted wheel chair, but this is just for fun - although he wouldn’t mind making the national team, he adds with a wide grin. He has read the book A Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, which helped him strengthen his new perspective: “God gives one a responsibility and then watches to see what one will do with it. There are many eyes on me and I believe that through my lifestyle I should show people that the Lord is real.” Pieter’s former school teacher, Corrie Zaayman, recalls hearing the news of the accident. At that time, Corrie was in Athens as part of a Christian team preparing for an outreach that would take place

during the Olympic Games. Says Corrie: “It was an absolute shock. It just can’t be true, how can this be possible? I thought. I called his parents and said I would be praying. At the conference in Athens organized by the International Sports Coalition we also prayed for him. “I phoned from time to time to enquire how he was doing. On my return to South Africa it was at its worst. I put off seeing him. The last time I had seen Pieter, he was this fine athlete and now he was sitting in a wheel chair, and what do you say, ‘sorry?’

He sees everything in his life as a challenge and he tries to improve all the time. “When I saw him, I thought he is still the same Pieter, enthusiastic, joking and laughing. The only difference was that he couldn’t use all of his limbs. He sees everything in his life as a challenge and he tries to improve all the time. For example, I saw him battle to get into the car. He almost couldn’t manage, but he refused to let me help him because he was determined to do better the next time.” Pieter doesn’t see himself as a talker when it comes to sharing the grace of Jesus in his life. He believes that, with the exposure surrounding his accident and his new sports career, his attitude in the face of adversity is the key testimony. At a motivational talk that Pieter recently presented, he was asked the question: “Would you say that the fact that your dream was shattered brought you closer to God?” “No,” he replied. “My dream was not shattered, only changed.”

Angela is a Chartered Accountant by profession and came first in the national qualifying exams of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants in 2001.

Below is one of the poems she has written in gratitude towards God.

My Life In Your Hands I held my life in my own hands, But Father they were too small, Slipping from my grasp My life began to fall. Broken into pieces And flooded by my tears, I realized that You caught me, And loved away my fears. Now my life is sitting In the comfort of Your palm, To live in all Your wisdom, And Your peace which keeps me calm. Though still I see the moment, Cause my mind to understand, That You see into all eternity, That my future is in Your Mighty hand.

FINANCIAL PEACE -our role in the matterphotography: liezl du preez

words: myles sinclair

In our Sapphire issue we covered the aspects of God’s role in our finances. The central principle is that God owns everything. We are thus stewards of His possessions. A steward is manager, overseer or supervisor. A steward is the supreme authority under the master and has full responsibility for the master’s possessions. In this issue we will consider our role as stewards. When you understand and apply the following Biblical principles, you will be well on your way to financial peace. We will all one day stand before God and give an account of ourselves. (Romans 14:10–12). Our actions will be tested and we will be rewarded for those that please the Lord. (1 Corinthians 3:12-15). These actions include the way in which we have spent His money and the way in which we have treated His possessions. (2 Corinthians 5:9-10). As stewards, we are required to be faithful. (1 Corinthians 4:2). This requirement does not depend on how much we have been given. In the parable of the talents, the servants were given different amounts but were required to be faithful with what they were given. God rewards faithfulness regardless of the amount. (Matthew 25:14-30). God furthermore wants us to be faithful with 100% of our money and not with only 10%. Unfortunately, the church has often concentrated on teaching about the 10% (tithing) and Christians tend to learn the rest from the world’s perspective. They form wrong perceptions and attitudes towards possessions and without a Biblical perspective, they often make incorrect financial decisions. It is little wonder that so many find themselves in a financial crisis. The Lord says that

His people are destroyed because of a lack of knowledge. (Hosea 4:6). This definitely applies to a lack of knowledge in the area of handling finances in a Biblical way. “So why should I handle money more faithfully?” you may ask. There are several reasons: If we waste and squander possessions, the Lord will end our stewardship. (Luke 16:1,2). I am sure you can relate stories of someone who was not faithful with money and they ended up in a pitiful way. On the other hand, if we handle money faithfully we can look forward to God’s pleasure. “Enter into the joy of your Master” (Matthew 25:21) is how the parable states it. What a reward! We can look forward to a closer, more intimate fellowship with our Lord for being faithful with the possessions He has entrusted to us. The way in (and attitude with) which we get, save, spend and give money, moulds our character. A Biblical attitude towards money can be used by God to form our character and bring blessing. Once we know God’s role and we faithfully perform our part, we can experience contentment or financial peace as I like to call it. Our loving heavenly Father owns everything, controls every event, promises to provide for our needs and gives out His possessions as He sees fit. Once we start handling our money faithfully, our financial houses come into order. We will begin to get out of debt, spend more wisely, enjoy higher levels of saving and be able to give more to the work of Christ. Remember that faithfulness begins with small things. (Luke 16:10). Once

we have proven ourselves faithful in small things, the Lord knows He can trust us with bigger things. Are you wondering why God has not given you “many things”? Perhaps you have not learned to be faithful with the few. The Bible also calls us to be faithful with other people’s possessions. (Luke 16:12). If you have borrowed something, you should return it in the same or better condition. If you have borrowed a car, return it polished and clean, maybe fill the tank with fuel. Are you careless with your company equipment? Do you treat it harshly? Do you waste office supplies because they are simply not yours? Do you make unnecessary (or unauthorised private) copies or phone calls because you are not paying for them? “Aren’t these small things?” you may ask. Hudson Taylor put it so well, “Small things are small things, but faithfulness in small things is a big thing.” 47

Money idea : Save early for Christmas and other gifts. Buy them early on sale and you can buy better gifts for the same money.

ESTIMATING YOUR EXPENSES In this issue we will continue our practical financial exercises by starting on the budget process. If you have never compiled a budget before, just relax. I will make the process as simple as I can. The process starts with determining your income and estimating your expenses (this issue). After that, you will ‘balance’ this estimation (next issue). This means that you will adjust the figures so that in theory there is no shortage. I will provide you with guidelines to assist in this. While this may look easy on paper, emotionally it can be very difficult. Once your ‘budget is balanced’, the work requiring self discipline begins – living within your budget and measuring how you spend compared to the theoretical budget.

Research into how the rich became rich, shows that all wealthy people have only one thing in common: they spend less than they earn. This is exactly what a budget will help you do. A budget is planned spending. It is telling your money where you want it to go rather than wondering where it went. Put another way, it is being faithful. If you are not budgeting, you could be flying blindfolded. This estimated expense worksheet may frustrate or discourage you in what it reveals. Remember, however, that the moment when you begin to “control” your money, the benefits mentioned above will begin to apply. In case it is not obvious, if you are married you should do this exercise as a couple. 1. DETERMINE MONTHLY INCOME. A. LIST ALL INCOME List all income (before deductions) in the Gross Monthly Income section

P r a c t i c a l E x e r c i s e : Estimated Expenses GROSS MONTHLY INCOME …….. Salary …….. Interest …….. Dividends …….. Other income Less …….. 1 Tithing/Giving …….. 2 Taxes …….. NET SPENDABLE INCOME 3 Housing …….. …….. Loan/rent …….. Insurance …….. Water …….. General rates …….. Electricity …….. Home phone …….. Cell phone Body corp fees/levy …... Garden maintenance ..… …….. Pool House maintenance …… ……..°°° Hardware …….. Other …….. 4 Food …….. Groceries …….. Fruit & veg …….. Meat …….. Pet food …….. Other …….. 5 Transport …….. Repayments …….. Insurance …….. Fuel …….. Licenses & fines …….. Maintenance Repair & replacement..... …….. Parking Bus, taxi train fare …….. …….. Toll fees …….. Other …….. 6 Insurance Health (medical aid) ……. …….. Life insurance Income protection …….. …….. Hospital plan Retirement annuity …….. …….. 7 Debts

8 Entertainment …….. Holidays …….. Weekend away …….. Baby-sitters …….. Restaurants …….. Videos/movies …….. Take aways/lunches…… TV, M-net, DSTV …….. Social clubs …….. Memberships …….. Papers/magazines …….. Subscriptions …….. Books …….. Others …….. 9 Clothing …….. 10 Savings …….. 11 Medical expenses …….. Doctor …….. Dentist …….. Prescriptions …….. Other …….. 12 Miscellaneous …….. Toiletries/cosmetics …… Hairdresser …….. Laundry/dry-clean ……. Allowances …….. Birthday presents …….. Christmas gifts …….. Postage, cards …….. Internet …….. BLOW …….. 13 Investments …….. 14 School/childcare …….. School/college fees ……. Uniforms …….. Sport & music lessons … Books …….. Stationery …….. Excursions & trips …….. Tuck shop …….. Pocket money …….. Transport …….. Other …….. ESTIMATED TOTAL LIVING EXPENSES Net spendable income Less estimated total living expenses Surplus/deficit

….. …….. …….. ……..

worksheet 2. Include any of the following under “other” if you receive income from these sources. • Rental income • Commissions • Bonuses • Maintenance • Government or other pensions • Unemployment insurance • Retirement income • Then add up the total.

If any of your sources provide income on any other basis than monthly, you should estimate the annual amount and divide it by 12 for a monthly average. Use this amount in the worksheet. If you receive business re-imbursements (or advances), do not include these in your income. These are really part of your business. Do not be tempted to spend this money if you have not incurred the business expense yet. Travel allowances should be included as these are considered part of your salary package. B. SUBTRACT GIVING AND TAXES Category 1 Tithing/Giving Include all you give to the church, the poor, other ministries and other gifts. Category 2 Taxes Deduct income tax. Self-employed people should set aside money every month for annual taxes. DO NOT TREAT UNPAID TAXES AS MONEY YOU CAN SPEND. Other payroll deductions, such as medical aid and insurance, should not be deducted under this category but rather under one of the living expenses categories.

C. CALCULATE NET SPENDABLE INCOME

out, lunches bought away from home.

This is done simply by subtracting both tithing/giving and taxes from gross monthly income.

Category 9 Clothing Estimate your annual average and divide by 12.

2. HOW IS THIS NET SPENDABLE INCOME BEING SPENT?

Category 10 Savings This includes an emergency fund. An emergency fund should get all the savings until three to six months of income has been saved. This is a vitally important category, which many people think they cannot afford to have. In truth, they cannot afford NOT to have this. As you come closer to being debt free, you should increase contributions to this category.

I have divided living expenses into twelve categories. They are described below. Category 3 Housing expenses All monthly expenses needed to operate the home, including loan or rent payments, rates and taxes, homeowner’s insurance, maintenance, water and lights, furnishings or improvements, garden and pool costs, security services. If you do not know what the maintenance is, use 10% of the monthly loan payment. Category 4 Food expenses Exclude eating out at restaurants and daily lunches bought away from home. (These are classified as entertainment.) Category 5 Transport expenses Vehicle payments, insurance, fuel, repairs and replacement, maintenance, licenses, bus, taxi and train fare are included. Plan to set aside money as soon as possible for future maintenance and replacement of your vehicle. Category 6 Insurance Medical aid, hospital plans, life and short-term insurance (house content). Category 7 Debts Include monthly repayments to meet debt obligation like revolving credit on credit card, payments for clothing store, chemist etc. Note that house and motor car debt are included elsewhere. Category 8 Entertainment & recreation This includes holidays, hobbies, sporting equipment, sporting events, books, eating

Category 11 Medical expenses This includes medical bills, prescription glasses, dentistry, etc. Estimate an annual average and divide by 12. Category 12 Miscellaneous These are expenses that do not fit anywhere else. This also includes the cash purchases made without remembering to keep a slip to remind you what you bought. This is called BLOW. It is realistic to expect to ‘blow’ some money from time to time without knowing where. As long as this category does not become too large, it is OK to forget a small purchase or two. Category 13 Investments When you have surplus income, you could invest to meet your long-term financial goals. Regular budgeting will hopefully free you to allocate money to this category. Category 14 School/child care School fees, school books, excursions, extra lessons, uniforms 3. DETERMINE THE SURPLUS OR DEFICIT Transfer your net spendable income figure to the bottom right corner of the worksheet Do the same with the estimated total living expenses. Deducting the expenses from the income, will result in a surplus or deficit. In the next issue, I will show you what to do with each possible outcome.

mirror

mirror on the wall

- who’s the fairest of them all?

If we replace the word servant in the Bible with domestic worker, we will be surprised at how much of the real meaning of the word we tend to miss. This person quietly enters your life, and ends up knowing you better than most – as you will no doubt discover if you ever find out what nickname you have been given. Amazing social skills are normally required to steer around the employer’s moods and habits.

Domestic workers often have the great responsibility to stand in for absent parents - yet children and teenagers address them by their first names, so far removed from their culture’s respectful etiquette. How often are they not the silent sounding board, the lay counsellor, the caregiver of the sick or elderly, the nanny, all rolled into one? They see and feel the dynamics of the family they serve, whilst their own remains in the background. Often they have to rely on public phones to keep in touch with their people. It takes a great deal of trust for “How are you?” to become more than a greeting, with the standard “Fine thank you, Madam” reply. They guard the employer’s property and possessions with in the back of their mind an uneasy feeling that they could be the first suspects should something be stolen. Never are their own issues and emotions allowed to spill over into the atmosphere of the household. The domestic has learnt when to keep a stoic face. How can we not appreciate the submission, diplomacy, humility, patience and great kindness that come wrapped up in a days work?

MY World spoke to 39-year-old Anna Dlamini about the highlights and challenges of her position. Anna sees the young family who provided her with employment, a home, stability and warmth, as having given meaning to her life. They became her family. She attributes their kindness to their devotion to Christ. She says that even though she had been a churchgoer before, she grew committed to Christian life as a result of living with this family. “I love my job, especially where I am now,” she says. Mutual trust and communication are at the foundation of their relationship. “My employer and I talk all the time. We regularly have a heart to heart. They encourage me to speak out whenever something is bothering me.” Anna fondly remembers the time before her employer sent me for cooking lessons. “We would both try to prepare some of the dishes she wanted. We messed up our pots!” she chuckles. Being a live-in housekeeper can in itself generate a set of challenges. Anna has had to leave her three daughters, Lonia, 22, Nobuhle, 16, and Nozizwe, 10, behind in her native Zimbabwe. Nozizwe (whose name means “the one who was born in foreign lands”) was repatriated at the age of nine months. Although Anna was born in Zimbabwe, her mother, who sadly passed away last month, was a South African from Zululand. Anna commends South Africans for being kind to her. “I’m their niece. They treat me well.” She treasures the bond she has established with the couple’s two-year-old son, whom she took care of since he was a newborn. “I love him and he loves me very much too. When I’ve been away to Zim, he won’t let me get out of his sight for fear that I might leave him again. That feeling warms my heart. Even when he is at the crèche and he is about to return home, I can feel him already,” she says with a motherly look in her eyes. There is scope for growth in the field of domestic work, she says. “When I started here, I couldn’t prepare the curry, oxtail and fish dishes as required, but now I have become more than a mere domestic servant. I have skills,” she laughs shyly.

photography: liezl du preez

words: velile phato, dini esterhuizen

Living to serve... our domestic workers

photography liezl du preez

itwasgood God has made everything beautiful for its own time.

words: lindie gouws

LIFE IS...ABOUT KNOWING GOD. To h a ve an i n t i m a t e r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h G o d i s w h a t H e i n t e n d e d f o r u s ! T h i s i s a n ew m o n t h l y f e a u t u r e a b o u t h ow good it is to know God.

A WHILE AGO I was chatting to one of my colleagues, who is also a dear friend of mine. We were talking about God and the way He speaks to us daily. She commented: "I always thought that you were one of God's favorites, Lindie. I could not understand how you could come to me so often and say: 'Jacky, guess what happened to me today?' So I asked God why it was that He favoured you and He answered me. He said: 'She is not my favourite, Jacky. She is intimate with Me.' Now I know and understand! You made a decision to be intimate with God. And that is what He seeks." Subsequent to this conversation with Jacky, another dear friend of mine visited me one Sunday afternoon and asked me how I got to know God's voice, how I knew for sure that it was God speaking to me. She added that she knew that God had a calling on her life and that she was desperate to know His timing life. What was she to do to get to know His voice? I them reminisced the times of how I really became intimate with God. God's Word says clearly that we will overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony. This is my testimony. It is not a golden recipe, but it worked for me and maybe, it could help you to get to know our Father. So read with me...

I remember days when I would be completely on my own. I would be alone in my home, I would be driving in my car, I would go shopping on my own, go on vacation alone...the list goes on, I did pretty much most things on my own. I recall speaking to God, as I would to a friend, out aloud. I asked Him why I was to be on my own. This then was not what I intended it to be! Little did I realise that this was the first step towards a beautiful relationship where I became the suitor in my pursuit of knowing God. As I continued speaking to God a desire was birthed within me to have Him close to me. And the only way I could have Him with me continually, was to mindfully invite Him into my life! “My life” meant every single aspect of me. Simple things that I took for granted...yet decisions that were decisive of my future. The first thing I did was to greet Him in the morning (as if He was present in my room, which of course He was all along, I just had to recognise His presence). I would wake up and say: "Good morning Holy Spirit." The more I did this, I believe the more welcome He felt in my life and on the odd occasion when I would forget...I would become aware of a “nudge”, as if He was reminding me to say: "Hallo." Driving my car, I would ask the Holy Spirit to not

only take over the driver's seat but I would pat on the passenger seat and ask Him to sit next to me. He would accompany me wherever I went.

If I had asked Him to lead me, surely I would then choose correctly. I remember one day before having a manicure, I asked God to help me choose the colour I should put on my nails. I did not hear an audible voice saying either "Red, Pink or Plain", but I knew that He guided me in my choice. If I had asked Him to lead me, surely I would then choose correctly. Three days later, I was invited to a function and my nail colour complemented the colour of my outfit. Simple things, but precious! One day rushing off to a shopping mall to buy an outfit for a function that evening I asked God to direct me to the right shop and to help me choose the outfit. He always wants what is best for us, so it would no doubt be that which suited me best. I found it! A lovely Chocolate Brown outfit, it fitted perfectly. When I dressed for the function, I noticed the label, it was called the "FAITH"-range. I started to ask God to prioritize my day. I literally prayed that I will not go and make a cup of tea out of His timing. If I went when He wanted me to, I might just meet somebody in the cafeteria that needed a smile or a word of encouragement. I still pray that He controls my timing! I do not even want to stop at a petrol station if it is not in His will. I remember one day, whilst at the office, being prompted to go to McDonalds. This was absolutely out of my frame of reference! I firstly resisted but since I had learnt to know when God prompted, I obeyed.

God had a gift for me! At McDonalds I saw a man! He was dressed very poorly and I could see that He was hoping for a meal. He was busy writing in a little book. I walked up to him and asked him what he as writing. "I am writing a letter to God" he replied. He showed it to me and truly, it was a song of praise and thanksgiving. I could not believe it. He asked me where my church was and I

told him where I fellowship. "No, where is YOUR church?" he said. "I want to attend YOUR church one day". This man spoke prophetically into my life and today I believe He was an angel. I bought him a burger, left McDonalds and knew why I had to go. God had a gift for me! One evening, working late at the office and very tired, I walked out of the ladies room and spoke to God aloud: "Why have you not spoken to me today, Father?" In my spirit I heard: "But you have not consulted Me today, Lindie." I realised again that I had to speak to God continuously, that was the only way I would get to know Him. Just imagine if your child invited you into his/her playroom, just to sit and watch while they play. You would feel such a compassion towards your child, knowing that they seek your presence and that they acknowledge you! It is the same with God. He wants to be with us. He wants us to acknowledge His presence in the “little things.” Luke 16:10 says “Unless you are faithful in small matters, you won’t be faithful in large ones.” That is why we should not want to be "favourites", but we should seek to be “intimate” with Him and faithful in the small matters! 55

I did something practically. I invited God into my life. I did something practically. I invited God into my life. Into the daily decisions that I so easily used to make according to my own desires. I created my world around me...until I allowed the Creator to help me create! In taking time to know Him, I learnt to know His "voice". I learnt to obey! It created a relationship and intimacy with God that I never want to loose. Now it is: “The King and I.” In closure, the above examples were literally my baby phases. It was the phase of learning to crawl. I have learnt to walk with God and look forward to the day that I will run with Him.

Maybe just try it, in the simple things, consult Him! In the following issues I hope to share some practical analogies with you that helped me in my walk with God.

Philippians 4:6-7 says ‘Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank Him for His answers. ‘If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.’ CAUGHT IN THE RAT RACE, bombarded with news of suicide, divorce rates, lawsuits, crime and war, our society seems to be in desperate need of peace at all levels. It is not that we are not searching. Never before did we have such a vast choice of professionals to consult, selfhelp books to read, courses to attend and charms to buy. We attempt these routes one by one, each time hoping that now we have found the way to true peace Still, peace seems to keep eluding us. We need to look no further than the Prince of Peace, who is right here with us.

photography: liezl du preez words: andrew w roebert

THE PRINCE OF PEACE Already in the time of the Old Testament, God was known as the God of peace. We read in Judges 6:24 how Gideon built an altar and called it “Jehovah-shalom”, which means “the Lord is peace”. In Isaiah 9:6, where the birth of Christ is foretold, we read that He will be called “The Prince of Peace”. This Prince of Peace, Jesus, promises us in John 14:27, “ I leave you my peace; my peace I give you.” Jesus is not simply

another means to be grouped with all the counsellors and motivational speakers, for He continues, “I do not give it to you as the world does. So don’t let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” WHAT TYPE OF PEACE DOES GOD HAVE FOR US? The peace God gives us, is far greater than the dictionary definition of “the absence of war”. In fact, we can experience God’s peace even if faced with a war situation. The Bible tells us that the peace that God gives us, passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). It is also called a “wonderful peace”. (Psalm 37:11 “But all who humble themselves before the Lord shall be given every blessing and shall have wonderful peace”) God’s peace is a blessing from Him for His children to experience and is available to all who put Him first in their lives. (Psalm 29:11 “He will give His people strength. He will bless them with peace”). INNER PEACE It is quite possible to live in a peaceful environment and yet have no peace in your heart. Even within in a situation free from strife, your heart may very well be in anguish. God’s peace begins in our hearts. Philippians 4:7 says, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” PEACE WITHIN THE STORM God wants us to experience His peace in the midst of what we are facing or going through. We may sometimes wonder why God does not just remove the storm so that we can sail on calm waters. The

issue is that He wants us to know His peace and that His peace in our lives is not dependent on our circumstances. No matter what is raging around us, in our hearts we can experience that quiet confidence in God.

fore make sure that nothing will jeopardize God’s peace in our hearts and lives. We need to beware of stumbling blocks in our relationship with God – these could steal our peace. THE GIFT OF PEACE

Philippians 4:6-7 says “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank Him for His answers. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.” This Scripture makes it clear that God’s peace does not result from a change in our circumstances, but from giving our concerns to God. THE PEACE MIRACLE If we pursue God, He lets His peace spill over into even our most troubled areas. Proverbs 16:7 says, “When a man is trying to please God, God makes even his worst enemies to be at peace with him”. It does not say that God will cause your worst enemies to become your friends, but it does say that they will live at peace with you. THE VALUE OF PEACE Anyone who once knew the peace of God in his or her life and subsequently lost it, would be able to confirm that this peace is indeed invaluable. To have a little, with God’s peace, is much more valuable than to have a lot, without God’s peace. Proverbs 17:1 ‘A dry crust eaten in peace is better than steak every day along with argument and strife.’ We need to there-

The Bible tells us that peace is a gift from God. John 14:27 says “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” Gifts are not earned. The gift of peace is available to anyone who longs to receive it. Acts 10:36 tells us that peace with God is available through Jesus Christ, and Romans 8:6 adds that ‘Following after the Holy Spirit leads to life and peace’. The moment when we yield to the control of the Holy Spirit in our lives, surrendering our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ, we can start to experience God’s promised peace.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT TREE FOR THE JOB “ I am the true vine and My Father is the Gardener. He cuts off every branch that doesn t produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more”. John 15:1-2 photography: liezl du preez

words: andrew hankey

photo: Groot Constantia in Western Cape

We have learnt from past mistakes that introduction of certain tree species can lead to extensive environmental degradation. It is therefore vital to choose wisely when planting trees in our domestic landscapes. One should always plant indigenous trees, not only because they pose a significantly reduced threat to natural environments, but also because they provide in the local fauna’s natural food, habitat and nesting requirements. A tree is a long-term investment. An uninformed choice could cause substantial damage to the structure of your home years down the line. On the flip side, a well informed choice can add tremendous value to your property and provide many years of joy in the form of shade, flowers, wildlife and beauty. Do some reading, consult a couple of nurseries and view mature specimens at botanical gardens or parks. Bear in mind that the old adage “live fast, die young” also applies to trees. The faster a tree grows, the shorter its life span normally is. It would be worthwhile to choose a tree that grows slower, but will probably outlive you and even your children. Many of the so-called “slow growing trees” grow much faster under garden conditions than otherwise, as they receive more water and fertiliser.

PRUNING AND TRAINING TREES Pruning and training are done when a tree is young, mainly to ensure growth into a well-shaped mature individual. In nature not every tree becomes an ideal specimen, but in our garden we need to train a tree to fulfil our requirements. Each tree will require individual assessment for pruning. Three simple rules can, however, quite easily be applied to all or most of our garden trees.

1st Rule Never cut the leader. The leader is the branch or branches at the top of the tree usually growing upwards; they could be spreading somewhat. Cutting the leader can cause a tree to become delinquent. 2nd Rule Always cut a branch at its origin and close to the main stem. If you leave stumps protruding, these will often produce copious untidy sucker growths that will need further management. 3rd Rule Always make a shallow cut on the underside of the branch before cutting it from above. This prevents the bark on the main stem from stripping and leaving unsightly scars. It is recommended to seal cut surfaces with a tree sealant to prevent infection and aid the healing process. The following old guideline can be roughly applied to a young tree every year until the desired effect is achieved: Visualise the tree divided into three equal parts from ground to the highest tip, -remove all the branches in the lowest third, -reduce the branches in the middle third by half their length, -and never cut anything in the upper third. In John 15 Jesus compares Himself to a vine of which we are the branches. God the Father is the gardener, who lovingly prunes and trains us to ensure that we achieve everything He has in mind for His vineyard. It is clear from the abovementioned guidelines, that the good gardener prunes and trains systematically, based on individual assessment. This is

especially true of our Father. The perfect gardener, He knows the needs of every branch. He knows exactly when and how to prune, and never makes mistakes. Pruning can be a painful process, but we can always be sure that the outcome will be as mentioned above - "growth into a wellshaped mature individual". God always prunes us for our own good - Romans 8:28 assures us that "in everything God works for the good of those who love Him."

FERTILISING TREES When planting a new tree, use 50g of Superphosphate or 100g of bonemeal in the bottom of the planting hole. Either of these will provide the necessary phosphate during the initial establishment phase. It is wise to fertilise a sapling at the beginning of its growing season. This can be followed up monthly with an organic fertiliser; alternatively every two to three months with a synthetic (chemical) fertiliser. Ask your garden centre to recommend a good horticultural fertiliser. When watering and fertilising, ensure that the water penetrates deep into the soil to encourage deep root formation. As branches in our Father's vineyard, we should also ensure that we allow His water and fertiliser to penetrate deeply. He waters and fertilises us with His Word and His Spirit. Just as plants need to absorb water and fertiliser to grow and bear fruit, we need to make God's Word part of us and to invite the Holy Spirit into our hearts, so that we may grow spiritually and bear the fruit of the Spirit. The importance of God's Word is confirmed in 2 Timothy 3:17: "Using the Scriptures, the person who serves God will be capable, having all that is needed to do every good work." According to Galatians 5:22-23, "...the Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

FOODS AND MOODS ph ot ogr a ph y : an drea b a d e n h o r s t wor d s : e n a d u p l e s s i s c r e di t : s u r e t m o r ke l

Philippians 4:4 says, “Be full of joy in the Lord always. I will say again, be full of joy.” In 1 Thessalonians 5:16 we read, “Always be joyful”. A major obstacle to joy, is the web of mood fluctuations in which countless people nowadays seem to be caught. Have we ever considered the possibility that our modern diet may have something to do with it?

WE HAVE BECOME so used to mindlessly obeying the advertisers of fast foods, gym supplements and crash diets, that we do not even realise that we have in the process strayed far from what God designed our bodies for. Regular consumption of fast foods, for example, almost automatically implies a diet unnaturally high in fat. As fat is such a complex food to break down, a high-fat diet results in the diversion of blood from the brain to the stomach. This causes an oxygen deficiency in the brain, which in turn leads to listlessness, mental confusion and mild depression. Both fast food diets on the one hand and drastic slimming diets on the other, furthermore tend to rob the body of essential nutrients. Both of these diets typically entail inadequate intake of raw fruit and vegetables, and tend to overload the body with substances it was not designed to handle. Fast food usually contains high concentrations of refined carbohydrates and crash diets normally encourage consumption of non-foods teeming with artificial sweeteners, colourants and flavourants. Consumption of refined carbohydrates, by depleting the body of essential nutrients and causing blood sugar fluctuations, can result in confusion, irritability and depression. Artificial additives can cause exactly the same symptoms. Mood disorders may also be caused by food intolerance. We need to learn from experience what agrees with us and what doesn‘t. Unfortunately our bodies adapt easily to even harmful substances. By our careless consumption of those, we desensitise our bodies to important tell-tale reactions. This explains why detoxification so commonly results in various

reactions never noticed before. These reactions are to be welcomed - they teach us what is good for us!

MOOD DISORDERS, EXTREME DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY ARE KNOWN TO BE COMMONLY EXPERIENCED BY THE GLUTEN INTOLERANT. Mood disorders, extreme depression and anxiety are known to be commonly experienced by the gluten intolerant. Recent studies have even linked gluten intolerance to schizophrenia. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, oats and barley – all nutritious foods, but they should be avoided in the case of gluten intolerance. Symptoms may take weeks or even months to improve markedly. Relapse with reintroduction, on the other hand, may happen within hours.

GOD WANTS US TO FEED OUR BODIES IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY God wants us to feed our bodies in a responsible way - 1 Corinthians 6:19 calls us to honour Him with our bodies. If we find it hard to refrain from eating foods that play havoc with our moods, we should ask God to fill us with His Spirit so that we may bear the fruit of self-control (Galatians 5: 22, 23). In any event the bulk of our diets should consist of the God-given natural foods, as close as possible to their natural state. Research has confirmed that 75 to 80 percent of our diet needs to consist of raw foods, for

our bodies to obtain the nutrients required for physical and mental health. If the food that nourishes our bodies can have such a profound impact on our moods, then surely the same - or even more - can be said for our spiritual food. God’s Word emphasises the need for spiritual nourishment. According to Deuteronomy 8:3 we do not live on bread alone, but by everything God says. Jesus quoted this in Matthew 4:4 when He was tempted by the devil. Jesus furthermore teaches that He Himself is our spiritual food. In John 6:35 He calls Himself the “bread that gives life’’. How often do we not prefer to substitute God’s perfect Bread with artificial alternatives? The human spirit, just like the body, was never designed for a diet of artificial substitutes. We need the nourishment that only the Bread of Life can provide. He can heal emotional hurts of any kind; thereby treating the root cause of many mood swings. In Matthew 11:28 He invites us to bring our heavy loads to Him, so that He may give us rest.

GOD’S MESSAGE IS CLEAR. WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW OUR MOODS TO CONTROL US. God’s message is clear. We should not allow our moods to control us. He who designed us with the need for bodily and spiritual food, also provides us with the correct food. We should allow Him to feed us - and always be joyful! References: Creed, Sally-Ann. Let Food Be Your Medicine. Cape Town: Storm Books, 2002. Shearer, Mary-Ann. The Natural Way. Cape Town: Ibis Books, 1995.

photography liezl du preez

spiritlife God says He will make springs in the desert, so that His chosen people can be refreshed.

THE GIFT OF WISDOM photography: andrea badenhorst words: dini esterhuizen

The New Testament teaches us with certainty that the Gift of Wisdom, along with all the others listed in 1 Cor 12, continue in the church today.

WISDOM IS LISTED IN 1 CORINTHIANS 12 as one of the spiritual gifts. The spiritual gifts are “gifts” because God Himself chooses how to bestow them on us. They are “spiritual” because they come into being through the operation of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life. In 1 Corinthians 12:1, Paul stresses the importance of acknowledging the availability of these gifts to the church, “Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I don’t want you to be ignorant.” We are so regularly faced with choices, and our decisions may have such far-reaching consequences, that we can certainly not afford ignorance and misunderstanding regarding the gift of wisdom.

WHAT IS WISDOM? The word wisdom, as appearing in the Old Testament, has little to do with intellect, skill or knowledge. It refers to the ability to make choices according to God‘s way, thus living a life of holiness that is pleasing to Him. Psalm 51: 6 says, “You desire honesty from the heart, so you can teach me to be wise in my inmost being.” This is part of David’s great Psalm of remorse, written after his adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11,12). In the confession of his sin he cries out for forgiveness and cleansing and the wisdom to once again serve God.

The book of Proverbs describes wisdom as doing what is right and just and fair according to God‘s standards. It also describes the benefits of wisdom. When God is acknowledged and His ways followed, “He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:6). In Proverbs we see a constant contrast between the “wise” and the “fool”. The Hebrew word for fool describes a person who is morally lacking. In the case of an apparent inability to “understand” the Gospel and God’s ways, the problem is normally moral rather than intellectual in nature. At the root of it is often unwillingness to give up a sinful lifestyle. Relationship with God is essential for the gift of wisdom to operate.

God’s wisdom is superior to the best of man’s

God’s wisdom and man’s wisdom are completely different from and in fact contradict each other. God’s wisdom is superior to the best of man’s. The superiority is proved by the success, because in Christ we have righteousness, holiness and redemption

things are not working out. Trusting in the Lord with all our hearts means seeking His wisdom and insight first. If we then apply our minds, His Spirit will be in control of the process.

“For our benefit God made Christ to be wisdom itself. He is the one who made us acceptable to God. He made us pure and holy, and He gave Himself to purchase our freedom.” (1 Corinthians 1:30.)

Wherever Spiritual gifts are mentioned in Scripture, it is in the context of loving relationships. A climate of love is needed for God’s Spirit to do His work. The church, consisting of the community of believers, is likened to a human body consisting of various members. As members of one body, the believers should use their respective gifts to build one another up. Growth and health of the body (church) are attained through the active participation of the members (believers):

In 1 Corinthians 1:18 – 25 we see God’s approach to solving problems at odds with mankind’s “wise” ways. Neither the Jew’s insistence on miracles nor the Gentile’s rational philosophical approach can fathom the profound power and wisdom God expressed on the Cross. No problem of the human condition could be solved better, yet “human wisdom” often misses this point. It follows that we should always seek God’s wisdom instead of relying on the “foolish” wisdom of man. Proverbs 3:5 – 6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths.” This doesn’t mean that =we shouldn’t apply our own mind and common sense. The problem arises when we remove God from the picture and only ask Him for help once it becomes clear that

GIFT IN THE CONTEXT OF LOVE

“Under His direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” (Ephesians 4:16). Access to God’s Wisdom We as mortal human beings cannot discover God’s thinking on our own, independent of Him. Yet His very thoughts are conveyed to us by His Spirit, interpreting the words of Scripture for us: (1 Corinthians 2:15, 16) " We who have the Spirit

understand these things, but others can’t understand us at all. How could they? For, ‘Who can know what the Lord is thinking? Who can give Him counsel?’ But we can understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.” Application of Divine Wisdom 1 Corinthians 1 identifies two kinds of wisdom. “Foolish” wisdom looks at the facts and reaches the wrong conclusions. By this foolish wisdom the death of Jesus is seen as a tragedy or an injustice or a political act. God and His followers see it as a sacrificial offering by which we are given “righteousness, holiness and redemption.” We would be wise to accept God’s interpretation of facts and act on it. Even in events occurring in our lives “foolish” wisdom can look at facts and reach the wrong conclusion. A person might make a sacrifice that would look foolish from the worldly perspective, but regarded as wise from a Godly perspective. Jesus says, Jesus says, “If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give it up for me, you will find it.” (Matthew 10:39). It is such a privilege to know that, when faced with a difficult situation, we may seek Divine wisdom from God’s Spirit and from the Bible.

Observing the Gift in Action We have all witnessed the gift of wisdom to some extent in our own lives or in the lives of other ministers. We also know where it was regrettably lacking. The gift of wisdom helps us to serve and fulfil the needs of others, and to present the gospel to them in word and deed. 1 Peter 4:11 explains, “Anyone who speaks should speak words from God. Anyone who serves should serve with the strength God gives so that in everything God will be praised through Jesus Christ.” An outstanding example of someone being equipped in exactly this manner, is that of Ragie Venter, counsellor at Kies Die Lewe Ministries in Montana, Pretoria. God uses her to heal broken lives. Over the years God has trained her and raised up her ministry against many odds, to the extent that qualified psychiatrists and psychologists have approached her to network with them. Once at a conference I overheard a conversation she had with a very prominent minister. He asked her where she had trained. When she answered, the man couldn’t hide his surprise. “God trained me,” she said simply. In a very unassuming and spontaneous manner she continued to explain how God had gifted her with connecting with people. The man was speechless. Throughout the night, in preparation for a lecture, he had been reading a book - on connecting. Having personally been blessed and seen so many others blessed by God’s wise counsel from this humble vessel, I asked her about it. “I asked God to train me,” she said. “He took me through a training school of real life. Through the death of my husband I had to learn what it means to forgive a

murderer. In my volunteer work at youth camps, I would try and explain truths to children by drawing pictures. And I would pray with them. At times I saw manifestations that would scare me. Then I sought help from others; watched how they worked. I had to start from zero.

father’s death and said: “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you.” (1 Kings 3:5). Solomon chose wisdom. God answered his prayer and made him one of the wisest men on earth. Perhaps he had realised that he would need wisdom to lead God’s people.

“The Lord taught me sensitivity for people, explaining how to approach people and draw closer to them, yet not allowing them to plug into me and become dependent, but to guide them to move closer to God. He taught me through practical demonstrations – to give direction to people, to help them through crisis, to minister deliverance and pray for physical healing where necessary. I believe that when we serve God in Spirit and in truth, He will equip us and He will give us the gift to increasingly operate in His wisdom.

The kind of wisdom that manifested in Solomon’s life greatly helped him in making difficult decisions. The famous example is that of the two prostitutes arguing over a baby, each insisting it was hers. When Solomon said that the baby was to be cut in half, their respective reactions made it clear who the real mother was. Whereas the liar agreed to Solomon’s suggestion, the real mother objected out of pure unselfish love.

I ASKED GOD TO TRAIN ME “This gift of wisdom enriches one’s life to the extent that one is in awe of God. When I see the difference that this makes in the lives of people who come for counselling, and when I see the words that God gives me breaking through to them, then I know that this is from God. And it is worth the while. “I often realise, while counselling, that I do not know what next. Then I pray, ‘Lord, Lord, I now need wisdom’ according to James 1:5. Then I wait for a moment and the wisdom always comes through. Without fail, I then notice a radical difference in the other person.” God appeared to Solomon in a dream soon after his

Solomon’s reputation was made and the people knew that he was equipped with wisdom from God. This wisdom is such a remarkable and rare phenomenon that a secular newspaper recently used the phrase “Solomon’s wisdom” in a headline. They referred to the “win-win” solution arrived at in a potentially explosive situation - squatters had taken over private property. An order was made in terms whereof the land owner was fully compensated and the squatters were not left homeless. This was a first of its kind in South Africa. The news was carried abroad under the banner “Solomon’s Wisdom” and we saw the Divine gift of wisdom operating in a very tough real life situation. God stepped in to bring hope to a nation through leaders who share His heart.

Credits New Bible Commentary, 21st Century Edition, consulting editors: D A Carson, R T France, J A Motyer, G J Wenham, Complete Bible Handbook, Lawrence O. Richards.

are my prayers being heard? The most universally practiced yet least understood of human experiences, prayer, is one of the great mysteries of the Christian faith. Its simplest definition is communication with God. Yet so often we approach prayer like a one-way telephone conversation, forgetting that God also wants to speak to us. And how do we pray – on our knees or standing; silently or out loud; alone or with others; by rote or spontaneously? Prayer is the very essence of a faith relationship with the living God. Simple enough for a child to understand and yet so profound we spend a lifetime plumbing its depths, prayer assumes that it is possible or us to have an intimate relationship with a God who hears, cares, and is able to act. ( T o u c h P o i n t B i b l e )

photography: andrea badenhorst

words: corrie huyser

WE OFTEN DO NOT PRAY WITH BOLDNESS because of doubt as to whether God really hears and answers us. It does not have to be - God promises to respond to our prayers, provided that we follow some simple guidelines. Three important guidelines according to the New Testament are to remain in Christ, to pray according to His will, and to pray in His name. The first guideline, that of remaining in Christ, is worded as follows in John 15:7, "If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you." In John 15:10 He explains what it means to remain in Him. In principle we should maintain the same relationship with Christ that He maintained with the Father.

Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus refers to the Father as being the source of His life and the sole reason for His being on earth. The words Jesus spoke were those of the Father (John 14:10); Jesus could do nothing of Himself, but only did what He saw the Father do (John 5:19); Jesus did not seek His own glory, but left that up to the Father (John 8:50). He could truly say; "I am in My Father." This is the standard Jesus set for remaining in Him. Jesus used the analogy of the vine and the branches to illustrate what He meant with our remaining in Him. He is the vine; we are the branches. The vine has everything; the branch has nothing. The branches can do nothing of themselves but can only live and bear fruit when connected to the vine, their source of life. Jesus is our source of life and the answer to our prayers. Living a

life connected to Christ in this way, involves submission to the limitations of God's will. We need to accept our own weakness and allow God’s strength to work in us. This is a life of faith - trusting Christ for everything and knowing that He can meet all our needs. We know that we remain in Him if we can wholeheartedly say, as Paul did; "To me to live is Christ" (Philippians 1:21). The second guideline, namely to pray according to God’s will, is found in 1 John 5:14-15: "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of Him." This verse invites us to

pray with boldness. We tend to forget this invitation and pray with doubt. We sometimes wonder whether it is indeed possible to know the will of God when we pray. God teaches us His will through His Word and His Spirit. Although Scripture is clear on God’s will pertaining to certain key issues, some of our needs and desires are very specific and God’s will may not be completely clear from the Bible alone. In this regard we may pray for ourselves as Paul did for the Colossians, and ask God "to fill (us) with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding" (Colossians 1:9). The Holy Spirit will reveal the will of God to our hearts and help us in our prayers. In Romans 8:26-27 Paul says, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." As long as we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, we will pray according to the will of God. Thirdly, we are taught to pray in the Name of Christ. In John 14:14 He promises, “If you ask Me for anything in My Name, I will do it.” Scripture repeatedly emphasises the value and power of the name of Jesus Christ. His name saves, sanctifies and justifies us. We may give thanks, pray, preach, teach and perform miracles in the name of Jesus. In fact we should say and

do all things in His name (Colossians 3:17). The name of Jesus is the source of our authority in prayer. What, then, is the meaning of praying in the name of Jesus? It helps to picture heaven as God’s bank and prayers as cheques. If I presented my own cheque to this bank, I would have no guarantee to receive anything as I may not have sufficient funds in my account.

name and we have to be good stewards in His name. Our objective should be the same as His - to glorify the Father. We can indeed be sure that our prayers are heard and will be answered, provided that we adhere to God’s guidelines. Following these guidelines will result in the added comfort of knowing that our prayers and the answers to them, will always be for the glory of God.

The Holy Spirit is given to us to reveal the will of God to our hearts Jesus, on the other hand, has unlimited credit with God’s bank. I can therefore be assured that a cheque drawn in His name, will be honoured. He has granted us the privilege of approaching the bank with cheques drawn in His name. To pray in His name is to pray as His representatives, with His authority, according to His will and purpose. It results in praying with His compassion, motivated by His interests, carrying His burdens, reaching out towards His objectives. Praying in His name as His representatives also implies acting as His representatives. When we obtain what we have asked for in the name of Christ, we still need to consider His will and purpose. We ask in His name, we receive in His

“to pray in His Name is to pray as His representatives”

photogr aphy : liezl du preez

theholyspirit Transformed by His presence

The following is an excerpt out of Larry Keefauver s book “Experiencing the Holy Spirit”. Published by Thomas Nelson Publishers and available at leading Christian bookstores.

ONE OF THE SYMBOLS of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament is “rivers of living water” (John 7:38-39). Out of the throne of God flows His Spirit, the river of living water: “The angel showed me a pure river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Rev 22:1). The Holy Spirit is a fountain of living water springing up within you and flowing out of your life in service and ministry. You can’t give what you don’t have. And you don’t have anything to give in service, ministry, or worship without the Holy Spirit. Have you ever had times in life when the well has run dry? You’ve started to pray, and nothing. You’ve begun to worship, and nothing. You’ve wanted to give, and nothing. You know that you’ve needed to study the Word, but the words stick to the page and nothing enters your mind or spirit. What’s happened? Something has clogged the well. What’s needed? It’s time to dig a new well. Your inner self feeds on the Word of God. The Spirit in you flows out of you as you walk in the Spirit. But there are times in life when you enter into a spiritual wasteland where all seems spiritually arid and dry. It’s time to discover how to dig a new well. DIGGING NEW WELLS Read Genesis 26, which tells the story of Isaac’s need to dig new wells. Retell the story in your own words, and describe why Isaac needed to dig new wells. Read Numbers 21, which tells the story of Israel’s need for a new well. What did Israel do to secure fresh water?

EXAMINE YOURSELF Is your well clogged? Whatever may clog your well from time to time needs to be removed. And there are times when you need to dig a new well or stop drinking from someone else’s well. For example, some people try to live vicariously off what the latest writer, preacher, televangelist, or teacher has springing up in his well. As deep as that well may be and as refreshing as the splash of that experience of the Spirit may be for you, your relationship with the Spirit cannot live off someone else’s water. To dig a well, you must shovel away the dirt that clogs the Spirit’s pipeline to your body and soul. COMPLETE THESE SENTENCES What’s clogging my well is.....? I need a new well to spring up in .....? EXPERIENCE THE HOLY SPIRIT You may need to dig a new well into a spiritual discipline, which has the Spirit’s waters as its source, that will release a fresh spring of living waters into your life. For example, you may dig a new well down deep into praise so that the praise that bubbles up in you will flow afresh from Him. Or you may dig deep into the soils of: • the Word for fresh revelation. • fasting for newfound discipline over body and soul. • faith that you may walk in the invisible. • prayer so that God and you may commune more intimately. • witnessing so that His Spirit will renew your testimony. • silence so that you may unmistakenly hear His voice.

As you have discovered, living water represents the presence of God’s Spirit. “Wells” are one way that the flow of that living water in your life can be understood as you walk in the Spirit.

New wells dug into good soil tap into springs of living water that help us flow to a deeper level of intimacy with the Holy Spirit.

Read the following passage, and write down what it says about fresh water from new wells. (Isaiah 12:1-3).

Pray the following prayer with us: Spring up, O well of the Holy Spirit, in the dry places of my life. Amen

accomplished

mission

“THE DAY THEY SEND ME OVERSEAS, I’LL RESIGN,” my colleague Anna at a fashion magazine announced. She had watched the preparation to do a fashion story in the South of France (‘…and while you’re at it, one on perfume. And ask Princess Grace of Monaco for an interview…’). These were the encouraging instructions from our editor. I liked the editor and I liked to oblige. From where Anna sat, however, it looked like an endless inconvenience. The previous year the editor had also mentioned an interview with Princess Grace. Such interviews do not exist. At best it would be a paparazzi gossip story bought from syndicates or posed photographs taken by court photographers. I dutifully addressed the letter of application for an interview to the Press Office of the Palace of Monaco. To my surprise they took the trouble to respond in writing: In a beautiful envelope with the crest of the Grimaldi Principality embossed in thick paper was the letter saying: “The Princess regrets…” However, it was a year later and the editor had mentioned the interview with the Princess again. I dutifully applied once again, but this time mentioned that I would accompany the South African team that would compete in the Monte Carlo flower show. The Princess was the patron of the show. If this made the difference, I wouldn’t know. But this time the beautiful letter arrived with, to my huge surprise, the words: “The Princess has agreed…” A flurry of activity followed and I caught a flight to Barcelona. My friend Liza’s twin sister Nina would meet me at the airport and I would have a few days of my annual leave to spend on the Island of Majorca off the Spanish coast before heading for the interview of a lifetime. As I was making a phone call to Liza from a public phone on my arrival at Barcelona airport, someone stole my handbag from the little shelf in the phone booth. My colleagues and I had just read the book by Merlin Caruthers, “Prison to Praise” and learnt the value of praising God in adverse circumstances. Here was my opportunity to practise. I walked up and down the airport, a very desperate and shocked figure praising God out loud with people glancing sideways. Nina arrived in her deux cheveux Citroen, one of those small cardboard cars with lawnmower engines. She spoke a fluent Spanish and translated to the police. The first officer said in astonishment as if it was the first crime reported to him: “ … todos, todos!” (…everything, everything!”), referring to what was in my bag - money, passport, flight ticket etc.

everything... by dini esterhuizen

After a week of this, we were back at the airport because the authorities needed the initial statement from the police, which they had forgotten to make. I had to catch a train to Monaco. No more flying, since todos, including money, was stolen. Time was running out and Nina slapped the Citroen into what looked like a parking space. When we came running out, the little car was hanging from a crane, to be impounded for illegal parking.

“You mean she has nothing, nothing…” Nina translated, “…nada, nada…” Then a second police officer turned up and the first one informed him. Again I heard “todos, todos, nada, nada”, my first words in Spanish. So sincere was their sympathy that they forgot to take the statement. This would cost us dearly. No Majorca. A week followed with Nina and I chasing through Barcelona from officialdom to officialdom to get an emergency passport. One had to queue across the street from a building because of the authorities’ fear of bombs or uprisings from the Basque Separatists. A Spanish officer wearing the characteristic white gloves of the officialdom of this nation for centuries, would gesture to us waiting peasants to cross the street one by one. Nina was a specialist in the judging of Spanish officials by then, having lived in Barcelona for a few years with her Barcelona Bank manager husband Luis. She would give the official behind the counter one look and whisper to me: “For this one I’ll go I’m sorry I have been born, poor me, sorry I am breathing”and go on to wait to him with great effect. At the next counter she would whisper: “Don’t be scared, I am going to bang my fist on the counter, which she did, also with great effect.

At stake was the most important interview in my entire career the following day in Monaco. Nina pleaded in Spanish. I pleaded to God. To no avail. And then, looking up at the Spaniard, I started praying in a Spiritual language for the third time in my life. Down came the car. Remembering this, I always have the feeling that God allowed me to pray for that man’s salvation in the Spirit. The interview with the Princess went well and the photographs were beautiful. A week in Monaco as the guest of the Palace was unforgettable. My friends and I kept praying for the Grimaldi family after that. Perhaps that is what the story was about. Princess Grace died a few months later in a car accident on the mountain pass.

photography liezl du preez

"If you keep yourself pure, you will be a utensil God can use for His purpose. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work."

2 Timothy 2:21

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* J A R R O D S P E A K S * w h a t ?

“GLORY CARRIERS” Walking with God in the Supernatural - with Speaker, Author, Artistt Jarrod Cooper COST: R200 per person (includes lunch) Registration close on 20 April, A r Forms available from Breakthru Life Church

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22nd & 23rd of April 2005 Programme Friday 22nd April 18h45 - 19h15 : Registration

Saturday 23rd April 09h00 - 12h00 : 1st session 12h00 - 13h00 : Lunch 13h00 - 17h00 : 2nd session

w h e r e ?

Breakthru Life Church, 34 Kroton Street North, Weltevreden Park

* [ e v e n t s

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Contact Bev Faver at Breakthru Life Church Tel: 011 679 4264 Fax: 011 679 2710 e-mail: johncrumpton@mweb.co.za

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Through the eyes of a child Children learn what they live! What are we teaching them to "live"?

A NT IQUE a n d A NT OINE

Illustrator: Marthinus Palmer

Antoine, did you remember to put on your belt? It will hold up your pants and when you put on your shirt, you can stick it inside your pants and your belt will keep it in place.

Yes, Antique, I have my belt around my pants and my waist.

BELT OF TRUTH Jesus needs us to be soldiers for Him in the battle against Satan. He is always with us in this fight, and He gives us a set of armour to protect us. Although we cannot see it, we know it is there. A soldier in Jesusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; time would wear a big belt around his waist. The belt protected a large part of his body and kept the rest of the armour in place. The belt was therefore the very first piece of armour that a soldier would put on. Jesus gives us the belt of truth. What is this truth? That we are already on the winning side, because Jesus has won the victory for us! Satan is always trying to fool us into forgetting this truth. He uses lies to attack us; and he is very good at it, because he invented lies! This is why it is so important for us to keep our belts of truth fastened at all times. Antique and Antoine know how important their belts are. They know that if they would take their belts off, their enemies would be able to hurt them badly. Also, without their belts, they would not be able to use the rest of their armour properly. With their belts tight around their waists, Antique and Antoine are always ready for attacks!

Helmet

Breastplate

Belt

Shield

Shoes

Sword

ISSUE 2 (2005) - SAPPHIRE

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Feature

Food : The Fear Factor We take a look at eating disorders.

Fruit, Fruit, Fruit We visit the town of Clarens

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whotouchedme? When you give food and water to the poor, you give to the Lord. When you bring the homeless off the street, and give of your finances to help them, you give to the Lord. When you give clothing to the needy, visit the sick, and minister to those in prison, you give to the Lord.

God feeds the children of Appelpark photography: liezl du preez

words: retha fick

If you would like to extend a hand in helping Appelpark, please contact Betsie Stokes on 011 953 5214

TOUCH FOUNDATION exists to reach out to those in great need of God’s provision. In an endeavour to fulfil this call, the Krugersdorp suburb of Appelpark was chosen. For two consecutive Christmases, Touch Foundation distributed two hundred and fifty gifts to children at an event organised by a special lady living in this community. The whole Appelpark was invited. What a joy to have seen people responding to the love of Christ! Christ’s love is evident in the life of the woman arranging these events. Jacoba van der Berg from Appelpark, also known as Tannie Ogies, cooks food in large pots because she believes the fifty to a hundred hungry children she feeds on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays must go home totally satisfied. They are invited back for second and third helpings. A few years ago she started cooking for the children on a two-plate stove. Today she still trusts in God for the food necessary to feed these children

and to distribute to other needy people in the community. Jacoba’s home is open to anyone at all times. She doesn’t call it her own - it belongs to Jesus. “You cannot close the door of your house when God wants to enter.” The story of Helping Angels started in 2001. Although she had always been fond of giving, it was after a personal encounter with God that Jacoba realised that she desperately wanted to do something for Him. She asked Him directly, “Lord, what can I do for You?” Moved by the tremendous need of the people around her, she prayed again. God faithfully prompted her to start a feeding scheme. On the first of March 2001 she registered her own non-profit organisation, The Helping Angels – an appropriate name indeed, bearing in mind that the Greek word angelos, from which the English “angel” is derived, means “messenger of love” and “servant of God”.

God taught Jacoba to fully rely on Him. In keeping with the rule He laid down to the Israelites on providing them with manna in the desert, Jacoba never keeps food for more than a day. What God gives today, she hands out today. She testifies of numerous miracles. “We must not underestimate God. He waits for us to ask Him for what we need. When we are desperate He is there to help.” Jacoba also relies on God for wisdom - to know to whom to give and on which occasion, as well as to encourage the people of the community who are living in fear of losing their homes. To the children Tannie Ogies has become like a mother. She teaches them about God and love for each other. She even helps them with school projects. When discouragement creeps in, Jacoba reminds herself that what God started, no human being will be able to stop. For the children’s sake, she will continue to trust in Him to prompt people to give from their abundance.

photography liezl du preez

wordsof wealth Continue to read with us through Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Word in one year.

Day 01 : Mark 7:1-13 / Numbers 20, 21, 22

Day 16 : Mark 14: 27-53 / Deuteronomy 26, 27

Day 02 : Mark 7: 14-37 / Numbers 23, 24, 25

Day 17 : Mark 14: 54-72 / Deuteronomy 28, 29

Day 03 : Mark 8: 1-21 / Numbers 26, 27

Day 18 : Mark 15: 1-25 / Deuteronomy 30, 31

Day 04 : Mark 8: 22-38 / Numbers 28, 29, 30

Day 19 : Mark 15: 26-47 / Deuteronomy 32, 33, 34

Day 05 : Mark 9: 1-29 / Numbers 31, 32, 33

Day 20 : Mark 16 / Joshua 1, 2, 3

Day 06 : Mark 9: 30-50 / Numbers 34, 35, 36

Day 21 : Luke 1: 1-20 / Joshua 4, 5, 6

Day 07 : Mark 10: 1-31 / Deuteronomy 1, 2

Day 22 : Luke 1: 21-38 / Joshua 7, 8, 9

Day 08 : Mark 10: 32-52 / Deuteronomy 3, 4

Day 23 : Luke 1: 39-56 / Joshua 10, 11, 12

Day 09 : Mark 11: 1-18 / Deuteronomy 5 ,6, 7

Day 24 : Luke 1: 57-80 / Joshua 13, 14, 15

Day 10 : Mark 11: 19-33 / Deuteronomy 8, 9, 10

Day 25 : Luke 2: 1-24 / Joshua 16, 17, 18

Day 11 : Mark 12: 1-27 / Deuteronomy 11, 12, 13

Day 26 : Luke 2: 25-52 / Joshua 19, 20, 21

Day 12 : Mark 12: 28-44 / Deuteronomy 14, 15, 16

Day 27 : Luke 3 / Joshua 22, 23, 24

Day 13 : Mark 13: 1-20 / Deuteronomy 17, 18, 19

Day 28 : Luke 4: 1-30 / Judges 1, 2, 3

Day 14 : Mark 13 21-37 / Deuteronomy 20, 21, 22

Day 29 : Luke 4: 31-44 / Judges 4, 5, 6

Day 15 : Mark 14: 1-26 / Deuteronomy 23, 24, 25

Day 30 : Luke 5: 1-16 / Judges 7, 8

Day 31 : Luke 5: 17-39 / Judges 9, 10

APOSTLE

FIND THE

BELIEVE DAMASCUS GENESIS

s d r o w

INNOCENCE

NAOMI

PSALMS COMMANDMENT DISCERNMENT GHOST 92

JESUS PALESTINE REPENT BEHTLEHEM CRUCIFIXION EARTH HOLY KNOWLEDGE PROVERBS REVELATIONS

what’s in a

name?

In Biblical times a person’s name had a lot to do with character and destiny. In some special cases, God changed peoples names... Abram became Abraham, Sara became Sarah, Jacob became Israel and Saul became Paul. It is interesting to know the meaning, origin and spiritual significance of your name.

Every month we will publish a few names from The Name Book.

Enjoy!

LUCILE/LUCIA

ISHMAEL

ZURI/ZURIA

Language/Cultural Origin: English Inherent meaning: Light Bringer Spiritual Connotation: Chosen of God Scripture: Romans 8:28 NKJV

Language/Cultural Origin: Hebrew Inherent meaning: God will hear Spiritual Connotation: Blessed Scripture: Genesis 17:20 NCV

Language/Cultural Origin: Swahili Inherent meaning: Beautiful Spiritual Connotation: Messenger Scripture: Romans 10:15 NRSV

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

“As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will bless him and give him many descendants …. I will make him into a great nation.”

“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

RASHAD

GARETH

KAYSA/KAJSA

Language/Cultural Origin:Middle Eastern Inherent meaning: Wise Leader Spiritual Connotation: Discerning Scripture: Proverbs 4:7

Language/Cultural Origin: Welsh Inherent meaning: Gentle Spiritual Connotation: Peaceful Scripture: Proverbs 15:1 RSV

Language/Cultural Origin: Swedish Inherent meaning: Clean Spiritual Connotation: Innocent Scripture: 2 Samuel 22:21 NLT

“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever else you get, get insight.”

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

“The Lord rewarded me for doing right; He compensated me because of my innocence.”

BECKY/BEKA

TEAGAN/TEGAN

LEON

Language/Cultural Origin: English Inherent meaning: Bound by Love Spiritual Connotation: Loving Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:4 NCV

Language/Cultural Origin: Welsh Inherent meaning: Attractive Spiritual Connotation: Faithful Scripture: Titus 2:10 NCV

Language/Cultural Origin: English¬ Inherent meaning: Brave as a Lion Spiritual Connotation: Brave Scripture: Joshua 1:7 NASB

“Love is patient and kind, Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud.”

“They ... should show their masters they can be fully trusted so that in everything they do they will make the teaching of God our Saviour attractive.”

“Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you … so that you may have success wherever you go.”

F r o m

T h e

N a m e

B o o k

b y

D o r o t h y

A s t o r i a ,

B e t h a n y

H o u s e

P u b l i s h e r s

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/ sales@ascotcat.co.za

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photography: liezl du preez

We can only imagine the beauty of the Heavenly City Jerusalem. What we see and where we live right now is temporal. Heaven is an eternal reality and so is hell. In Heaven we will not need hope because everything is perfect. In hell there is no hope. Today we can still live in the hope of one day meeting our Lord Jesus. He was crucified for our sins but He overcame death. All you need to do is to invite Jesus into your heart as your Saviour. He forgives us our sins and gives us New Life. He has gone to prepare a place for you in Heaven.

Jesus said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.