Issue 10 - Chrysoprase by Lindie Gouws

living My Word in your world makes the difference Issue 10 - 2006

Chrysoprase

Resurrection

life

08 10

108 pages of inspiration, values and real life Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about

9 771812 324004

Mercy The Oxford Dictionary of English defines mercy as: “Compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.”

How many of us have not at some stage disobeyed traffic rules – whether by exceeding the speed limit, driving without our driver’s licenses in our possession, or even skipping a red traffic light? If we are caught at that moment, we know full well that we are guilty. All we should expect, is to receive punishment – a fine or even imprisonment. Imagine the traffic officer simply says, “You are free to go. I will pardon this offence. Just do not do it again.” At that moment we heave a sigh of relief, knowing that we did not receive that which we deserved. We deserved to be punished; instead we were shown mercy.

In the same way we come before God, humbled by our sin, knowing that we deserve judgement. Yet, as we come acknowledging and repenting of our sin, expecting to be judged, we receive the exact opposite of judgement… the unconditional love of a God and Father who loves us so much that He opens His arms and welcomes us Home.

Part of God’s character is love, compassion and mercy. He loved us so much that He was prepared to pay the ultimate price for our souls. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). That is why He deserves the highest praise! In 1 Peter 1:3-5 we read, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in Heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” Thank God for His mercy. Now we can look forward to the New Jerusalem, where we will spend forever with Jesus. There where, according to Revelation, the city wall has twelve foundation stones. The first foundation stone is 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 MY World is built. Our tenth issue - our tenth foundation is

Chrysoprase

Chrysoprase Issue 10 –

From the Book of Exodus for foundation ten -

Chrysoprase

“You in Your mercy have led forth the people whom You have redeemed; You have guided them in Your strength to Your holy habitation.” Exodus 15:13

From the Book of Hebrews for our issue on mercy:

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

an evangelism tool that is timeless

“Our vision is to be a tree planted by the Living Waters of Life

and to bear fruit every month

through leaves that bring healing.”

This simply means that as you page through MY World, you will be inspired, you will be touched and you will be brought closer to Jesus.

(This issue’s cover is a reflection of the new life we find in Jesus Christ. He makes us lie down in green pastures; He leads us beside the still waters. When we come to the foot of the Cross, we find mercy; we find true life!)

OUR TEAM: EDITORIAL Lindie Gouws Ena du Plessis Retha Fick Zoë Simani

Founder and Editor Copy-Editor Editorial Assistant Proof Reader

CONCEPTUALIZATION AND DESIGN Lindie Gouws Conceptualization and Graphic Design Liezl du Preez Photographer Cindèle Blake Photographer ADMINISTRATION Celia van Wyk Erika J v Vuuren Zoë Simani Betsie Stokes Enocentia Maraya Cherise Helena Patricia Mosadi

Personal Assistant Administrator Administrator Administrator Administrator Administrator Office Assistant

CONTRIBUTORS Acknowledged at respective contributions Phe-tiwe Media and Publications (Pty) Ltd reserves the copyright to the content of MY World.

Contact Details Tel +27(11) 953-5214 Fax +27(11) 953-4281 Postal Address Private Bag 2003, Krugersdorp, 1740 Physical Address No 1 Windsor Road, Mogale City, Gauteng Advertising +27(11) 953-5214 Subscriptions +27(11) 953-5214 Electronic Subscriptions subscribe@myworld.za.com Printing Printability

Directors: Lindie Gouws Johannes Gumede Futhi Masuku All graphic illustrations have been conceptualized and created by MY World and remain the property of Phe-tiwe. All photos (unless otherwise stated) have been commissioned by the Editor and remain the property of Phe-tiwe. Scripture references were taken from: The Amplified Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan (1965) King James Version The Message. Colorado Springs: Navpress (1993) New International Version. Colorado Springs: International Bible Society (1978, 1984) New King James Version. Nashville, TN: Thoman Nelson Inc. (1979, 1980, 1982) New Living Translation Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers (1996)

I was introduced to you in December 2005. I was thrilled with the content and decided to subscribe for myself and my daughter. It is truly exciting to have a magazine that is grounded in the Word, has cutting-edge articles and miraculous testimonies and above all has an ear for the move of the Holy Spirit.

I still cannot believe that God is spoiling us with a magazine like this! The way in which God has put all of you together and speaks through you, is wonderful. You are so gifted.

Blessings and keep on listening.

Thank you so much for a godly magazine. This is a treat from cover to cover. I believe that God is going to use this magazine much further than Africa. Thank you for being obedient to our Father. Your rewards are going to be great.

Irma Moffat George

My wish for all of you is that your work will never feel like work but to carry on experiencing Him in your lives.

I just want to say thank you for a wonderful magazine. I do not miss one issue. It enriches my life so much, and the magazines are read and re-read. Every time I read it, I find something new. May God bless you.

Blessings Annelie Venter Tzaneen

Letters to

Sonette Joubert Tshwane

To all our readers... Thank you, thank you, thank you! To everyone who phones... Your calls are welcomed and so encouraging! To all MY World directors and staff, I thank you for being obedient to God’s calling. Remember that your sacrifice and commitment to this ministry are not in vain. The MY World issues are unique.

Please e-mail your letters to letters@myworld.za.com or post them to Private Bag 2003, Krugersdorp, 1740.

I just want you all to know how God has used your magazine to draw close to me and show me that He is near. Just before Please phone us at +27(11) 953-5214 Christmas my mother was murdered. As you can imagine this has left her family and friends bereft. My mom loved To myself as a pastor and a missionary, MY World has the Lord with all her heart, mind and soul so we have a become a tool to use in my ministry and I also gain great peace about where she is. Nevertheless, we call on biblically sound knowledge as I read it. the Lord for comfort during such a painful time and He answers over and over, even with your magazine. I was in I promise to do whatever I can for the extension of MY the shop, I looked down, and I saw issue eight with World’s mission and vision. I have committed myself to “Forgive as you have been forgiven” on the cover. I also pray for MY World’s staff every morning. I pray that the noticed that the foundation stone was Beryl. It moved me Lord may continue to use you through His grace. greatly because my mother’s name was Beryl Lamberth. Pastor Henry and Nora Ncube Eshowe

Thank you Shelly Gardner Cape Town

ChrysopraseIssue

Contents

REAL LIFE Substance addiction

Raised from the dead

Nicole Hutchinson was miraculously healed

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am the way, the truth and the life. In Me you live and breathe and move and have your very existence. Be one, as We are One.â&#x20AC;?

Fruit stories Krugersdorp Breaking down barriers

Isaiah Reed testifies of coming back to life

My best friend Jesus

FRUIT, FRUIT, FRUIT

48 50

WORK AND PLAY Financial mercy One day in the life of a postman When delivering the message is the greatest priority

56 58

IT WAS GOOD Aquatic acrobats The essence of water

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God”. MICAH 6:8

SPIRIT LIFE All about Jesus

Book excerpt

Beatitudes on the Mount

Mercy

Spiritual warfare

The belt of truth

THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD Kingdom Antventures

Ikageng

WORDS OF WEALTH

102 Find the word

for they shall be comforted

Mercy

WHO TOUCHED ME? Susan Luthuli shares of her work for God

Blessed are those who mourn,

Y-TALK!

103 What’s in a name?

Welcome to Chrysoprase - Our issue of mercy Just be! When God gave me this word for “From my heart” for Chrysoprase, I did not realize that it would be a consummation of the message on pages 30-38, “I am the way, the truth and the life. In Me you live and breathe and move and have your very existence. Be one as We are One.” In October 2005, I addressed a group of women in Potchefstroom. The event was housed in a beautiful, white marquee tent. I stood at the entrance of the tent and as I looked down, I noticed one of the main tent pegs hit very deeply into the ground. The Holy Spirit spoke to me at that moment. I had to tell the meeting that wherever we in South Africa, irrespective of our denominations, nationality or other differences, would gather in the Name of Jesus, with the sole purpose of worshipping Him and bringing Him glory, we would be hitting a tent peg deeply into the ground. I delivered the message. Then in November my friends Andries and Angelo went on a business trip overseas. They contacted me via SMS and asked what they could bring me as a gift. I replied that I was contemplating buying myself a new watch. I would appreciate if they could get me a watch, something sporty, yet feminine. So of course, they set off on their mission in search of something sporty, yet feminine. When Andries and Angelo arrived back from their trip they invited me for supper to give me my gift. When I opened the box, I very tactfully exclaimed, “This is lovely, but I’m sure you gave me the wrong box. This is a man’s watch.” To my surprise Andries replied, “This is the ladies’ range, Lindie. It is sporty!” So I accepted and was very grateful for my “sporty” gift. Soon after that, I had a meeting with one of our contributors, Christa. When she noticed my new watch, she asked me what was up with the “new look”. I told her how it had come about. “Then this is your Deborah watch, Lindie, it looks like a ‘judge‘s’ watch,” she said. I decided to take a closer look at Deborah and the Book of Judges. As I read, I realized how God’s Hand was in the purchase of my “Deborah watch”. Through this, He led me again to a tent peg.

In Judges 4:14-21 I read, “Then Deborah said to Barak, ‘Go! This is the day the Lord has given Sisera into your hands. Has not the Lord gone ahead of you?’ So Barak went down Mount Tabor, followed by ten thousand men. At Barak’s advance, the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and army by the sword, and Sisera abandoned his chariot and fled on foot. But Barak pursued the chariots and army as far as Harosheth Haggoyim. All the troops of Sisera fell by the sword; not a man was left. “Sisera, however, fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there were friendly relations between Jabin king of Hazor and the clan of Heber the Kenite. “Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, ‘Come, my lord, come right in. Don’t be afraid.’ So he entered her tent, and she put a covering over him. “‘I’m thirsty,’ he said. ‘Please give me some water.’ She opened a skin of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him up. “‘Stand in the doorway of the tent,’ he told her. ‘If someone comes by and asks you, “Is anyone here?” say “No.”’ “But Jael, Heber’s wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.” Then in Judges 5 I read the Song of Deborah, and verses 24-27 stood out, “Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, most blessed of tent-dwelling women. He asked for water, and she gave him milk; in a bowl fit for nobles she brought him curdled milk. Her hand reached for the tent peg, her right hand for the workman’s hammer. She struck Sisera, she crushed his head, she shattered and pierced his temple. At her feet he sank, he fell; there he lay. At her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell – dead.” Jael crushed the head of the enemy and he was paralyzed and killed. This Scripture reminded me of Genesis 3:14-15, “So the Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush you head and you will strike his heel.”’” The commentary on verse 15 in the Life Application Study Bible, (Tyndale) says, “Satan is our enemy. He will do anything he can to get us to follow his evil, deadly plan. The phrase ‘you will strike his heel’ refers to Satan’s repeated attempts to defeat Christ during His life on earth. ‘He will crush your head’ foreshadows Satan’s defeat when Christ rose from the dead. A strike on the heel is not deadly, but a crushing blow to the head is. Already God was revealing his plan to defeat Satan and offer salvation to the world through His Son, Jesus Christ.” I knew that God was speaking to me about a tent peg and about the defeat of the enemy by the crushing of his head. I then read further on Scripture references pertaining to a tent peg. The entire passage in Zechariah 10 is significant, and particularly verses 4, 5 and 12. “‘From Judah will come the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler. Together they will be like mighty men trampling the muddy streets in battle. Because the Lord is with them, they will fight and overthrow the horsemen… I will strengthen them in the Lord and in His Name they will walk’ declares the Lord.” The commentary in the Life Application Study Bible says, “Zechariah’s prophecy, more than 500 years before Christ’s first coming, called Christ the cornerstone (see also Isaiah 28:16), the tent peg (Isaiah 22:23), the battle bow and a ruler who was a man of action (see also Genesis 49:10, Micah 5:2).” A tent peg was strategic in the crushing of the enemy’s head. Jael (the woman in Judges) took up the tent peg and struck the enemy’s head and killed him. From the Book of Genesis we see God’s plan to defeat Satan (by the crushing of his head) and to offer salvation to the world through His Son Jesus. In Zechariah 10 we saw the promise of the cornerstone, the tent peg, the battle bow coming from Judah and God’s promise in verse 12, “I will strengthen them in the Lord and in His Name they will walk.” I knew this: Jesus is our Tent Peg! He promises that He wil strengthen us and that in His Name we will walk. So where we as His children gather in His Name, with the purpose to worship Him and Him only, we will be hitting the tent peg through the head of the enemy. We can put our differences aside and focus only on Him. We must be united in His Name. As His children we can stand together and just be what He has called us to be…one in Him!

“dear

reader

”

We have reached a milestone and it is a privilege to pen this letter to you. Whether this is the first time you are introduced to MY World or whether you are one of our loyal readers, we hope that your life will be enriched by the content of Issue 10, Chrysoprase - a full eight pages thicker! MY World is unique and challenges the paradigms set within the publishing industry. Part of MY World’s uniqueness lies in the shape, layout, contents and standard and these did not originate in a human design, but was given, directed and fulfilled by the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit. Many people are interested in the reason for the square shape and the foundation theme. That is why we decided to include this letter explaining how God gave and inspired the “making of MY World”. I come from the corporate industry. I was serving on the directorate of a couple of companies and doing research in strategic transformation and development when God called me into media. In October 2003 I was asked to become involved in a national publication as editor, which I did. Yet then God started working in my heart to begin a new South African Christian family magazine. After wrestling with God concerning this (because my life was very well organized) I received a clear word and instruction from Him. This was later confirmed through a prophetic word I received.

It was then that God started working with me in a more intense way. He gave me the name: MY World. When I applied for the name and trademark, I was informed that a large publishing company already owned the trademark. I just believed that if God had given me the name He would release it to me. A few days later the publisher sent me a letter informing me that they were releasing the name! MY World’s motto is: living MY Word in your world makes the difference. I asked God for the vision of MY World and He answered me one evening by saying that we have to be like a tree planted at the Living Waters of Life, bearing fruit and bringing healing. The next day we had our first contributors’ meeting. We were looking for a specific verse in the Book of Revelation when we opened on Revelation 22: “And He showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the Throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” That was confirmation. Then God showed me the calling on South Africa: Nine provinces, nine fruit of the Spirit. He said, “South Africa, you are a basket of fruit, ripe and ready for the picking.” He told me, “Publish it!” He then showed me a vision of a square, which was later confirmed when I asked Him to help me with the various colours for the name MY World on the cover of each issue. He answered by directing me to Revelation 21. I opened my Bible and God drew my attention to the 12 foundation stones in the wall of the New Jerusalem (the first being Jasper, the second Sapphire, the third Chalcedony, etc). So, as from January 2005 the colours of the various issues of MY World have been according to the foundation stones of Revelation 21. I read on in Revelation 21 and saw that the New Jerusalem was laid out as a square. God had confirmed the shape of MY World! I also had a vision of the cover of the Key Issue, containing 12 faces. Initially I did not understand but later while researching the 12 precious stones, my copy editor brought me a book on the breastplate of the high priest. I was astounded as I saw the 12 stones set in the spaces of the vision I had seen. We then designed a cover with 12 faces and dressed the people in the colours of the precious stones as they were mounted on the breastplate.

“dear

reader

”

God gave me a word concerning the vision of the breastplate for the cover of the Key Issue.

“I teach you to guard your heart with all diligence because from it will flow forth the issues of life. I also teach you that your calling is irrevocable. I will use your gifts to fulfil your call. “Now the high priest had to wear a breastplate to protect his heart and daily you need to wear a spiritual breastplate to protect your own heart. “Tell the people of South Africa that as they fulfil their individual callings I, God, will take them and mount them individually as precious persons in the positions of precious stones in a spiritual breastplate. “As they are individually mounted, collectively they become a breastplate that protects the heart of South Africa. Then flowing from the heart of the nation will be issues that will bring healing to many others.” 10

In the Key Issue we published an article on the miracle that took place in 1994. From threatening anarchy South Africa was taken to unity. We are proud to be South African. I pray that you will feel my heart concerning MY World. MY World is really like my child. As in the natural dimension, when a baby is born and then raised, we as a team experienced the spiritual birth of a God-given vision and “child”, MY World. Our responsibility now is to take care of MY World as one would take care of a real child. Being the mother I nurture and protect MY World. With every issue I will continue in defining the theme and delivering the specific message I receive from God as well as in directing, designing and editing. My personal assistant Celia helps me to be the best “mom” I can be. My fellow editorial team members Ena and Retha together with the contributors, fulfil the role of teachers. A mother will entrust a child to teachers to assist in moulding the child’s character. Through the team and contributors’ writing, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, this is done. Our administrative team, Andries, Enocentia, Zoë, Erika, Betsie, Cherise and Patricia, is responsible to feed MY World by ensuring that all the administrative and general office tasks are done correctly. Photographers Liezl and Cindèle dress MY World in a colourful array of photo’s. After publication of our ninth issue, Topaz, MY World was truly born and has now started to grow – by a full eight pages, as you will notice from this 10th issue. A child first learns to crawl, then walk and run. MY World is crawling by firstly being available in leading bookshops and through agents. Since Topaz, MY World has been available at certain SPAR outlets nationwide. Soon MY World will walk by being available in other outlets and then run by being freely available on the internet. Issue 11 will be Jacinth and issue 12 Amethyst, which will conclude the foundation theme. God has already provided me with the theme for the next 12 issues – the 12 gates in the wall of the New Jerusalem as mentioned in Revelation 21:12, “It had a great high wall with twelve gates and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.” We pray that through this theme, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we will continue to spread God’s Word, to fight the good fight and to be victorious in Jesus Christ. May many souls be won for Jesus!

Day 3 : Ephesians 5: 17-33 / Isaiah 17, 18, 19 Day 4 : Ephesians 6 / Isaiah 20, 21, 22 Day 5 : Philippians 1 / Isaiah 23, 24, 25 Day 6 : Philippians 2 / Isaiah 26, 27 Day 7 : Philippians 3 / Isaiah 28, 29

wealth

Day 2 : Ephesians 5: 1-16 / Isaiah 14, 15, 16

words of

Day 1 : Ephesians 4 / Isaiah 11, 12, 13

Day 8 : Philippians 4 / Isaiah 30, 31 Day 9 : Colossians 1 / Isaiah 32, 33 Day 10 : Colossians 2 / Isaiah 34, 35, 36 Day 11 : Colossians 3 / Isaiah 37, 38

month 10

Day 12 : Colossians 4 / Isaiah 39, 40

Day 22: 1 Timothy 2 / Isaiah 65, 66

Day 13 : 1 Thessalonians 1 / Isaiah 41, 42

Day 23: 1 Timothy 3 / Jeremiah 1, 2

Day 14 : 1 Thessalonians 2 / Isaiah 43, 44

Day 24: 1 Timothy 4 / Jeremiah 3, 4, 5

Day 15 : 1 Thessalonians 3 / Isaiah 45, 46

Day 25: 1 Timothy 5 / Jeremiah 6, 7, 8

Day 16 : 1 Thessalonians 4 / Isaiah 47, 48, 49

Day 26: 1 Timothy 6 / Jeremiah 9, 10, 11

Day 17: 1 Thessalonians 5 / Isaiah 50, 51, 52

Day 27: 2 Timothy 1 / Jeremiah 12, 13, 14

Day 18: 2 Thessalonians 1 / Isaiah 53, 54, 55

Day 28: 2 Timothy 2 / Jeremiah 15, 16, 17

Day 19: 2 Thessalonians 2 / Isaiah 56, 57, 58

Day 29: 2 Timothy 3 / Jeremiah 18, 19

Day 20: 2 Thessalonians 3 / Isaiah 59, 60, 61

Day 30: 2 Timothy 4 /Jeremiah 20, 21

Day 21: 1 Timothy 1 / Isaiah 62, 63, 64

Day 31: Titus 1 /Jeremiah 22, 23

WORD SEARCH

W compiled by myna gouws

find the word

S J

R T N E A D A R H O

E G A P M E I Z

R E N H L

Find these words ABRAHAM

K N O B V V V A S A I

E F U O A W E I

FORGIVEN

R R R V

OLIVE

K N Q D S L T

A J

N O I Q Y I

Y A L

S O G C A E W N L

R S T

T P M E D E R O D G A B R A H A M F

M O Q H N A B G W W F

SAR AH

ND DT

102

WOR W R

ARARAT

H EBR EW S

R ED EM PT ION SIMON D AVID

MOUNT

N C M T U O E E Q T R S I T

W C C H F

E M K K

S T E D N O M I

S R V

Complete this word search correctly and send it to MY World, Private Bag 2003, Krugersdorp, 1740.

The first 3 correct entries will each receive a subscription for 3 months.

R EVELAT ION SONGS

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 people’s names... Abram became Abraham, Sarai 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!

LEX

LIA / LIAH / LEAH / LEIGH

FAITH / FAYTH

Language / Cultural Origin: English Inherent Meaning: Defender of Mankind Spiritual Connotation: Protector Scripture: Psalm 9:9 TLB

Language / Cultural Origin: Greek Inherent Meaning: Bringer of Good News Spiritual Connotation: Messenger Scripture: Luke 2:10 NASB

Language / Cultural Origin: English Inherent Meaning: Firm Believer Spiritual Connotation: Faith Scripture: Mark 9:23 NCV

All who are oppressed may come to Him. He is a refuge for them in their times of trouble.

And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people.”

All things are possible for the one who believes.

YVES / IVES

CHANNING / CHANE / CHANN

Language / Cultural Origin: French Inherent Meaning: Little Archer Spiritual Connotation: Trusting Spirit Scripture: Psalm 37:5 RSV

Language / Cultural Origin: English Inherent Meaning: Wise Spiritual Connotation: Obedient Scripture: Deuteronomy 4:6 NCV

Language / Cultural Origin: Welsh Inherent Meaning: Ardent Spiritual Connotation: Shepherd Scripture: 1 Peter 5:2 TLB

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act.

Obey these laws carefully, in order to show the other nations that you have wisdom and understanding.

Feed the flock of God; care for it willingly, not grudgingly; not for what you will get out of it but because you are eager to serve the Lord.

NEYLAN / NEYLA

LINDA / LINNEA

KEEGAN / KEGHAN / KEGAN

Language / Cultural Origin: Turkish Inherent Meaning: Granted Wish Spiritual Connotation: Made Whole Scripture: Luke 9:11 NCV

Language / Cultural Origin: Spanish Inherent Meaning: Beautiful Spiritual Connotation: Excellent Virtue Scripture: James 5:16 NRSV

Language / Cultural Origin: Gaelic Inherent Meaning: Fiery Spiritual Connotation: Righteous Scripture: Psalm 37:37 NKJV

But the people learned where Jesus went and followed him. He welcomed them and talked with them about God’s Kingdom and healed those who needed to be healed.

Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.

Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; for the future of that man is peace.

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

103

H o u s e

P u b l i s h e r s

What a friend we have in Jesus What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer. Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Saviour, still our refuge; take it to the Lord in prayer. Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In His arms He'll take and shield thee; thou wilt find a solace there. Joseph M. Scriven, 1820-1886

the covers of our foundation year our first series, based on the 12 foundation stones in the city wall of Jerusalem

an uncompromising voice in media

living My Word in your world makes the difference Issue 10 - 2006

Chrysoprase

Resurrection

life

08 10

108 pages of inspiration, values and real life Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about

9 771812 324004

real

life

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.â&#x20AC;? John 10:9

The term substance addiction could call to mind images of people inhaling powders or injecting themselves with dirty needles, ending up unconscious on the floor of a tiny flat â&#x20AC;&#x201C; deserted and dejected. But how many of us are not familiar with dependence on seemingly harmless substances and the accompanying cravv ings, irritability and headaches? In trying to cope with the demands of everyday living, many of us find ourr selves depending on something in a cup to keep us going during the day, something else in a glass to help us unwind in the evening and yet another something in tablet form to counter the effects of the cupfuls sipped earlier and to help us fall asleep at night â&#x20AC;&#x201C; without a thought as to the ingredients and possible side-effects. Addiction to both seemingly harmless substances available at the supermarket and hard drugs only obtainable through illegal means is more common than we often prefer to believe. The most common substances people become addicted to are nicotine, alcohol, drugs, medicines, caffeine and food.

substance

Addiction Addic AAd dddictio d ccttiiooonn words: ena du plessis, retha fick, linda ritchie

photography: liezl du preez

IT IS ALARMINGLY EASY to embark on the downhill road of

The impact of substance abuse can hardly be overestimated.

addiction, whether to internet, work, television, exercise or

It is estimated that 65 per cent of teenagers experiment with

substances. As far as substance addiction is concerned, abuse

drugs, which include nicotine and alcohol. Of these, 20 per

(improper or excessive use) of a substance is often the first

cent regularly take illegal drugs. The danger becomes appar-

step towards addiction. In the quest for something to make us

ent when one considers that according to the World Health

“feel good” many of us choose the road of substance abuse –

Organization 58 per cent of first-time users of addictive

a road that leads to the exact opposite.

substances become dependent and around three to five per cent are successfully rehabilitated.

Nowadays even hard drugs are more readily available than many people think. On the 4th of March 2006 the daily paper

Addiction can bring about trauma and destruction, not only to

The Star reported that drugs were now openly sold in the

the individual but also to their loved ones and to the entire

northern suburbs of Johannesburg. In its editorial of the same

community. The devastating effects are felt on various levels, including the body, soul and spirit of the addict. Substance abusers often, sometimes unknowingly, expose themselves spiritually to undesirable influences and could end up far worse than they might foresee.

date, The Star writes, “The fact that hard drugs are now openly being sold in the walled secure estates of the northern suburbs explodes forever the myth that drugs are sold on the seedy street corners of Hillbrow… today’s reality is that drugs are increasingly being used by the young elite, who think that because they are rich, cossetted [protected] and privileged that they are immune. Drugs cut across all barriers; race, gender, class and creed; there is no protection, no magic immunity.”

In this article MY World is bringing spiritual perspective on the topic of substance addiction.

THE REALITY OF THE SPIRITUAL DIMENSION God made man consisting of body, soul and spirit. We read in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, “… May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ...” God made man from the dust of the earth and breathed life into him. The body is merely the outer shell, containing the soul and spirit of man. The soul consists of the mind with its intellectual abilities and thought processes, the will and the emotions. The spirit is the innermost being of a person, the part that is made alive by the Holy Spirit at rebirth.

The president of the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) Dr Isak Burger recently wrote a book explaining the reality of the spiritual dimension, titled Die Geesteswêreld. MY World spoke to him regarding the relevance of the spiritual dimension to substance addiction. Dr Burger emphasizes that the human body, soul and spirit can be distinguished but not separated. We are complex beings and our body, soul and spirit are interwoven. What our body or soul experiences may therefore have spiritual consequences and vice versa.

authorities” are Satan and his demons. Dr Burger explains that Satan obtained a right to influence human beings when, in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve chose to disobey God. “They said no to God and yes to the devil,” he says. Since that day, the devil has been sparing no effort to “steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10) and his demons are assisting him to that effect.

God’s way, which leads to life, instead of the devil’s – sin which leads to death. God says in Deuteronomy 30:19, "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life…” Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

According to Dr Burger, Satan achieves his objectives: - Indirectly through the consequences of Adam and Eve’s choice. When Adam and Eve committed the first sin, negative consequences (such as sin, suffering, sickness and death) entered the world; - Directly through demonic presence.

It is against the backdrop of the reality of the spiritual dimension that we are taking a look at substance addiction.

The spiritual dimension, he further explains, is a reality beyond what we can perceive with our senses. It is no less real than the natural dimension, nor is it located elsewhere. We are part of both dimensions simultaneously. The spiritual dimension is inhabited by spiritual beings – angels and demons. Occurrences that we cannot explain in the natural dimension, such as miracles and rebirth, have their origin in the spiritual dimension.

The distinction between Satan’s direct and indirect influence on our world can be observed in the different ways Jesus, in His earthly ministry, healed people from sickness and disabilities. On one occasion He healed a deaf-mute man in the following way: “… Jesus put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spit and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to Heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, ‘Ephphatha!’ (which means, ‘Be opened!’). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly” (Mark 7:33-35). No mention is made of any evil presence or need for deliverance. The man’s disability could therefore be seen as an example of Satan’s indirect influence. In another instance a boy who had a mute spirit was brought to Jesus. Jesus rebuked the spirit and the child was healed. (Mark 9:17-29.) This boy was directly afflicted by a demon.

We read in Ephesians 6:12, “For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.” The “evil rulers and

In spite of the reality of the devil’s influence in our lives, Dr Burger reminds us that God has created us with a free will, with the ability to choose. “We are not passive victims of the devil. Human responsibility must not be underemphasized.” It is our obligation to keep choosing

ANALYZING THE PROBLEM OF SUBSTANCE ADDICTION Besides Dr Burger, MY World spoke to Marc Bredenkamp, Theuns Blom and Ado Krige who had not only been addicted themselves in some or other way and received their liberty in Christ, but also have extensive experience in counselling people with substance addiction problems. We asked these four men to share from their experience some of the causes of substance addiction as well as the way to complete freedom. Marc Bredenkamp was set free by the power of God in 1989 from 10 years of drug addiction, alcoholism, violence and the call to follow Satan to fulfil his purpose against this generation. He is founder and pastor of Destiny Harvest Centre in Umhlanga, Kwa-Zulu Natal. He is ministering extensively in South Africa, Europe, the USA and Reunion Island. Theuns Blom practised in the nursing profession for seven years before becoming a pastor at Little Falls Christian Centre in Roodepoort and dean of the College for Advanced Christian Education in 1991. He battled with alcohol and nicotine dependency, but in October 1984 the Lord completely set him free from any addictive tendencies.

Ado Krige from Derdepoort, Pretoria has been providing substance abusers with Biblical counselling for the past 20 years. The Lord rescued Ado from a life of drug abuse and Satanism in 1984. Possible causes of substance addiction According to Marc, various factors could contribute to the choice to start abusing and ultimately becoming addicted to substances, including lack of knowledge, curiosity, negative peer pressure, a lack of reason, a bad attitude, attempt to escape from reality, lack of purpose or direction in life, bad parenting, bad role models and lack of mentorship in the home. The extent to which demonic forces work through these factors must not be underestimated, says Marc. He warns that the devil tries to stir up harmful behaviour to bring about destruction, deception, lying, murder and tragedy. In Marc’s experience, the devil often uses to his advantage a parenting style that is not modelled on Scriptural principles. Marc has identified at least three major problems. One is the parenting style the child perceives as hypocritical. The parent would for example verbally condemn and forbid certain behaviour, while setting the opposite example. A second problem is what Marc calls abusive authority – “when there is no real discipline, but only punishment.” A third problem is a parenting style that might be perceived as out of control or explosive, “explosive meaning that every time the child wants to communicate with the parent, the parent overreacts.” As the home is where one learns to relate to authority, Marc explains, an unscriptural parenting style may cause one to be unable to relate to authority in general. Rebellion against authority – something God sees in a very serious light (1 Samuel 15:23) – gives demonic forces a legal right to act. “They can now begin to operate on the basis of

that attitude and begin to bring the person into a situation that could lead to substance abuse or ultimate addiction,” he says. Furthermore, absence of godly parents, mentors and role models “opens children up to negative peer pressure, immoral behaviour and experimentation with that which is illegal, because no boundaries have been set. Where no boundaries are in place, the child could become delinquent and that is another area in which Satan operates.” Marc therefore emphasizes the importance of spiritual covering in the home, and extends it to “the various areas of the community.” He says we should realize that the envisioned effects of Satan’s strategies are much more far-reaching than we can often foresee. A shockingly large percentage of crime is linked to substance abuse and its surrounding activities. “This gives the enemy a bigger right to act even against the innocent.” Marc warns that each time one experiments with substance abuse a door might be opened to demonic forces. Theuns says that in his experience rejection is always a contributing factor. In the sinful world in which we live, rejection is inevitable. Depending on the extent and intensity of the rejection, as well as our reaction to it (whether we have prayed about it, offered forgiveness and keep trusting in God’s personal love for us), rejection could definitely leave us susceptible to demonic influence. Rejection as such could also give rise to a feeling of emptiness or “love hunger”. Instead of depending on God to fill that void, we could believe one of the devil’s lies: that substance abuse is a solution. Dr Burger explains that feelings of emptiness, senselessness and vulnerability easily arise in the absence of a personal relationship with God.

The solution It is only through the saving grace of Jesus Christ that we can begin to address the causes of addiction. Through Christ, it is possible to break the cycle of addiction, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). - Accept responsibility To break that cycle, first and foremost it is necessary to accept responsibility. “Unless the person admits that he needs help, takes responsibility for his problem and expresses a desire to be free, the problem won’t be solved,” says Theuns. In Ado’s words, “We are responsible for what we do and we should admit that responsibility. If we cannot help ourselves, we should know that our sinful nature is controlling our lives and should be crucified that we may become obedient to God.” Marc adds that in his experience a very small percentage of people manage to overcome a substance abuse problem unless they reach a stage where they hate what they are doing. “At the end of the day, if you don’t hate what you are doing and what it is doing to you, your chances of breaking free are about 10 per cent,” he says. - Come to the cross of Jesus Once a person has accepted their responsibility, they should come to realize that, as Ado puts it, “It is only the Lord who can deliver an addict from the sin of addiction, the reason being that Jesus took the place of the addict on Calvary, as explained in Romans 5, 6, 7 and 8.” When approached by someone with a substance abuse problem, Ado immediately guides them to get onto their knees and believe that Jesus Christ has died for them on the Cross. Marc agrees. “When I gave my life to Christ”, Marc remembers, “the power of God came in and set me free in a second. I looked at

my life and realized God loved me so much and wanted to give me life and set me free. I considered Calvary and saw what Christ had done for me. In almost two decades of ministering to addicts I have seen great results when a person accepts Jesus Christ as personal Saviour and responds to the knowledge and the truth which produce liberty and freedom in one’s life.”

A relationship with Christ also redirects the focus of dependency away from different substances and onto Him. “That same faith the addict had in the substance, should be placed in God,” says Ado. “People put their faith in a substance hoping that it will change their lives. Sooner or later that substance abuse turns on them and they become addicted – they become slaves to the substance.” The Word of God is clear on becoming enslaved. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:12, “… I will not become the slave of anything or be brought under its power.” Dr Burger points out the contrast between the words slave and free. “Satan is the source of slavery, whereas freedom comes from God. If God has His way in our lives, we will be free. Satan’s objective is to enslave us.” Allowing ourselves to become enslaved by anything is nothing less than idolatry as 1 John 5:21 warns us: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols (false gods) - [from anything and everything that would occupy the place in your heart due to God, from any sort of substitute for Him that would take first place in your life].” Confessing and renouncing the sin of idolatry leads to the freedom God intends for us. According to Dr Burger, “repentance opens the door for God to set us free and for the devil to lose his grip on our lives.” In Matthew 3:2, the Amplified Bible gives the phrases think differently; change your mind; regretting your sins and changing your conduct as alternative translations for the word repent.

- The Word and the Holy Spirit The power of the Holy Spirit and His Word cannot be overestimated. “Even when the person has been delivered of any evil presence, they might remain driven by sinful desires,” says Ado. “The Word is like an anti-virus programme. When we believe and spend time in the Word, the Holy Spirit builds in us the ability to perceive from a spiritual, godly perspective. The Holy Spirit gives us the gift of discernment, enabling us to distinguish between right and wrong. For us to bring every thought captive in Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5), we need to have His Word in us. If we do not feed on the Word, we cannot do what the Word is saying and we cannot live by the Word. The Word should permeate our entire way of life.” Spending time in the Word helps us to renew our minds. Romans 12:2 confirms the importance hereof: “Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].” Jesus Himself assures us that the Holy Spirit will accompany us on the road to healing: “But the Comforter (Counsellor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My Name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you” (John 14:26). In Ephesians 5:18 Paul urges us to be filled with the Holy Sprit: “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” The NIV

Thematic Reference Bible (Zondervan) comments on this verse, “The present tense of the verb [be filled] implies the need to be regularly filled and refilled with the Spirit.” It furthermore describes filling with the Holy Spirit as follows: “To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be energized and controlled by the third Person of the Godhead in such a way that under the acknowledged lordship of Jesus Christ the full presence and power of God are experienced. To be filled by the Holy Spirit leads to renewal, obedience, boldness in testimony and an arresting quality in believers’ lives.” Once we are filled with the Holy Spirit, Dr Burger says, we receive power so that we do not ever have to be helpless prey of the enemy. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit has been given to us to empower us. Before being taken up into Heaven, Jesus urged His disciples to wait for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to equip them: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift My Father promised… In a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit… But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…” (Acts 1:4, 5, 8). The Holy Spirit works in our lives to provide new Christ-like natures. Paul writes in Galatians 5:22 that the fruit of the Spirit is, among other things, love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control, all of which are essential characteristics for dealing with problems constructively and appropriately. Selfcontrol is especially vital in overcoming any form of addiction. “Flesh cannot fight flesh,” says Ado. “The flesh needs to be fought in the Spirit.” John 6:63 confirms, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing.” In our own strength we battle to overcome addiction and we certainly cannot overcome sin as such. In Romans 7:18 Paul says, “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have

the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” The importance of the Holy Spirit’s control is emphasized in Philippians 2:13, “… for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.” - Counselling Depending on the individual situation, counselling could play a role in the healing process. It is important, however, that the counsellor be filled with the Holy Spirit. Counselling involves dealing with the root causes of the problem. In this process it is often necessary to overcome certain barriers. In his sessions with people having substance abuse problems, Ado asks the Lord to reveal any obstacles. Unforgivingness and feelings of rejection have proven to be major obstacles. Somewhere in this process it might also be necessary to confront demonic forces. “The power of God casts out the demon or the spirit of addiction which in some cases caused the bondage or was behind the addiction all the time,” adds Marc. - Wholeness of the entire person Theuns stresses the importance of bearing in mind that we were created consisting of spirit, soul and body and therefore all three areas need to be restored. He compares our human existence with all its facets to a cake with many slices. All of these facets, including relationships, finances, eating habits and physical exercise should be addressed. Dr Burger points out that the Hebrew word shalom, which is often used in the Bible to bless people and is normally translated with peace, also means wholeness of the entire person. TESTIMONIES Two men who can testify that Christ indeed offers the lasting solution are Adrian Styer and Freek Vermaak. Adrian was 14 years old when he started taking drugs. He took multiple substances, everything from alcohol to opiates. He says, “If I had to single out a drug of choice it would be LSD because I liked mind-altering substances.” Adrian’s first experience with drugs was on his own, outside his house. He smoked marijuana and drank alcohol, and his reaction to this first time gave him the fright of his life. So why did he continue taking drugs? To this question Adrian simply replies, “It appealed to me”. There is no doubt that Adrian was a drug addict. In his own words, “I lived my life to get stoned”. But unlike the stereotype, Adrian was a functional drug addict, which means he could continue to lead a “normal” life – to work and to take care of his son – because he had money to support his habit. In fact, he recalls that period as a happy time during which he saw no reason to change his lifestyle. 23 years later, Adrian’s life fell apart. He lost everything: his work, cars, houses, even his son. And at that time, he turned to the only coping mechanism he knew, which was to lose himself in the transitory escape offered by drugs. But things went from bad to worse and eventually, Adrian found himself at an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting. Adrian was a self-proclaimed atheist and the prayers he witnessed at the start and end of the meeting made him feel like an outsider. As a result of this, he left the meeting

angry but with the AA’s booklets tucked firmly under his arm. That night Adrian read through the AA booklets and the phrase “By the grace of God” seemed to jump out of the pages at him. And lying on his bed Adrian said, “Jesus, if You exist, please help me”. Adrian says at that moment the dark of night suddenly turned to light and he felt waves washing over him. A wave of love, followed by a wave of forgiveness, followed by a wave of love, followed by a wave of forgiveness, over and over, and then he fell into a deep, peaceful sleep. From that watershed day in September 1998 to 13 months later in November 1999, God gently took control of Adrian’s life and led him to a place of complete freedom from reliance on drugs.

Freek Vermaak’s story starts when he was considerably older. Interestingly, he was a policeman who hated the narcotics scene, both the dealers and the drug addicts. However, one night he was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Even with all his professional knowledge of narcotics, Freek believed the lie that he wouldn’t become addicted. He started with ecstasy and marijuana and a short time later he tried cocaine. From that moment, he was addicted. He says, “I craved cocaine, I couldn’t stop myself. I would have killed for it!” “Hell on earth”. That’s how Freek describes his life as an addict. “With drugs, one day you’re a hero, the next day you’re a zero”. He moved from one side of the law to the other. Freek became involved in organized crime, in gangsterism and, not surprisingly, in the drug scene. He says he hated cocaine more when he was an addict than at any other time because he couldn’t stop his craving for it. He spent R69 000 in three months on his habit. For Freek, cocaine became a god.

However, God had other plans for Freek’s life. Three years into his addiction, he had a huge misunderstanding with the mother of his eldest son. Together with some of his friends, Freek went to her flat with the intension of killing her. However, there was something in Freek that didn’t really want to carry out his intension because on the way he uttered the prayer, “Jesus, if You prevent me from killing her, I will serve You full-time.” When Freek and his friends entered the flat they experienced the presence of Jesus. They knew that they were in the presence of Someone bigger than themselves and He had a profound effect on them. When they were outside the flat they were filled with hate and anger, but, as Freek puts it, “inside the flat we were as meek as babies.” Freek’s feelings for his son’s mother changed from hatred to pity and compassion. At that moment, he knew that God had prevented him from committing murder. But, while he was grateful for what God had done, he wasn’t quite ready to keep his promise to God. For the next three weeks, Freek was plagued with such guilt as a result of his unfulfilled promise that he tried to end his life by over-dosing. One night after a three-day high on cocaine, he stumbled into his room and collapsed onto his bed. He was very sick at the time. His kidneys had collapsed and the thought went through his mind, “This is it, I’m dying”. From this place of desperation, Freek called out to Jesus to save him. At that moment, he felt the presence of Someone in his room; the same Someone who had been in the flat three weeks earlier. Jesus. Freek spent the next hour and a half confessing his sins to Jesus. While doing this, he became completely sober and has remained sober to this day, four and a half years later. Since that moment, he has miraculously experienced no cravings and

no symptoms of his addiction. What a testimony to the truth that “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!” (John 8:36). Jesus responded to Adrian and Freek’s cries for help and brought them both to a place of complete freedom from drug addiction. But their stories don’t end there. God gave Adrian a vision of what He wanted him to do. The vision was of a desert with sheep in it. The desert was being battered by such a severe sandstorm that the sheep couldn’t see where they were going. Adrian says he was then taken out of the storm to a gate. On the other side of the gate was a peaceful scene of green pastures in which sheep were gently grazing. He says that God showed him how the sheep standing on the idyllic side of the gate were bleating so that the stormbattered sheep could hear them and find their way into the light. Adrian obeyed God’s instruction to lead other drug addicts into the serenity of God’s perfect plan for their lives. Today he goes into drug rehabilitation centres and preaches the Gospel with the sole intent to encourage rehabilitating drug addicts to choose life, the abundant life that Jesus came to give. (John 10:10.) Adrian has also been involved in the establishment of eight to 10 growth groups across the country for new Christians fresh out of rehab. And unlike other meetings, these groups start with the introduction, “Hi, my name is John and I’m a new creation in Christ!” God also had special plans for Freek’s life. In Freek’s words, “Jesus changed my mess into a message.” When asked what that message is, he responds, “That Jesus is alive, that He loves sinners and that He came to set sinners free.” Freek has fulfilled his promise to God. He works fulltime in a prison ministry and he has a ministry to drug addicts, which includes a support group for ex-drug addicts.

The Lord delivered both Adrian and Freek instantaneously; however, many others testify of receiving healing through the guidance of the Holy Spirit over a period of time. Still, it is the Blood of Jesus that sets free. CONCLUSION It is one of Satan’s strategies to lure us into substance abuse and eventually the clutches of addiction. Being “the seducer (deceiver) of all humanity the world over” (Revelation 12:9), he presents a substance as a solution to all our problems. While the body may (initially) be stimulated, the soul is numbed and the spirit made susceptible to demonic influence. We cannot afford to be ignorant – Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” If you, or someone you know, are caught up in any form of addiction, always remember that Jesus alone is the way to complete and lasting restoration. Only His love and acceptance can bring the fulfilment we so often try to achieve by other means. A relationship with Him rescues us from the clutches of addiction in such a way that we will never again need to search for fulfilment anywhere else. That is why on the Cross He said, “It is finished.” The battle has been won for us to live in complete victory. "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). References: Hammond, Frank and Ida Mae. Pigs in the Parlor. Kirkwood, MO: Impact Books, Inc., 2004. The NIV Thematic Reference Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984. www.addictions.org/signs www.destiny.co.za www.xf.co.za

fs r e e f r o m

ADDICTION

raised from the dead Isaiah Reed testifies words: retha fick

photography: liezl du preez

â&#x20AC;&#x153;God is not a man, that He should lie, 23

nor a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfil?â&#x20AC;? (Numbers 23:19).

On August 13th 1986, at the age of 30, Isaiah Reed was murdered. He was shot in the head

twice

and

stabbed 16 times. After being dead for two and a

half

hours,

God

raised him up. Isaiah’s mother believed in a God who keeps His promises. “God had pro m is ed

preacher, not a pimp – and God is not a man that He should lie.”

ISAIAH (49) GREW UP in Buffalo, New York, in a Christian family of five generations of preachers, missionaries and others involved in the Kingdom of God. Isaiah’s great-great-grandfather had made a covenant with the Lord that not only would he raise his children in the ways of the Lord, but also that any child born into his bloodline would in some way or another preach the Gospel until Jesus came. When Isaiah’s mother was 17, her mother told her about their lineage and family history and that she was to dedicate her firstborn to God. “My mother felt the Lord had spoken and given her the assurance in her heart that this was definitely what He wanted,” says Isaiah. “So when I was born, my mother prayed the prayer of Hannah and gave me back to the Lord.” (1 Samuel 1:21-2:11.) Isaiah’s young life, though, was marked with promiscuity, violence and crime. “By the time I was 12 years old, I was already looking towards the world for my own excitement and experience and that led me down a path of mischief and naughtiness. By the time I was 14 I had fathered two children by two different girls. I was very good at violence and intimidation so I joined a gang in New York. Of course you need to prove yourself to be part of a gang. I became involved in several drive-by shootings and became the vice president of a gang of 5 000 strong.” At the age of 16, he was arrested and even while he was a juvenile, he was given the option to join the military – and ended up fighting for his country in Vietnam. Instead of learning discipline, Isaiah found himself learning more about violence and crime. “The military exposed me to a whole new world. I learned about foreign countries where I saw a criminal lifestyle could be successful, so I started connecting myself with individuals who would help me to enter into organized crime and to be

successful at it,” Isaiah explains. For 25 years, he used the power gained by manipulation and intimidation to establish a very successful business of drug dealing and controlling prostitutes – newspapers labelled him as “the most vicious pimp” on the island of Hawaii. Although Hawaii was where his headquarters were, he travelled the world, owning penthouses all over the globe. He even bought a poppy field to produce his own heroine. His lifestyle characterized by expensive cars, diamond rings and fur coats, there seemed to be no end to his wealth. Still, his mother kept on praying for him, trusting God to fulfil His promises. The day of his death he was finalizing a drug deal in Denver, Colorado. Little did he know what was planned for that evening. He was shot in the head twice; one bullet ended up in his brain and one in his spine. Then he was stabbed in the upper part of his body 16 times. His skull was cracked and he was left in an alley to die lying in his own blood. In those moments his dad’s warning echoed in his ears, “You’re going to end up in an alley in a puddle of blood by yourself”. He was pronounced dead on the scene. “When they got me to hospital, prostitutes came to identify my body,” says Isaiah. “They gave my mother’s number to the doctors. The doctor phoned my mother in New York to get permission from her to remove the bullets from my body in order to put my murderer in jail.” Isaiah’s mother simply refused to accept the reality of his death. She refused to believe that her firstborn, the child she had dedicated to Him, was on his way to hell. God had promised her a preacher and not a pimp, she said. “She asked the doctors if she could pray for me,” says Isaiah. “She told them that she had heard their report, but she had another report.” She started praying and entered into

spiritual warfare while medical staff started preparing to do an autopsy. She reminded God that He is not a man that He should lie. She continued reminding God that He spoke to her about this child even before he was born and that He told her that Isaiah would be saved and sanctified. She told God that she needed a miracle and that she wasn’t praying for Him to bless Isaiah before he goes to hell, but to raise him up. The next moment, two and a half hours after he had died, while he was still lying on the autopsy table, Isaiah’s vital signs returned. Today he still carries the autopsy scar. When Isaiah’s mother arrived at the hospital, doctors told her that they could not remove the bullets from his brain and spine, and that he would therefore be severely mentally impaired and paralyzed from the neck down. She asked to be left alone with him and again she prayed, trusting God for his complete healing. Isaiah was restored completely. He walked out of that hospital, a healed man. It took two years and much reconstructive surgery to repair the damage done to his face. “But miracles didn’t save me and healing didn’t save me,” Isaiah continues. “You must be born-again. Even though God had given me my life back, I continued in that lifestyle for three more years. I ended up with more scars, bullet wounds, with hepatitis and AIDS.” Then on December 27th, 1989 at 23:45, Isaiah finally responded to God’s love. What seemed to be just another night of drugs and immorality, turned out to be a night where, in Isaiah’s words, “God showed up”. One of the prostitutes threatened to commit suicide. She threatened to jump off the balcony and Isaiah tried to get her to change her mind by offering more money and drugs. “We didn’t want her emotionalism to stop what we were doing because we were selling drugs and the

money was rolling in. If she jumped, the police would show up. She didn’t respond to my offer and I decided the best thing I could do was to punch her, to let her ‘sleep’ it off. But something made me say, ‘Let me pray for you.’” This suggestion was way out of context and out of character, but the Lord in His grace led all four of them into a place of communicating with Him. Isaiah remembers, “Now, we didn’t want to get saved, we didn’t even know what we were doing, but God spoke to us and shared His love with us. Everybody in the room was saved that night and not only saved, but healed. Not one of us ever used drugs again. I was healed from hepatitis and AIDS.” Finally Isaiah’s mother’s faith was rewarded.

“Nothing is too hard for God” After this incident, Isaiah surrendered himself to authorities and was later sentenced 20 years. Five years into his sentence, by the grace of God he was released. “I spent much of my time in prison in the Word. I attended Bible school and got ordained as a bishop in the Full Gospel Church.” After being released from prison, Isaiah married Carol, whom he knew from his former life. “She was a prostitute and had had six abortions, but when God touched her, He healed her, restoring her body, soul and spirit. Nothing is too hard for God.” Isaiah and Carol (who is a pastor as well) started Christian Vision Ministries and My Father’s House Christian Discipleship Centre in Richmond, Texas. Isaiah travels the world again, this time to spread the Gospel – to tell people, especially those caught up in drugs and prostitution, about a God who loves people and does miracles. The bullets still lodging in his brain and spine serve as evidence of such a miracle.

Isaiah’s life story is a beautiful illustration of the power of a praying mother. While her faith was being tested to the very extreme, Isaiah’s mother kept trusting in a God who keeps His promises.

She experi-

enced at first hand that “all things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23) and that, as we read in James 5:16, “the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” Never give up!

JESUS

words: retha fick

photography: liezl du preez

my friend

JESUS

my friend

One Friday morning, having been chronically ill for six months, Nicole Hutchinson had a Visitor. Jesus Christ appeared in her room in Universitas Hospital in Bloemfontein. He sat down at her bedside and gently explained to her the reason for her illness. Being ill was not part of His plan for her life, He lovingly told her. That day, five years ago, she was miraculously healed from liver cancer and two incurable blood diseases. Not only did Jesus heal her, but He also showed her a glimpse of Heaven. Her encounter with Jesus changed Nicole’s life dramatically and still today, she testifies of Him walking with and speaking to her. Her message is that Jesus is more real than anyone in the world and He longs to have a personal relationship with His children.

“...this is a miracle”

NICOLE (20) NOW LIVES in Port Elizabeth and she loves horse riding and the outdoors. She likes dolphins and history and is busy writing a book about her life. She dislikes thinking back to the time of her illness. “I would rather remember God’s goodness and what He did for me.” It all started in the December holiday of 2001. “Where I used to have much energy and zest for life, I suddenly started feeling weak,” she remembers. From the second week of the new school year, she became very ill. Her stomach was swollen and she couldn’t keep any food down. She lost control over normal bodily functions and suffered severe pain in the liver area. She ended up in hospital where test upon test brought no answers. “I was so scared,” Nicole recalls. “I had needles stuck into me day after day and blood drawn to be tested. After many tests my veins collapsed and not another drop of blood could be removed. It was frightening. I was on drips to be fed and my arms were bruised and painful.” Her condition left the doctors perplexed as her symptoms were so varied. Things started to look hopeless when she contracted jaundice and started bleeding heavily as well. “I could not eat and was still vomiting. All strength disappeared and I began to faint from weakness.” God provided Nicole’s mother, Fiona Koyd (47) with supernatural faith to believe that Nicole’s life would be spared. “Every time my mother visited me, she would read pieces from the Bible to me,” Nicole remembers. “I could see the sadness in her eyes, but she would never speak negatively. She would always come in with a smile, with no sign of any fear. She would give me a warm hug and tell me how God was healing me. She prayed Scripture verses, especially those about healing over me and continually cancelled out every negative word any person, whether doctors, nurses or friends, said about my condition.”

Fiona recalls, “I realized I was losing my child.” (Fiona had already lost two children who died as babies. One was Nicole’s twin.) “The harder I prayed, the worse it became. I would come home late after leaving the hospital and God would tell me, ‘You must praise Me.’ I argued with Him. How could I praise Him when my heart was so sore and broken? He just repeated, ‘You must praise Me.’ I went through the worst time in my whole life. Nicole and I were living in Bloemfontein at the time. I wasn’t employed and our flat had been destroyed in a flood. We had lost everything and were living in a barn. I had no transport and did not know anyone in the city. Nicole being Nicole, she collected any little animal that didn’t have a home from the streets and the field, and here I was, shivering in the cold with my bed full of all these animals that were now waiting for her to come home. I laid there in the cold having only a horse blanket to cover me and asked God, ‘How must I praise You?’ He replied, ‘You must get up and dance’. I asked, ‘Dance?’ and He said, ‘Yes, get up and dance.’ I felt so stupid and self-conscious. But I put Nicole’s music on and started to dance, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I would come home from the hospital and dance and praise and worship Him, thanking Him for Nicole’s healing. “I was given the gift of faith; I didn’t waver in my belief. It was as if someone else believed for me inside of me. The faith I had was definitely not my own, in myself I am weak. It was as if someone came alongside of me, carrying my faith. Yet, my flesh was in a panic. Everything was just so horrific. I was numb to the circumstances. But I learned that faith is separate from feelings and that one must not allow feelings to alter one’s faith. When the Lord asked me to praise Him, He poured new strength into me.” Eventually, six months after Nicole was

admitted to hospital, the doctors diagnosed liver cancer and two incurable blood diseases. They also informed her mother that medical science couldn’t do anything for her and that she had five days to live. Nicole remembers, “My mother showed no horror, no fear, no panic, but I wondered what she felt inside. For I was terrified. She went home, which I found out much later, to fast, pray and praise God for my healing. She would lie prostrate on the floor at home and cry night after night to Father God to hear her prayer, and He did. Meanwhile, I made right with God. I asked forgiveness for all the wrong things my friends from school had led me into doing. “That Friday morning I had the encounter of my life. He appeared there next to my bed and He was wearing a long, white robe. There was a glow around Him. He did not have to introduce Himself; I knew it was Jesus. He was so real, so tangible – as real as you and I. He sat down at my bedside and looked deeply into my eyes. I saw such pure love, kindness and softness. I was overwhelmed by His love. It poured into me and over me through His touch and gaze. He said, ‘Do you know that you are a very sick young lady?’ I nodded. I was stunned. He was there and any doubts that I ever had about His reality, His existence, were gone. He spoke again, ‘This is not the plan I had for your life, therefore I am giving you the choice: Do you want to come with me now, to Heaven?’ Before I knew I was in Heaven. He showed me a glimpse; the mountains and the trees. He also showed me my two sisters – one was my twin sister and I saw that her hair was darker than mine. What I saw in Heaven was magnificent and beautiful and so real. One must never doubt that there is such a place. He continued, ‘Or you can stay on earth and I will heal you?’ He went on to explain that I was in that position because I hadn’t forgiven those who had hurt me in the past. The bitterness had entered my

body and that is why I was sick. The negativity had gone into my body organs. ‘You’ve got to forgive, you’ve got to let go,’ He said. “He has the loveliest eyes, so gentle and so kind. His love is without any judgement or condemnation. Without one thought I answered quickly, ‘I would like to stay with my mother; she has nobody else.’ He smiled, then reached out and touched my liver and said, ‘Fulfil your calling.’ It was as if He Himself had stepped into me and I knew I was healed. I felt stronger within and I could eat, which was a miracle in itself because for six months I had not been able to keep anything in. The remarkable events of that day were permanently imprinted on Nicole’s mind. “I can never forget it, every time I think of it, I relive it over and over again and the memory doesn’t fade but gets stronger. “When my mother arrived later that day, she wanted to know which tests were done,” Nicole smilingly remembers. Fiona explains, “Nicole was shining luminous green. She replied that no tests were done. Then she told me that Jesus had visited her and that He had sat on her bed and talked to her and that He had showed her a glimpse of Heaven. I burst into tears and couldn’t stop crying for 10 days after that. I realized that if she had answered yes to Jesus, she would have passed away by the time I arrived there.” “The green colour took 12 days to fade off my face,” Nicole continues, “and we began to understand why Moses, when he went up the mountain, had to wear a veil to cover his face. My mother said she almost needed sunglasses to look at me!” That weekend, Nicole was given a weekend pass from hospital and they were able to go to church. An American evangelist was the guest speaker in church that evening. “I

walked in there, weak from months of illness. My skin had a grey colour, like someone dying. You could see my veins. The preacher encouraged everyone to press in for their miracle, explaining that their miracle was in the heavenly realm and they just had to have faith. God’s presence was tangible in that place. I knew that something had happened in the hospital, but I also knew I needed it to be publicly confirmed for it to be understood and accepted by everyone. Most of the service had gone by when we heard him say, ‘There is a young lady whom doctors have given a death sentence, but today God gives you a life sentence.’ It felt as if waves of warm oil were flowing through me; I was bathed in the Holy Spirit, receiving love and healing. My mother was crying; she wept and wept and wept. Wept for joy. I knew the Holy Spirit was washing her from within as well. There was so much relief in those tears.” Back in hospital that Monday, doctors prepared to do a liver biopsy, which is a very painful procedure. Fiona pleaded with them to just draw blood one more time to make sure that the biopsy was needed.

“It is now almost six years later and I am still whole and healed” “The doctor just shook his head but he took blood again,” Nicole recalls. “He came back later telling us that they think my blood samples got mixed up with somebody else’s in the lab. They drew more blood. A while later they came back to draw blood for a third time. The doctor

returned much later with a big file in his hand, shaking his head. He said he just didn’t understand – they had checked numerous times and there had been no signs of liver cancer or any blood disease in my system. I was speechless because this was a lot for me to take in. My mother shared the whole story with him and he listened, shaking his head in amazement. “It is now almost six years later and I am still whole and healed. After I had returned home, I was still very weak from the terminal illness. But I regained my strength totally.” Three years ago, Fiona and Nicole started Lighthouse Mercy Ministries in Port Elizabeth with the mandate to find the Lord’s broken, hurting and sick children and to bring them to Him for healing that they can fulfil their destiny. “Those who are injured emotionally are often the ones who get terminally ill,” says Nicole. Unwillingness to forgive can be a major cause of ill health. If you don’t deal with it, it goes into your body and harms you. To forgive every person who has wronged you purifies you inside. It releases you from negative emotions as well. It doesn’t mean you say what they did to you was okay or right, but it sets you free from the pain they caused you.” To hear Jesus’ Voice is not difficult for Nicole. “Every day is a day with Jesus. His Voice is so much clearer to me now. I can feel His Presence with me. I could be walking in the middle of the mall with my friends and I can hear Him talk to me. I would like everyone to know that Jesus is real and He is calling His children to have a closer relationship with Him, to spend more time with Him, reading His Word more. He can become your best friend. He is more important than anyone or anything. For every problem there is, Jesus is the answer. He is truly my best friend and He can be that for anyone.”

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am the way, the truth and the life. In Me you live and breathe and move and have your very existence. Be one as We are One.â&#x20AC;? From the Heart of Jesus, spoken and inspired by the Voice of the Holy Spirit, into the life of Lindie Gouws. This is written in honour of God the Father, Jesus the Son and the precious Holy Spirit. 30

I am writing this message on Good Friday 2006. Today we commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus, our beloved Lord. But we do not think of a man dying on a cross. No, we think of a willing sacrifice of life for the sake of all of humanity. God giving His only begotten Son Jesus. God redeeming us to Him, for eternity. Think about this. At that moment in time, Jesus, who was without any sin, perfect and pure, willingly took all the sin of all the ages upon Himself, because somewhere in time to come, there were our faces, He had us in mind. He gave all He had. He gave His Life - our God. Up until two days ago I did not plan to be at home over Easter. All the arrangements had been made. I was going to attend the Easter service at Shofar Church in Stellenbosch and I had meetings set up for Saturday. Yet on Wednesday morning, God spoke to me and showed me that His plan for me was different. In the last three issues of MY World, I conveyed the messages I received from God at the time of production. The messages are timeless, but relevant to the time in which they were written. God spoke this message to me over a period of weeks, during preparation for and production of Chrysoprase, through a series of events which I will, later in this writing, briefly share with you.

photography: cindèle blake

Until Wednesday I was going to write the message “In Me you live and breathe and have your very existence. Be one as We are One.” Then on Wednesday, the Holy Spirit spoke into my heart. I knew what He said came from the Heart of Jesus. He told me to cancel my trip to Cape Town. He wanted me to be at home on Good Friday and to write this message. I immediately cancelled my trip and chose to obey. I now had an appointment with Him. Then on Wednesday evening as I was preparing for a prayer meeting on Thursday morning, God added the first part of the message, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” This morning the message became complete as God added the word “move”. Now I will briefly share with you how through various events and appointments in my life these past few months, God spoke to me. Although He gave me one phrase at a time, in the end all the phrases were woven together. One phrase led into another, the Scripture references complemented one another and this word was formed:

“I am the way, the truth and the life. In Me you live and breathe Photo of the single sunflower growing out of a crack in the concrete

and move and have your very existence. Be one as We are One.”

I WILL NOW BRIEFLY TAKE YOU THROUGH THE EVENTS THAT LED TO THE FORMATION OF THE MESSAGE:

1. “THE BEAUTY IS IN THE BONES” On the 1st of January 2006, I woke up at 03:00 in the morning clearly hearing the words, “The beauty is in the bones.” I was wide awake and the words resounded in my spirit. As I heard these words I saw a vision of a man from behind standing in a desert with dry bones lying in front of him. I immediately thought of the valley of dry bones described in Ezekiel 37. Genesis 2:23 also came to mind, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh”. I knew as I prayed about it and sought Scripture on it, and did some research, God would reveal the significance and meaning to me (which He subsequently did as will be seen in the words “...In Me you move...”)

2. “BE ONE AS WE ARE ONE” 32

Some two months ago my colleague Rynu came to me after our morning prayer meeting. He told me that there was something he wanted to show me and that he knew I would appreciate it. He took me to a stopstreet close to our offices. The stopstreet sign was planted in a concrete island in the middle of the road. There was a deep crack in the concrete and out of this crack was growing a beautiful sunflower. My words to Rynu were that this is how the church - ultimately the Bride of Jesus - has to be. Irrespective of the pressures of this world, we too have to push through and stand out for Jesus. The following weekend I had a couple of speaking engagements. After the first meeting the Saturday morning in Pretoria, Celia and I drove through to Carletonville where I had to address another group of ladies. As Celia was driving I could meditate on God’s Word. I opened on John 17 and read the entire passage of Scripture.

Verses 22 & 23 stood out, “I have given them the glory You gave Me, so that they may be one, as We are - I in them and You in Me, all being perfected into one.” As I looked up, I saw a field of sunflowers on the right hand side of the road. It was a beautiful sight. The many sunflowers were all facing in the same direction, with their heads turned towards the sun - as if they were one flower.

I thought again of John 17:23, “I in them and You in Me, all being perfected into one. Then the world will know that You sent Me and will understand that You love them as much as You love Me.” This was how we as His children should be. That nurse and I were one, in unity although we did not even know each other. Irrespective of denomination and background, we were united in our Lord Jesus Christ.

I made a comparison between this field of sunflowers and the single sunflower I had seen a few days before. Jesus said that we should be one, like the field of sunflowers, as He is One with the Father and the Holy Spirit. The sunflowers face the sun and move as the sun moves. We should keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the Son and move with Him.

In the car on my way home later that day, I was very grateful having received the test results and knowing that I was in full health. I heard the Holy Spirit speak these words to me, “In Me you live and breathe and have your very existence.”

Sunflowers produce oil. When we are united and live in harmony and move as one with Him, it will be like Psalm 133, “How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe. Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the Lord has pronounced His blessing, even life everlasting.”

3. “IN ME YOU LIVE AND BREATHE AND HAVE YOUR VERY EXISTENCE” I underwent some tests in hospital at the end of March. As I awoke from anaesthesia in the recovery room, I asked one of the nurses where I was. She answered me and my immediate response was, “Thank You Jesus”. She heard me and started singing. Although still drowsy, I heard her sing, “Jesus, You are beautiful...” I asked her whether she was a Christian and she answered me, “Oh, I could never live without Jesus. He is my everything.”

4. “TAKE TIME TO GET TO KNOW HIM” I was asked to address a businesswomen’s forum in March this year. The organizer Elsabe said that I could speak on any topic, as the Lord would lead me. Three topics came to my mind: “Purified”, “Take time to get to know Him”, and “Just be.” I asked her to choose from these three. The topic she chose was “Take time to get to know Him.” Great was my amazement during my preparation when the Lord took me back to John 17:1-3, “... Father, the time has come. Glorify Your Son so He can give glory back to You. For You have given Him authority over everyone in all the earth. He gives eternal life to each one You have given Him. And this is the way to eternal life - to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One You sent to earth.”

5. “I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE” The Holy Spirit spoke these words, “I am the way the truth and the life,” to me as I was busy preparing for a recent prayer meeting. John 14:6 says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.”

SO OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, THROUGH THE ABOVE EVENTS, GOD SPOKE TO ME. ALL THE PHRASES HAVE THEIR INDIVIDUAL SCRIPTURE REFERENCES AS YOU WILL SEE FROM THE SUBSEQUENT WRITING, YET AS I WAS PUTTING THESE PHRASES TOGETHER, THEY ALL POINTED TO AND WERE ROOTED IN JOHN 17. I BELIEVE THAT GOD SPOKE INTO MY LIFE DURING THE RECENT MONTHS IN THIS WAY, JUST IN ORDER FOR US TO SHARE OVER EASTER TIME THE WORDS JESUS PRAYED BEFORE HIS BETRAYAL, CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION. HE PRAYED FOR HIMSELF, HIS DISCIPLES AND ALL BELIEVERS... YOU AND ME.

JOHN 17 Jesus prays for Himself Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to Heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life [and this is the way to have eternal life], that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorifed You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. Jesus prays for His disciples “I have manifested Your Name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You;

and they have believed that You sent Me. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. “Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your Name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your Name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. “But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. Jesus prays for all believers “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. “And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are One: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent

Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your Name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” I will now share with you how the message comes together in John 17.

“I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. IN ME YOU LIVE AND BREATH AND MOVE AND HAVE YOUR VERY EXISTENCE. BE ONE AS WE ARE ONE”. “I AM THE WAY...” 33

In John 14:6 we read, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” We furthermore read in Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” In John 17:3 we read, “And this is the way to have eternal life to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One You sent to earth.” Now the phrase “Take time to get to know Him” comes in. We should take time - it is made up of milli-seconds, seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades etc. and ultimately eternity - and in these characteristics of time, get to know God. Sometimes God acts in a milli-second and sometimes He takes years to fulfil His promises. God is not limited to

time. He is in the past, the present and the future. He is in eternity. “And this is eternal life, that they may know You...” Considering the phrase “Take time to get to know Him”, we see that part of time is eternal life. We don’t have to make time, we just have to take it, and in receiving eternal life, we will get to know Him. Again it comes back to Jesus, “And this is the way to have eternal life - to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One You sent to earth.” Because Jesus is the way, it is through Him that we will be able to take the time He has made. We will get to know God through Him, and through Him we will have eternal life. Furthermore we see that the way we should follow leads to life. This way is difficult and the gate by which we enter in, is narrow. This is a call to a pure walk with Jesus, in His image and following in His ways. 34

We are surrounded by temptations, making it hard to follow the difficult way. But Jesus prayed for us: “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ” (John 17:15-16). We should choose not to follow the easy way of fleshly desires, but to submit to the control of the Holy Spirit. He will prompt us to lead a pure and holy life and to be one in Jesus. “And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are One: I in them, and You in Me...” (John 17:22-23). To accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour of our lives, is the only way that will lead to knowing the Father - to have eternal life! We can lead this life. Jesus asked for it on our behalf from the Father. Jesus is the Way!

“...I AM THE TRUTH...” In John 8:32 we read Jesus’s words: “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” In verse 36 Jesus said, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” Jesus says in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” John 17:17 reads, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” And in John 1:1-2 we read about the Eternal Word, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” Jesus is the Son of God and the Truth, and by Him we are made free because the Son and the Truth sets us free. Through Him, who is the Word (and the Word is Truth) who has from the beginning (eternity) been with God, we become sanctified and like Him. That is why Jesus said He is the truth. It is through Him, who is the Word and the truth, that we are set free. Now we read in 1 John 5:6-11, “And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by His baptism in water and by shedding His Blood on the Cross - not by water only, but by water and Blood. And the Spirit, who is Truth, confirms it with His testimony. So we have these three witnesses - the Spirit, the water and the Blood - and all three agree. Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the greater testimony that comes from God. And God has testified about His Son. All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that His testimony is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about His Son. And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son”. The Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit are One. The Spirit is Truth, the Word is the Truth and Jesus is the Word. Therefore

Jesus is the Truth. And as Jesus prayed in John 17:17 that we be sanctified by the Spirit of Truth, the Word, it is thus through Jesus that this will happen. Because the Father, the Son and the Spirit are One! Jesus is the Truth!

“...I AM THE LIFE!” In John 11:25 we read what Jesus said to Martha, the sister of Lazarus, “... I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Paul writes, “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you - unless you believe in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures...” He continues in verse 20, “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” The commentary on verse 20 in the Spirit Filled Life Bible reads, “The firstfruits are the first ripened part of the harvest, furnishing actual evidence that the entire harvest is on the way. According to Leviticus 23:4-14, the firstfruits in connection with the Passover were used to consecrate the coming harvest. Jesus died on Passover, and His resurrection is a promise of our own resurrection.” In Luke 24:36-39 Jesus appears to His disciples. “Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you.’ But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. And He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My Hands and My Feet, that it is Myself.

Handle Me and see, for spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.’” In Romans 6:3-11 we read, “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 1 John 5:12-13 reads, “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the Name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” Let us again consider John 17:2-4, “as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life [and this is the way to have eternal life], that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorifed You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.”

Jesus is the Way to eternal life. He is the Truth (the Word). When we die to ourselves (according to Romans 6:3-11) and are baptized into His death, we are raised into New Life, His Life, Resurrection Life. And when we receive this Life, we need to live it. In this Life, we will “live and breathe and move and have our very existence.”

Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Acts 17:28 says, “For in Him we live and move and have our being...” So through the Spirit of God who dwells within us, we live! In Jesus we live.

LET’S AGAIN TAKE A LOOK AT THE WORD:

“... IN ME YOU BREATHE...”

“I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. IN ME YOU LIVE AND BREATHE AND MOVE AND HAVE YOUR VERY EXISTENCE.”

When I received the words “... in Me you breathe...” on the way back from hospital, I remembered the words “The beauty is in the bones” and I recalled Ezekiel 37:3-6, “And He said to me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’ So I answered, ‘O Lord God, You know.’ Again He said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, “O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.”’” Verse 14 says, ”I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live...”. The commentary on verse 14 in the Spirit Filled Life Bible reads: “Spirit (Hebrew ruah) is used here for the Spirit of God, but the same word is translated breath and wind in other verses.”

As we receive life in Jesus, we live and to live means to breathe and move and have our very existence. Continue reading how God spoke the second part of the word to me about living, breathing, moving and having our very existence in Jesus Christ. From my description of the events on pages 32 and 33, you will recall that I received the words “In Me you live and breathe and have your very existence” on the way home from hospital.

“IN ME YOU LIVE...” I had undergone tests and on receiving the report that I was in full health, I knew that it was because of Jesus. In Him I do live. It brought to mind Isaiah 53:5, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” and 1 Peter 2:24, “Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness by whose stripes you were healed.” The following Scripture in Romans 8:10-11 also came to mind, “And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the

In Genesis 2:7 we read, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” John 1:1-4 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” The Breath of our Lord God brings life. In Jesus we breathe.

“... IN ME YOU MOVE...” God speaks to us in individual ways. When the Holy Spirit spoke the words, “The beauty is in the bones” I did not completely understand but I decided to wait upon Him and also to read up in Scripture and other literature about the body and the bones.

I read up on the various groupings of bones in the human body and was particularly interested in the spine. The spine is made up of 33 bones (vertebrae) classified into five groups. The spine is in the centre of the body and a part of its function is to keep the body in balance. (This is an excerpt from the website Kidshealth.org: “The first seven vertebrae at the top of the spine are called the cervical vertebrae. These bones are in the back of the neck, just below the brain, and support the head and the neck. Below the cervical vertebrae are the thoracic vertebrae, and there are 12 in all. They anchor the ribs. Below the

thoracic vertebrae are five lumbar vertebrae. Beneath the lumbar vertebrae is the sacrum, which is made up of five vertebrae that are joined together. Finally, all the way at the bottom of the spine is the coccyx, which is made of four fused vertebrae. The bottom sections of the spine are important when it comes to bearing weight and giving you a good centre of gravity (balance)”). I mentioned to you that God speaks to each of us in an individual way. What He said to me personally is that there is still so much I need to know about being created in His Image. There is so much that I can learn regarding the body of Christ, the church, from the way my body was created. Ephesians 4:15 says that Jesus is the Head of the body, and in Psalm 139:14 we are reminded by David to praise God, “I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I now that full well”. So what to me is significant of the bones and the spine?

Photo of the field of sunflowers in harmony.

It is said that Jesus was 33 years old when He was crucified. It was then when He prayed, “Father, not My will but Yours be done.” He was completely surrendered to the will and purpose of the Father. If the spine has 33 bones, and keeps the balance in the body, I believe that when we get to that position of fully surrendering our lives to the will of the Father (as Jesus taught us at the age of 33) our lives will be perfectly balanced in Him. He will be at the centre of our beings (like the spine is in the centre), our wills will not be in conflict with His will for us, as we will be surrendered to Him and will have His Mind concerning our lives. He will create the balance for in Him we will move... I then read further on bones in the Books of Numbers, John, Luke and Proverbs. Numbers 24:8 says, “God brings him out of Egypt: He has strength like a wild ox; He shall consume the nations, His enemies;

He shall break their bones and pierce them with His arrows”. The commentary in the Thematic Reference Bible says that broken bones symbolize defeat and oppression. It immediately took me to the Scripture in John 19:32-33, 36, “Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs... for these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, ‘not one of His bones shall be broken.’” Not one bone in the body of Jesus was broken. His bones remained whole. They could not have broken His bones because He did not bring defeat and oppression but was VICTORIOUS AND CAME TO SET US FREE. Jesus said in Luke 4:18, 19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those

who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,’ says the Lord.”

NOT ONE BONE IN HIS BODY WAS BROKEN. WE AS HIS CHURCH ARE TO BE WHOLE AND FREE, AS HE LIVES IN US, AND WE LIVE AND MOVE IN HIM, AS ONE.

As is written in Proverbs 3:7-8, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh and strength to your bones”, I believe that as we submit to the headship and lordship of Jesus Christ in our lives, we will be whole. If you have departed from Him, when you return to Him He will breathe His Spirit into your life, as he did in Ezekiel 37. The dry bones will live, and now in wholeness and fullness of Him.

Ezekiel 37:3 and 11-14 says, “And He said to me,‘Son of man, can these bones live?’ So I answered, ‘O Lord God, You know’... Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, “Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!” Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brougth you up from your graves. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that

There is so much beauty in the bones. In Jesus we move. (A further interesting fact that I learned on the website kidshealth.org is that in many bones, the cancellous bone protects the innermost part of the bone, the bone marrow. The function of bone marrow is to make blood cells. The blood is therefore created in the bones.)

“... IN ME YOU HAVE YOUR VERY EXISTENCE”

Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” And in Hebrews 2:10 we read, “In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the Author of their salvation perfect through suffering.” Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith; for Him and through Him everything exists. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the Cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” In Jesus we have our very existence. “BE ONE, AS WE ARE ONE” In John 17, just before Jesus was betrayed and crucified, we read His prayer to the Father. He prays for Himself, for His disciples and then for all believers. We read how Jesus prayed that all believers will be separated by the Truth, the Word. In the Amplified Bible verse 17 reads, “Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, seperate them for Yourself, make them holy] by Truth; Your Word is Truth”. Verses 20-24 read, “Neither for these alone do I pray [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for all those who will ever come to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on) Me through their word and teaching, that they all may

be one, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me. I have given to them the glory and honour which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are One: I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and [definitely] recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them [even] as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also whom You have entrusted to Me [as Your gift to Me] may be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory, which You have given Me [Your love gift to Me]; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” Jesus prayed to the Father that we be sanctified, purified, separated for the Father, be made holy. He prayed that this would happen by the Truth, the Word, and the Holy Spirit of Truth. (John 16:13 speaks about the work of the Holy Spirit, “But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth”). THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS IMPERATIVE IN OUR LIVES TODAY. HE WILL FULFIL THE ROLE AND THE PRAYER THAT JESUS PRAYED, THAT WE BE MADE HOLY. WHY WILL WE BE SEPERATED AND SANCTIFIED? Because Jesus longs to have us where He is, “Father, I desire that they also whom You have entrusted to Me [as Your gift to Me] may be with Me where I am...” (John 17:24). We should allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in our lives. Revelation 19:7 says, “Let us rejoice and shout for joy

[exulting and triumphant]! Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honour, for the marriage of the Lamb [at last] has come, and His Bride has prepared herself.” In Revelation 22:17 we read, “The [Holy] Spirit and the Bride (the church, the true Christians) say, Come! And let him who is listening say, Come! And let everyone who is thirsty [who is painfully conscious of his need of those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, and strengthened]; and whoever [earnestly] desires to do it, let him come, take, appropriate, and drink the water of Life without cost.” Jesus is coming back for one church, one Bride, a Bride who is prepared. This Bride is in unity and one in Him. The commentary of the Spirit Filled Life Bible on John 17:20-26 says, “In His final petition Jesus prays for the unity of all believers of subsequent generations. The oneness He requests is not an organizational but a spiritual unity, which will be visibly manifested in the life of the church and will bear witness to the divine mission of Christ. The church’s unity will reach its consummation in Heaven.” We have to become one - Jesus prayed for it. And to be one, we need to lay down our differences such as denominations, cultures and backgrounds, that cause division. When the Holy Spirit of Truth, the Word of God, is in control, all false doctrines, beliefs and manmade structures will come down. We will be united and He will make us One. God’s Word says in James 4:7, “Therefore, submit to God, resist the devil and he will

flee.” When we are submitted to and filled with the Holy Spirit, no strategy of the enemy will be able to bring division. But we have to submit to Him. We have to reach that place where we are gathered in His Name, the Name of Jesus, confessing, “Not our will Father, but Yours, be done.”

“I long for you to be like Me. I see you move, not in pace with Me. I see you

Jesus is coming for His Bride. A Bride who will love Him and reflect His love to all the world! Jesus said, “... that they may be one, just as We are One...” IT IS TIME!

change. If you receive My Body, you will exist in Me. And in My Blood, the

breathe, not My breath of Life, I see you live, not the life I have and you exist, not in Resurrection Life.

“If you yield yourself, My Spirit will move. If you obey My Word, your life will

Covenant is sealed.

“I did this for you, to make you free. So that you can live your life, in the “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know” (John 14:1-4).

fullness of Me. Bone of My Bone and flesh of My Flesh, that is who you are. You in Me and I in you.

“I have a place prepared for you, in all eternity. The beauty of this place your eye has never seen, nor ever will until you enter in. The sounds are pure, the worship divine. Angels bowing before the throne. It is Heaven. 39

Today is Easter Sunday. It is Resurrection

“My beloved Bride, My beloved Bride, see I am coming, My beloved Bride.

Sunday. It has taken me from Friday

Allow Me to change you, transform you like clay. To mould you into My image

until now, Sunday afternoon, 15:30 (with

so that with Me for eternity you will stay.

intervals and sleep in between) to write this message. This has been the best Easter of my entire life. I have spent time with God, in His Word and receiv-

“Now, your heart I have seen and your willingness I observe. You are being sanctified, separated from this world. It is by My Spirit, that’s all. It has to be

ing of the Living Water of Life, freely. I

so, it has to take place. This is the time for the preparation of MY Bride. This

pray that you too receive the Resurrec-

is the time for the Spirit and the Bride to cry out, ‘Come Lord Jesus Come.’

tion Life of Jesus Christ and that He will touch your life, make you whole and

“I remind you of My words, ‘It is finished’. For eternity to come, you will be

prepare you by His Spirit for His return.

Mine. Call out to Me, My Beloved. I am coming soon!”

SHALOM!

fruit

fruit fruit

“For He is our God; and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His Hand.” Psalm 95:7

Kwa-Zulu Natal - Patience ^ Limpopo - Kindness

photography: liezl du preez

Northern Cape - Faithfulness ^ Mpumalanga - Goodness

North West - Gentleness ^ Western Cape - Self-Control

Eastern Cape - Love ^ Free State - Joy ^ Gauteng - Peace

LOVE

words: ena du plessis

For one of the MY World articles Retha and I interviewed someone in another province by way of a telephone conference. The company through which the conference was arranged, would send us a recording of the conversation. Eugene Wantza was assigned this responsibility. The method used to compress the recording, turned out to be incompatible with the computers and computer packages available to us. I explained to Eugene that we urgently required the recording and he truly went out of his way to help us. Though merely an employee of a large company, his helpfulness surpassed even that of many managers and business owners. In fact, in his attitude I clearly saw a genuine concern for his fellow man. More than once he took the recording to a friend’s home after work and worked until late in an attempt to sort it out. As soon as he had done what he could, he would phone me to let me know what transpired. From the time of these phone calls I knew that he must have worked until between 20:00 and 22:00. When the weekend came and Eugene had still not been successful, he again took the recordings home. He worked until around 23:00 on the Saturday, and phoned me on the Sunday to let me know that he had begun typing out the entire interview of almost an hour. The next day he e-mailed me the transcription. It was neatly done and all the information was there. We were able to write our article immediately. When I thanked Eugene for his trouble, he replied that it was only a pleasure, especially since what he had done for us would be helping others as well.

GOODNESS

words: julie vlok

My sister-in-law René mourned her daughter’s untimely death and took a few days visiting Turkey. She received a telephone call from a friend telling her that she had an awesome dream of her daughter telling René that she is happy and that she must remember the lavenders. René broke down in tears as she remembered that lavender was her daughter’s favourite flower. She went outside the hotel and walked in the gardens, anxiously looking for lavender, but found none. Sitting on a bench sobbing, she noticed a very old lady standing close by. Suddenly the old lady came up to her and bending down, asked René why she was crying. René told her and the lady embraced her lovingly. René felt as if her own daughter was embracing her. The lady then walked away. After a few minutes the old lady returned and shyly handed her a pendant, beautifully hand carved with silver leaves… and the flower inside was the colour of lavender, made of beautiful deep purple stone. In a shy manner she said, “This is from your daughter.” Of course it was from the old lady, but the way she presented this gift, was just a reminder that God sends His angels to minister to us in awesome ways. René experienced this as a way God showed her that He cares.

KINDNESS

words: julie vlok

The directors of a company went to a game farm for strategic planning. The rooms and kitchen had just been built and the kitchen had not as yet been used for catering purposes. While the directors were having their workshop in a big lounge area right opposite the kitchen, the cook was silently doing her bit for their lunch. She was making a loaf of bread and left the kitchen after she had placed it in the oven. On her return half an hour later, she was embarrassed to see the CEO of the company in the kitchen, turning the dial of the oven with much concentration. He straightened himself and calmly said, “I think your bread has started to burn on the top, but don’t worry; I think I saved it.” He also showed her the correct way of adjusting the temperature of the oven. Ever so calmly he walked over t o their workshop and continued where he had left off, as if nothing had happened. Everyone enjoyed a lovely lunch and compliments went to the (red-faced) cook!

KRUGERSDORP words: linda ritchie photography: liezl du preez

BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS

RECONCILIATION IN KRUGERSDORP IS taking place on both a cultural and interdenominational level. The churches are represented by a totally integrated ministers’ fraternal with church leaders from every race group and denomination. The unity between the various denominations is conveyed through the churches’ joint participation in events such as the Global Day of Prayer, Ascension Day services and events that include praise and worship and prayer for the churches’ numerous ministries. However, not content to leave things as they are, the ministers’ fraternal recently recognized the need to form a deeper commitment to each other. They are striving to forge this bond in three ways. Firstly, they are forming a catalogue of the joint resources of the churches which will make the church as a whole a force to be reckoned with in the community. They are also in the process of identifying issues that still need to be addressed in society. Thirdly, the ministers’ fraternal is investigating practical items, such as overhead projectors, that are no longer used in the privileged churches and that can be given to churches in need. The ministers’ fraternal views the greater unity and deeper commitment between the churches as vital for winning Krugersdorp for Christ. The process of reconciliation is also taking place on a micro level within the churches in Krugersdorp. One such example is Rant en Dal Community Church, previously known as Rant en Dal Dutch Reformed Church. According to the Reverend Jannie Pelser, leading pastor, “the church should set an example of reconciliation to the world and not the other way around”. The church’s ministry has become totally bilingual with services

conducted in both English and Afrikaans, and the languages of English, Afrikaans, Tswana and Zulu are all prominently used in posters around the church. These changes are aimed at creating an environment in which everyone can feel at home. Although the Reverend Pelser recognizes that they cannot cater for everyone’s language, he says that they “are doing their best and trusting God to do the rest”. And a year down the line, people are queuing to identify with the vision of the church. Admittedly, not everyone has been able to adjust to these changes and the church has lost some people, but in the words of Reverend Pelser, “The church is not called to be a cultural society, but rather to change the world!” God is also using projects within the schools to bring revival to Krugersdorp. The Christ Kidz project serves to bring God’s love and salvation to the children and teachers in the town’s schools. The project is part of the Krugersdorp Youth Forum Trust, which is run by Rant en Dal Community Church, the Dutch Reformed Church Muldersdrift and the Apostolic Faith Mission Central Krugersdorp. This trust currently employs four youth workers in three schools for two to three days a week. The fourth youth worker acts as co-ordinator. The role of the youth workers is tailormade to fit the specific needs of the schools to which they are assigned. They vary from working as play therapists to counselling children, teaching Bible lessons, running parents guidance groups on child discipline and stimulation and organizing annual camps for the children. Youth worker Louise Herbst sums up the impact of the youth workers in the following way, “They are there eight hours a day. They are able to build

wonderful relationships with the kids; they go through all sorts of crises with them. The youth workers even go on camps with the children every year. They are the extended hands of the teachers and are also able to provide spiritual input in the lives of the teachers”. And God appears to be blessing the ministry of the Christ Kidz project! With the ultimate goal of placing a youth worker in every primary and high school, the Krugersdorp Youth Forum Trust is in the process of organizing a fifth youth worker for a fourth school. With God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26) and He is proving this on grass roots level in the schools of Krugersdorp. A powerful illustration of the revival taking place in Krugersdorp involves a high school boy who was doing drugs. Freek Vermaak, an ex-drug addict and committed Christian, relates how the boy in question was confronted by his mother when she found cocaine in his wallet. The teenager was eventually introduced to Freek who led him to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. The Lord not only set this young man free from the hold of drugs, but restored his entire family. Freek recalls the real-life testimony of God’s healing on the day he baptized 18 members of the boy’s family! It’s exciting to witness what is taking place in Krugersdorp. From both within its walls and out, the church is setting an example to the rest of society of true reconciliation. Jesus’ example of practical love and service is impacting the schools, and entire families are being healed and transformed. All glory to God for the amazing revival He is bringing to this town.

play work &

“And God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth’; and it was so.” Genesis 1:11

financial

TO DO WITH MONEY AND FINANCES? HOW WE USE 48

AND VIEW MONEY, REFLECTS OUR PRIORITIES TO SOME DEGREE. CONSEQUENTLY IF WE ARE TO LEARN AND TRULY SHOW MERCY, IT WILL HAVE TO BE REFLECTED SOMEHOW IN OUR FINANCES. Let us take a moment to consider the meaning of three of the major themes in the Bible: justice, mercy and grace. Here is an extract of the definitions of these words taken from the CARM (Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry) website’s theological dictionary. - Justice is the due reward or punishment for an act. Justice is getting what is deserved. - Mercy is the act of not administering justice when that justice takes on the form of punishment. - Grace is unmerited favour. It is God's free action for the benefit of His people. It is different from justice and mercy. Justice is getting what we deserve. Mercy is not getting what we deserve. Grace is getting what we do not deserve. In grace we get eternal life – something that, quite obviously, we do not deserve.

photography: liezl du preez

THEME IN THE BIBLE – BUT WHAT DOES MERCY HAVE

words: myles sinclair

OUR THEME FOR THIS ISSUE IS MERCY. AN IMPORTANT

mercy

We could summarize it as follows: - Justice – to get what is deserved. - Mercy – not to get what is deserved. - Grace – to get what is not deserved. This is what the good news of the Gospel is all about – that a just God needs to punish us for sins, but because of His mercy, that punishment is reduced. As this reduction in punishment is still not enough, He extends grace to give us what we don’t deserve. Paul’s greeting, “To Timothy, my dearly beloved child. Grace, mercy, peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord” (2 Timothy 1:2), may sound like just another way of beginning a letter. Actually Paul was reminding Timothy that God had given him what he had not deserved (grace), He had also refrained from giving what he did deserve (mercy) and He had given him peace to understand and accept this all. In Micah 6:8 we read, “He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does Jehovah require of you but to do justice and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God?” This verse so clearly describes God’s expectation of us. For some, acting justly is relatively easy to do. It simply means that we do not act in a corrupt way. Unfortunately, there are others who do not see or refuse to see that accepting bribes, skimming money etc. are not acting justly. In many instances of corruption the guilty persons have convinced themselves that they actually deserve what they are stealing and thus it is not wrong. More than doing justice, God wants us to love mercy, to have it all around us, for it to be visible. I think this aspect is a lot more difficult for Christians to follow. How often are we willing to punish others less than they deserve or to “let them off the hook”? Jesus told a story in Matthew 18:23-35 of a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. The main character, the king’s servant, owed the king a lot of money and was unable to pay. The servant begged for more time to pay. If you look at the quantities involved, it is clearly doubtful whether he would ever manage to repay. The king displayed mercy and cancelled the debt. Not long afterward this servant met a colleague who owed him a relatively small amount. He demanded payment and when the colleague begged for more time the servant refused and threw him into jail. (Imprisonment for debt was a custom at that time.) The story ends when the king hears about the wicked servant and throws him into jail, now demanding full payment. The king was angry that the servant who had received mercy had not showed mercy to his colleague. Many people will find writing off a large amount of money a hard thing to do. They may even argue that it is not being a good

steward of God’s resources. Surely if a person comes and genuinely asks for mercy, God would want us to grant it? Another verse that may make this easier to do, is Luke 6:34, 35, which tells us only to lend if we expect nothing back. If we did this, it would not be difficult to show mercy to a debtor asking for it. Luke 6:34-35 says, “And if you lend only to those from whom you hope to get it back, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount! No! Love your enemies and do good to them; lend and expect nothing back. You will then have a great reward, and you will be children of the Most High God.” To those of us who might be tempted to borrow money with the intention to simply ask for mercy in order to avoid paying our debt: the Bible condemns this behaviour, calling it wicked. “The wicked borrows, and never pays again; but the righteous shows mercy, and gives” (Psalm 37:21). The message is clear. We have had much mercy shown to us, and we in turn should display mercy to others. Jesus said, “… much is required from the person to whom much is given” (Luke 12:48). Micah 7:18 emphasizes that God values mercy: “Who is a God like You, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.”

mercy me y “FOR I DESIRE

OFFERINGS” (Hosea 6:6). References: http://www.carm.org/dictionary.htm

Come rain or shine, they “deliver whatever it takes”. Whether on foot or by bicycle, postmen faithfully deliver mail to your letter box, no matter what the circumstances. In the process they might even have to survive a confrontation with your or your neighbour’s watchdog. These respectable people mostly complete their duty unseen. When they deliver those long awaited exam results, however, or an envelope from the revenue office, their passing by certainly does not go unnoticed. And when they bring a surprise letter from a loved one in a foreign country, they might just receive an unexpected, affectionate demonstration of appreciation…

O n e d a y i n t h e l i f e o f a . . . PO STMAN WHEN DELIVERING THE MESSAGE IS THE GREATEST PRIORITY words: retha fick

photography: liezl du preez

One day in the life of a... JEFFREY DOLLEY (37) FROM Booysenspark in Port Elizabeth has been working for the Post Office for the last 20 years. He takes pride in his work and believes one should be grateful for having a job. His working day starts at 07:00 but he arrives at the post office at 06:30. “I believe one should arrive at one’s workplace early rather than late,” says Jeffrey. “When I arrive, the post office’s doors are still locked, but then I am there to lend a hand when the post van arrives.” The arrival of mail from the depot marks the beginning of a postman’s day. The mail needs to be weighed, sorted mechanically according to the different areas and then allocated to the postmen for the respective areas. When the postman receives his share of post, he ties it together and puts it in his bag. He is then ready to be taken by the delivery van to his specific area. Time is of the utmost importance for a postman, as this is the criterion according to which performance is measured. The time necessary for delivery is calculated according to the weight of every postman’s bundle of

mail. The first two weeks of the month are known for low volume mail. In the middle of the month various bills increase the quantity of mail to be delivered. The total distance of Jeffrey’s largest delivery area is 23 km. “You often have to walk down a whole street just to deliver one letter at one house in that street. But that letter is important and must be delivered; that is the postman’s job,” says Jeffrey smilingly. Although postmen rotate areas, they get to know every area very well. “We know who stays at every house. The postman needs to know the area so well that should he have to deliver a postal item with an incomplete address, he will know where it has to go. We have a book at the post office where we can trace who stays where. Sometimes even four families stay on the same premises. Those extra families are not necessarily recorded in our book.

“‘Postman, why are you singing?’ I told her it is because of the joy I have in my heart” “What I like most about my job is to communicate with people. Some people are very friendly while others are not easily pleased. Whatever the case, you just have to continue serving them. That is what is expected from us,” says Jeffrey. Jeffrey’s positive attitude towards his job and his fellow man is also evident in the fact that he often stays late after work to help

colleagues who are still not through with their day’s work. “I’ve learned that I am not there only for myself,” Jeffrey explains. “We are there for one another.” Jeffrey knows God - that is unmistakable. “I initially served the enemy and he stole much from me,” but I believe the Lord gives second chances. You are never too far away to be able to come back. The enemy can’t keep you down once God has pulled you out. Sometimes we make mistakes and then the enemy tells us we must give up. But God gives us another chance.” More than 12 years ago Jeffrey nearly died. He landed in hospital after being stabbed. “The next day the doctor told me that I had been praying the whole time while being admitted to hospital. I realized there that I had no other way out, so I accepted Jesus in my life. The Lord gave me the strength to stand up again.” God later used him to pray for his mother who had had a heart attack. She was restored that same day. Jeffrey says he does a lot of praying and worshipping during the day. “The other day a lady asked me, ‘Postman, why are you singing?’ I told her it’s because of the joy I have in my heart. One should always give praise to God. Even in the taxi, I praise Him. I don’t mind if people think I am crazy.” Jeffrey feels strongly about how one should approach one’s job. “If you serve God, you need to be just as serious about your earthly job as you are about your spiritual work.” No doubt, this postman not only delivers mail, but also carries the message of the Good News.

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“So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, will give You thanks forever; We will show forth Your praise to all generations.” Psalm 79:13

aquatic acrobats words: ena du plessis

photography: liezl du preez

References: En.wikipedia.org Hey, Douglas. Natuurerfenis. Kaapstad: Oxford University Press, 1980. www.crystalinks.com

THE CREATURES OF THE sea are truly fascinating, and not least so the dolphins. They look like fish, are superb swimmers, and have to the finest detail been created to be completely at home in the ocean. Yet they are warm-blooded mammals, giving birth to live young, and needing to come to the surface at regular intervals to breathe. There are almost 40 species. The smallest is Maui's Dolphin at 1.2 m and 40 kg and the largest, at 9.5 m and 10 tonnes, the orca. Most species, however, weigh between 50 and 200 kg. They are found all over the world and all are carnivores, mostly eating fish and squid. In one day a dolphin eats an amount of food equal to nearly one-third of its weight. Dolphins are social animals, living in schools or pods of up to a dozen. Where food is available in abundance, schools sometimes join temporarily, forming a superpod, which may exceed 1000 dolphins. Although membership in schools is flexible, dolphins forge strong bonds between one another. They are known to stay with injured or ill fellows for support. Together they hunt down their prey and act against their natural enemies. Their unity and teamwork are reminiscent of Ecclesiastes 4:9-12: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Play is important to dolphins. They often play with one another or with seaweed, or playfully swim alongside boats or surf the waves. They are also often seen leaping above the surface, sometimes performing acrobatic figures.

They communicate with one another using a variety of clicks, whistles and other sounds Dolphins have remarkable senses. Both under and above water they have sharp vision. Interestingly they have no sense of smell although they can taste – in fact they show preferences for certain kinds of fish. They have a good sense of touch and they hear exceptionally well. They communicate with one another using a variety of clicks, whistles and other sounds. They also use ultrasonic sounds to find their way and to hunt under water in a process known as echolocation or biosonar. They send out these sounds to their environment and listen to the echoes that return from various objects. By the echoes they locate and identify the objects.

Breathing takes place through a hole in the forehead, which is connected to the lungs. This hole is opened and closed by a sturdy valve. A dolphin can stay under water for about five minutes before needing to take a breath. When it swims to the surface, the dolphin firstly exhales the used air, which is mixed with vapour. As soon as it has taken a fresh breath, the dolphin dives beneath the surface again. A single calf is born under water after a gestation period of about a year. Other females – and sometimes even males – often act as “midwives”, supporting the mother and holding the calf at the surface to enable it to breathe. As the calf is fed under water, the mother’s milk glands have special muscles that inject milk into the mouth of the calf. Within six months fish and other seafood are added to the calf’s diet. The largest species of dolphin, the orca or killer whale, is the second-most widely distributed mammal on earth. It is found in all the world's oceans. Despite the name, it is neither a whale nor a threat to humans. It feeds off fish, turtles, birds, seals, sharks and even other dolphins. Orcas often co-operate to attack larger prey such as whales. Of all dolphin species, the bottlenose dolphin is the most common and well-known. Bottlenose dolphins are known to show friendliness and curiosity towards humans. They have even been reported to rescue injured divers by bringing them to the surface. At the New Zealand Coast in November 2004, three life-guards were reported to have been approached by a great white shark when a group of bottlenose dolphins happened to be in the vicinity. The dolphins gathered the life-guards together and kept surrounding them, thus protecting them from the shark, until they reached the shore 40 minutes later. Let’s consider the example of those dolphins that reached out to ones outside their own group. In the words of a song by Anna Warner and David McGuire,

“Tell me what, what can I do What can I do today I’m talking ‘bout the soul all alone Needing the daily bread Someplace to lay his head… And I’m talking ‘bout the neighbour on your street Won’t you look him in the eye Take time to speak, that’s mercy… And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love…”

r r r r r

words: mary-ann shearer

photography: liezl du preez

water

the essence of the

The refreshment our senses experience in a rainfall and the growth with which all of creation responds, demonstrate something of the essentiality of water. With water God blesses, sustains, cleanses and revitalizes us. He has designed us with a need for water, in more ways than many of us are aware of… WATER AS FEATURED IN THE BIBLE In the Bible water is often used in significant and symbolic ways. In the Old Testament we find many references of water as a sign of God’s care and provision. God says in Isaiah 43:20, 21, “The beasts of the field honour Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen, the people I formed for Myself, that they may set forth My praise.” Zechariah 10:1 emphasizes that God is the giver of water and that the water He gives, results in growth: “Ask the Lord for rain in the spring, and He will give it. It is the Lord who makes storm clouds that drop showers of rain so that every field becomes a lush pasture.” That water signifies God’s blessing, is clear from Ezekiel 34:26, 27: “… And I will send showers, showers of blessings, which will come just when they are needed. The orchards and fields of My people will yield bumper crops…” God not only nourishes nature and our bodies with water; He also nurtures our spirit with His life-giving Spirit – and He uses water as a symbol. In 1 Corinthians 12:13 Paul says, “… and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” Jesus says in John 4:14, “… whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” and in John 7:38, “Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” Verse 39 explains, “By this He meant the Spirit…” Note that Jesus uses the word flow.

Stagnant water rots easily. God fulfils us in order that we may bless others. The more we allow His blessings to flow from us, the more He fills us. The comparison with water does not only refer to God the Holy Spirit, but also to the Father and the Son. God says, “For My people have… forsaken Me, the Fountain of living waters…” (Jeremiah 2:13). He illustrates His mercy towards Israel as follows: “… My anger is turned away from [Israel]. I will be like the dew and the night mist to Israel; he shall grow and blossom like the lily and cast forth his roots like [the sturdy evergreens of] Lebanon” (Hosea 14:4, 5). Jesus is compared with water in Psalm 22, which foretells His crucifixion. Verse 19 says, “I am poured out like water…” Water is also often used to describe spiritual cleansing. God promises His people, “Then I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness; and from all your idols will I cleanse you” (Ezekiel 36:24). In the preparation of the church for the second coming of Christ, He is sanctifying the church, “by the washing of water with the Word, that He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendour, without spot or wrinkle or any such things [that she might be holy and faultless]” (Ephesians 5:26, 27). Every believer lives in joyful expectation of spending eternity

with Him. Then “they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun smite them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb who is in the midst of the Throne will be their Shepherd, and He will guide them to the springs of the waters of life…” (Revelation 7:16, 17). This echoes the words of the Psalmist, “The Lord is my Shepherd… He leads me beside the still and restful waters” (Psalm 23:1, 2). What a glorious sight the Apostle John describes in Revelation 22:1: “Then He showed me the river whose waters give life, sparkling like crystal, flowing out from the Throne of God and of the Lamb…”

WATER, THE FORGOTTEN NUTRIENT

Water is one of the most important substances God has provided us with. We seem to know a great deal about the vitamins and minerals that sustain our health, yet we do not always realize that without water we would simply not be able to utilize any of these nutrients effectively. It is perhaps the single most important “nutrient”. Without water, we would die within a few days. Both Moses and Elijah abstained from water for 40 days, but it is important to note that these were supernatural fasts. Richard Foster writes on the topic of fasting in his book Celebration of Discipline, “In Scripture the normal means of fasting involves abstaining from all food, solid or liquid, but not from water. In the 40-day fast of Jesus, we are told that ‘he ate nothing’ and that toward the end of the fast ‘he was hungry’ and Satan tempted Him to eat, indicating that the abstaining was from food but not from water (Luke 4:2). From a physical standpoint, this is what is usually involved in a fast…

“There are also several examples in Scripture of what has been called an ‘absolute fast’, or abstaining from both food and water. It appears to be a desperate measure to meet a dire emergency. Upon learning that execution awaited herself and her people, Esther instructed Mordecai, ‘Go, gather all the Jews… and hold a fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will also fast as you do’ (Esther 4:16). Paul engaged in a three-day absolute fast following his encounter with the living Christ (Acts 9:9). Since the human body cannot go without water much more than three days, both Moses and Elijah engaged in what must be considered supernatural absolute fasts for 40 days (Deuteronomy 9:9; 1 Kings 19:8). It must be underscored that the absolute fast is the exception and should never be engaged in unless one has a very clear command from God, and then for no more than three days.”

WHY DO WE NEED WATER? Water is an essential component of both protoplasm (the material comprising the living part of our cells) and blood. Cells must be bathed in fluid at all times to do their work. The body relies on water to flush away waste products. Without water to moisten the surface of the lungs, neither intake of oxygen nor expulsion of carbon dioxide would be possible. For food to be digested, absorbed and carried to all parts of the body, water is needed every step of the way. In fact, even if you are eating sufficiently, dehydration (or a lack of sufficient water) can lead to malnutrition. Water is essential for temperature maintenance, for many chemical reactions in the body, and for lubrication and protection of joint surfaces. Muscles consist of 75 per cent water and need this vital fluid to relax and contract efficiently, and to maintain

strength and tone. Good muscle tone protects our body and muscle activity helps to strengthen our bones. Water is also necessary for keeping the skin supple and elastic – dehydration can contribute to the ageing process. Water is vital for effective brain function as dehydration can lead to mental confusion and emotional stress and is detrimental to retaining information (memory). The hormonal system, which influences every aspect of our health and well-being, is totally reliant on water for almost every chemical reaction. With adequate water, all the systems in our body work at optimum levels for the benefit of our health.

CORRECT HYDRATION One of the very first signs of dehydration is usually tiredness (constant yawning), followed by a headache and an inability to concentrate. Thirst and dryness of the mouth will alert you to the fact that you need to up your fluid intake, but if you ignore these messages other symptoms will soon manifest. These include uncooperative or sullen behaviour, weakness and weariness, and at a later stage mental confusion. In severe cases the cheeks become pale and the lips dry and blue; the skin loses its elasticity; the eyeballs have a sunken appearance and dark circles appear under the eyes; and loss of weight is not uncommon. Dehydration during prolonged exercise (after more than one hour) encourages cardiovascular drift - a condition where the heart beats faster but less blood is pumped out, putting strain on the heart. It is interesting that the first thing we reach for when we are tired is usually caffeine in some form or another – tea, coffee, colas or chocolate – but this just contributes to further dehydration. A litre of clean, filtered water on your desk will help you to consume enough water during the day.

HOW MUCH WATER DO WE NEED? We need at least five to six glasses of water every day to ensure that we meet the body’s basic fluid requirements. The more raw fruit and vegetables we consume, the less water we need to drink. The more protein and processed foods we consume, the more water we need. We need to increase our water intake when we are ill or when we are exercising. The body is designed to quench its thirst with water and this is what should always be offered first. Generally it is a good idea to drink a glass of water if you are thirsty, and only then to go on to a hot or cold beverage if you really feel like it.

TIPS FOR HEALTHY HYDRATION Water is God’s gift to all growing things in creation. If you want to take full control of your physical health and mental well-being, it is important to include this precious fluid in your daily routine. - When you are thirsty, let your first choice be a glass of filtered water; - Keep a large bottle of fresh, clean water on your desk at work; - Keep a water filter jug or bottle of natural spring water in your refrigerator at home; - Carry a water bottle with you when you leave the house; - Avoid beverages containing caffeine (coffee and colas), drinking herbal infusions instead; - Avoid sodas and diet drinks, as they contain many harmful additives and sweeteners drink pure, fruit juices instead (diluted with sparkling mineral water if you miss the fizz); - For every caffeinated beverage you drink, have a glass of pure water too; - Sip a glass of water slowly before eating meals and snacks; - Remember that alcohol has dehydrating effects and will not quench your thirst; - Add a slice of lemon or lime to your water or even a touch of pure fruit juice (like grape juice) if it helps you enjoy water more.

TESTIMONY Many people find the first sign of dehydration is headaches and I have found most of them can sort the problem out by drinking a glass or two of clean, filtered water. Elsa is a lovely Christian lady who suffered from severe migraines to the extent that she spent most of her time on her bed. In fact she said only two to four days of a month were migraine free. I suggested to her to replace her three cups of tea a day with a tall glass of cold water or a cup of hot water. Within days she was migraine free and able to get on with leading the life and fulfilling the purpose that God had called her to.

Reference: Foster, Richard. Celebration of Discipline. London: Hodder & Stougthon, 1999.

GOD – THE SPRING OF LIVING WATER Life’s hardship and our choices can bring us to desert places in our spiritual lives. God’s invitation to every weary soul is to come to Him – the Fountain of Living Water. (Isaiah 55:1.) In the words of a famous song written by Brenton Brown and Glenn Robertson: “All who are thirsty All who are weak Come to the fountain Dip your hearts in the streams of life Let the pain and the sorrow Be washed away In the waves of His mercy As deep cries out to deep...”

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BORN AGAIN IN

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You promised omised i ed me a brand new life, that restore my soul. att You’d Yo Y

You said, “Get on your knees and pray Yo and I will make you whole.”

You say even though I walk through valleys fraught with pain and fear

Your rod and staff will comfort me. Your Hand is ever near.

Confusion, lost identity, violators of my soul In the Bible, the hee book bo of Psalms is a collection of 150 poems written itten tto celebrate the glory of God. We would like too en encourage co our readers to follow the example of David D vid and the other Psalmists, Dav and to send us your urr po poetry. oe If your contribution is placed, you will receive eiv ivve a beautiful leather bound Bible (New International ioonnal al VVersion) published by Struik Christian Books.

But I’m not a product of my past now that You’re in control.

I thought I’d wasted all these years in troubled times and strife

But now I understand the path

lif life ife e. e You’ve mapped out for my life.

rgive rgi rg v my sins I asked that You’d forgive ou urr protection. u pr pro p r and begged for Your

wn beside be You led me down Your lake Come on! Put your pen to paper pap apper and s e n d y o u r

d me m my reflection. and showed

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loo ook oki kin back at me. was looking

he’d ’d d left l She’d behind her troubled mind, her er soul was wild and free. Con g r a t u l a t i o n s to Sharon Scott f r o m D u r b a n f o r s e n d i n g her b e a u t i f u l p o e m . Yo u r B i b l e i s o n i t s w a y. M a y y o u be blessed by God!

In childlike faith I’ll follow You God. I’ll praise You and adore You.

So take my hand and lead me Lord. I’ll live my whole life for You. Sharon Scott Musgrave, Durban

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Radio Pulpit and MY World will be presenting a lovely ladies’ morning at Fancourt Hotel & Country Club Estate in George on Saturday the 27th of May 2006.

Enjoy a mouth-watering breakfast and live performances by Elandri Stander, presenter of KykNET’s décor programme, and singer Shelly Gruwer. Anrich Herbst will be master of ceremonies. Each lady will receive a special gift bag. The cost is R130,00 per person. For bookings and enquiries phone Liezl van der Linde at (044) 8714886 or 083-469-6790.

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“He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake.” Psalm 23:2-3

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JESUS photography: liezl du preez

“Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“I am the living bread which came down from Heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world” (John 6:51).

“Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me” (1 Corinthians 11:24). 69

“He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in me, and I in him” (John 6:56).

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).

The following is an excerpt from the book The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a’ Kempis, published with kind permission of Bridge-Logos Publishers, Florida, USA. “PureGoldClassics.com”. The work comprises four parts. These are chapters two, three and twelve of the fourth part, “Exhortation to receive Holy Communion”.

GOODNESS AND LOVE OF GOD SHOWN IN THIS SACRAMENT The Voice of the Disciple 1. With confidence in Your goodness and great mercy, O Lord, I come as one sick to the Healer, as one hungry and thirsty to the Fountain of Life, as one in need to the King of Heaven, as servant to their Lord, a creature to the Creator, a desolate soul to my own tender Comforter. But why is it granted to me that You should come to me? (Luke 1:43.) What am I that You should give Yourself to me? How dare a sinner appear before You? And how is it that You condescend [lower Yourself] to come to a sinner? You know Your servant, and You see that I have nothing good in me for which You should grant me this favour. I confess, therefore, my unworthiness, I acknowledge Your goodness, I praise Your tender mercy, and give You thanks for Your transcendent [excellent] love. For You do this for Your own sake and not because of any merits of mine, so that Your goodness may be better known to me, Your love more abundantly poured down upon me, and you gracious humility better manifested in [and through] me. 70

Since therefore this is Your pleasure and You have commanded that it should be so, Your graciousness is also pleasing to me. O that my sinfulness does not get in the way! 2. O most sweet and gentle Jesus, what great reverence, thanks, and perpetual praise are due to You for the sacrifice of Your sacred body, whose worthiness no person is able to express. But on what shall I think at this communion, this approach to my Lord, Whom I am not able to honour properly as I should, and yet whom I desire devoutly to apprehend? What thought is better and more profitable to me than to humble myself completely before You and exalt Your infinite goodness above myself? 3. Behold, You are the Holy of holies (Exodus 26:33; Hebrews 9:3, 8; 10:19) and I the scum of the sinners! Behold, You bend Yourself down to me who am not worthy even to look up to You! Behold, You come to me! It is Your will to be with me! You invite me to Your banquet!

You are willing to give me the food of angels (Psalm 78:25) and heavenly bread to eat, which is none other than Yourself the living bread, Who came down from Heaven and gave life to the world. (John 6:33.) 4. Behold, from where this love proceeds! What gracious condescension [humility] shines forth! How great thanks and praises are due to You for these benefits! O how good and profitable was Your counsel when You ordained it! How sweet and pleasant the banquet when You gave Yourself to be our bread! O how wonderful is Your work, O Lord, how mighty is Your power, how inexpressible is Your truth! For You spoke the word and all things were made (Genesis 1:1-31; Psalm 148:5; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16), and this that You commanded was done. 5. It is a wondrous thing, worthy of all faith, and surpassing human understanding, that You, my Lord God, true God and man, are represented in a little bread and wine that are consumed by the person who receives them. You who are the Lord of all things and have need of nothing are pleased to dwell in us (John 14:23; Colossians 1:27). Preserve my heart and body unblemished, so that with a cheerful and pure conscience I may be able to celebrate often Your mysteries and receive to my everlasting health those things that You specially ordained and institute for Your own honour and for a never-ending memorial. 6. Rejoice, O my soul, and give thanks to God for having left you so noble a gift and so special a consolation in this valley of tears. For as often as you call to mind this mystery and receive this spiritual nourishment, so often do you re-enact the work of redemption (Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 1:17-19; Revelation 5:9) and proclaim all the merits of [the death of] Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:26.) For the love of Christ is never diminished and the greatness of His propitiation [atonement] is never exhausted. (Romans 3:23-26; Hebrews 2:17; 1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10.) Therefore you should prepare yourself for it by constantly renewing your mind (Romans 12:2), and ponder with careful consideration this great mystery of your salvation. (Romans 16:25; Ephesians 1:9-10; 3:3-4, 9; 6:19; Colossians 1:26-27; 2:2; 4:3.)

IT IS SPIRITUALLY BENEFICIAL TO RECEIVE COMMUNION OFTEN The Voice of the Disciple Behold, O Lord, I come to You that I may be comforted by Your gift and be delighted at Your holy banquet, which You, O God, in Your goodness have prepared for the [spiritually] poor. (Psalm 68:10.)

Behold, in You is all that I can or should desire – You are my salvation and my redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30; Ephesians 1:7), my hope (2 Thessalonians 2:16; 1 Timothy 1:1; Titus 1:1-2; 3:7) and my strength (2 Corinthians 12:9; Philippians 4:13), my honour and glory. (Colossians 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:14; 1 Peter 5:10.) “Rejoice the soul of Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.” (Psalm 86:4.) I desire to receive You now with devotion and reverence. I long to bring You into my house so that with Zacchaeus (Luke 19:5) I may be considered worthy to be blessed by You, and be numbered among the children of Abraham. (Luke 19:9; Romans 4:13-16; Galatians 3:5-9.) My soul longs to receive You, my heart desires to be united with You. (Ephesians 3:17.) 2. Give Yourself to me and it will be enough, for without You there is no comfort. Without You I cannot exist, and without Your visitation I cannot endure living. Therefore I must often draw near to You and receive from You the refreshing of my salvation (Acts 3:19), lest I grow weak along the way. (Isaiah 40:29-31; Galatians 6:9; Hebrews 12:3.) Once when You were preaching to the people, most merciful Jesus, and healing their many diseases, You said, “I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.” (Matthew 15:32.) Deal with me in the same manner, You who have given Yourself for the comfort of the faithful. You are sweet refreshment to the soul, and “whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 11:23-32.)

3. For this is the one chief consolation of the faithful souls, so long as they are absent from You in this mortal body, that being often mindful of their God they should receive their beloved with a devout mind. 4. O happy minds and blessed souls who are privileged to receive You, their Lord God, with devout affection, and in so receiving You be filled with spiritual joy. O how great a Lord they entertain! How beloved guest they harbour! How delightful a companion they welcome! How faithful a friend they gain! How lovely and noble a companion they embrace! Even Him who is to be loved above all that are beloved, and above all things that can be desired. O most sweet and most beloved, let Heaven and earth and all their adornments be silent in Your presence, for whatever beauty and praise they have was received from Your bounty and will never equal the grace and beauty of Your Name, whose wisdom is infinite. (Psalm 147:5.)

THOSE WHO ARE ABOUT TO RECEIVE COMMUNION SHOULD PREPARE WITH GREAT CARE The Voice of the Beloved 1. I am the Lover of purity, the Giver of all sanctity. (1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2.) I seek a pure heart and therein is the place of My rest. (Psalm 24:4; Matthew 5:8.)

Make ready for Me a large room, furnished and prepared, and I will keep the Passover [meal] at your house with My disciples. (Mark 14:14-15; Luke 22:11-12.) If you wish Me to come to you and remain with you, “purge out the old leaven” (1 Corinthians 5:7) and make clean the residence of your heart. Shut out the whole world (Exodus 24:18; 2 Corinthians 6:17) and all the host of [of you or its] sins. Sit “like a sparrow alone on the housetop” (Psalm 102:7), and think over your transgressions with bitterness in you soul. For everyone who loves prepares the best and loveliest dwelling for their beloved, for in this is revealed the love of the one entertaining their beloved. 2. But understand that no action of yours has enough merit to make this preparation sufficient, even if you spend a whole year preparing yourself and think of nothing else. It is only by My favour and grace that you are allowed to approach My table – [it is] as if a beggar were invited to a rich person’s dinner and had nothing to give in return for the benefits, but to humbly give thanks. Do what you can and do it diligently, not out of habit or necessity; but with fear, reverence, and affection, receive the body of your beloved Lord God when He consents to come to you. I am He that called you, I have commanded that it be done, I will supply what is lacking in you – come and receive Me. 3. When I give the grace of devotion to you, give thanks to your God, for it was not given to you because you are worthy, but because I have had mercy on you. If you do not have this grace, but instead feel dry, be instantly in prayer, sigh, and knock (Luke 11:9-10), and do not give up until you are fit to receive some crumb of saving grace. (Luke 11:5-8; see also Ephesians 2:8-9.) You have need of Me, I have no need of you. And do not you come to sanctify Me, but I come to sanctify and make you better. You come to be sanctified by Me and united to Me, to receive new grace, and to be stirred anew to change your life for the better. Do not neglect this grace, but prepare your heart with all diligence, and receive your Beloved into your soul. 4. You should not only prepare yourself devoutly before communion, but be careful afterward to keep yourself in [a state of] devotion. And the careful guarding of yourself afterward is the best preparation for obtaining greater grace. If you quickly turn yourself to outward consolations, you will become unwilling to remain in a state of devotion. Beware of much talking (Proverbs 10:19), remain in some secret place (Matthew 6:6, 18) and enjoy your God – for you have Him whom all the world cannot take from you. I am He to whom you should give yourself completely, so that you may now live the rest of your time not in yourself but in Me, free from all anxiety.

on the mount

photography: cindĂ¨le blake

be ati t udes

WE CONTINUE THE SERIES of the Beatitudes on the Mount. (Matthew 5:1-12.) BLESSED ARE THEY THAT MOURN: FOR THEY SHALL BE COMFORTED The following is an excerpt from the book In Search of Blessings, by Kathryn Kuhlman, published with kind permission of Bride-Logos Publishers, Florida, USA. Puregoldclassics.com. “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” Mourning is not something for which we strive in life. To the natural mind, it is as undesirable as poverty, but only those who can “feel” can really mourn. Our Lord said, “Blessed are they that mourn.” He was not referring to the pessimist, nor to the selfish person whose ambitions are foremost in his thinking, neither did He have in mind the person bitter over some loss. There are men and women whose tears can flow as easily as water spouting from an open faucet. But long ago I learned that there are different kinds of tears. Some are shed because of jealousy. I’m sure you are aware that the first weapon a jealous person will use is tears. In situations like that, I find I have to check myself for it is my first impulse to confront them with the fact that I know their crying is only a sham and a weapon to gain their own way. Then there are tears of self-pity. Those are the people who have lived a lifetime of feeling sorry for themselves and have worked hard to gain sympathy on every side. Yes, I have found that nothing can mean so little as tears, and nothing can mean so much as tears. I have dealt with men who were scarred and hardened by the cares of life. They have knelt with me and I have prayed with them; yet, I was aware that I was not getting through to the heart and into their soul. Then, suddenly, as I was about to give up, I saw one falling tear or a glistening in an eye. In that instant I knew that a softening process was beginning to take place and that the Holy Spirit had pierced through the tough exterior and was reaching into the heart. If you have no sensitivity whatsoever when it comes to spiritual things (perhaps you are even boastful of this fact) – if you can honestly say your emotions are not stirred when you read the Bible – if you admit that you have no conscience concerning the things of God, then I pray you will take stock of your soul now before another hour passes.

Today, too many people desire God’s blessings, but not the cleansing and purifying discipline of His Word. Scores seek and accept sermons that tickle the ears, but remember: Christ came to create a new heart in mankind rather than treat the symptoms of their dilemmas alone. Yes, the feeling that many want as a result of their religion is a good feeling – one of security. They look for a preacher to pat them on the back and tell them that they are really not so bad after all. But Christ did not come to make us satisfied with the life that we are now living. Jesus never preached a sermon without pointing His finger directly into the face of those that were listening. He called sin, SIN.

There is another Scripture that I want to share in connection with this subject, so turn now to the Gospel of Mark where we read that James and John came to Jesus with a special request. I have wondered if these two brothers were a part of the great congregation that was on the mountainside when Jesus preached His great sermon which we label “The Beatitudes.” If these sons of Zebedee were there, I have a feeling that they missed His point entirely as so many of us do today. “And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto Him, saying, Master, we would that Thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire” (Mark 10:35). In other words they had a favour to ask of Jesus. Jesus said, “What would ye that I should do for you?” And this was their request: “Grant unto us that we may sit, one on Thy right hand, and the other on Thy left hand, in Thy glory.” They wanted to be seated on either side of Jesus. But Jesus replied that He had no seats to give. It was not in His power to give seats. To follow in His footsteps did not insure “a seat”, but a cup. Not a seat but a cross. It has been my observation that spectators are never healthy or victorious Christians.

Too many who are professing Christ as Saviour exercise their Christianity passively like someone watching a movie or viewing a television screen. Their thrill and adventure come to them second-hand. They wish to receive everything while seated, without doing a thing without paying a price. But you and I cannot understand or realize true Christianity from a seat, neither will we become deeply spiritual from a seat. The cup the Master offers is sometimes filled with sorrow or tribulation or bitter waters. Yes, we are assured of and long for God’s blessings. We yearn to experience the glories of Heaven and desire Heaven’s best but without the pain of God’s purging.

God’s grace is very often found in our wilderness experiences or in our dungeons There are many who will argue: “I am caught in a web of circumstance that binds me hand and foot. How can I live the abundant life? How can I be victorious? No one understands my situation. Surely, I am an exception when it comes to winning the battle and finding comfort through the power of the Holy Spirit.” In answer, let me refer you to a passage of Scripture in Jeremiah 31, verse 2, which refers to the children of Israel as they left Egypt for the Promised Land: “Thus saith the Lord, the people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness…”

These people were purified in their exile, and they became instruments of God through that terrible experience of national wandering. The wilderness – though grievous and despised – became a door to victory for them. God’s grace is very often found in our wilderness experiences or in our dungeons. It is possible for you to find it in your Gethsemane hour and in your suffering. You may gain no release from the dungeon that has imprisoned you, but you can obtain grace that gives you victory while in that dungeon. Your Gethsemane need not be a tragedy. Through God, it can become the greatest experience of your life. Therefore, do not wallow in your suffering but accept your circumstance as a challenge, consider your trial an opportunity for God to work in and through you, and to cause you to be creative. We put much stress on having a well and healthy body; and it is also vitally important to have a well and healthy mind. Yet, there is something that is far more important than physical and mental health; and that is a healthy soul and spiritual life. When we receive spiritual healing of the soul, frustrations must go and in their place we find usefulness and an outgoing love. Every day will be a challenge. We give of ourselves and ask nothing in return. Self is forgotten. Among the greatest spiritual giants who ever lived was the Apostle Paul. We cannot fully appreciate his spiritual strength until we take time to study the characteristics of his life. In his letters, written while in prison, we see a man of great strength and depth. There was no hint of self-pity although he was imprisoned. He wrote from his cell without thought of himself because he had found glorious power in the mighty Comforter. He had found grace sufficient for all his needs and grace enough to spare.

Over and over again I have made this statement but I’ll make it again: you can never give to anyone else any more than you have experienced yourself. We must experience to truly live. We must pass through the deep waters to become a mature person. We reach maturity as a Christian only as we gain victory over each hurdle. Finally, every crisis becomes a challenge, an adventure, and an opportunity to put God’s promise to the test. Do you want to know the reality of the promises of God? You will never experience this joy from a seat. You will never experience His faithfulness from a spectator’s position. Only as you personally stand at the very edge of your Red Sea, where you cannot go forward and there is no way back, will you discover the certainty of God’s unchanging Word. You can choose to go down in defeat, or you can turn to the Word of God, stake your very life on His promises which cannot lie, and be victorious. You may receive deep spiritual teaching under the leadership of a true man of God and hold membership in his congregation but you will never know the reality of the living Word of God until you rely on God’s promises for yourself and put His Word to the test. And you will never put God’s Word to the test until you become desperate and stand at the brink of your Red Sea where God is your last hope. Then, in desperation, you dare to believe His Word and stand firmly upon “thus saith the Lord.” Do you want to know the tenderness of the Man of Sorrows? Then, my friend, go to your Gethsemane. Look up when the night is dark and the very stars in the heavens have ceased to shine upon your life. In that moment you will become conscious of the presence of One who can be more real than any human being you have ever known. You will feel a tenderness in that person of Jesus. You will sense the Master’s strong

arms holding you close to His great Heart. “… For they shall be comforted.” You can be sure that the mighty Comforter will give you strength! He will impart His courage to you and you will find yourself doing that which you could not do in your own strength or under you own power. Blessed are they that mourn, blessed are they who go through Gethsemane, for it is there that they grow. You and I will never be spiritual giants or mature spiritually, we will never know the tenderness of the Man of Sorrows if we allow bitterness to enter our hearts and our minds. If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him. There is a crown of glory, there is a reward awaiting those of us who suffer for His Name’s sake and come through that suffering victoriously – not in our own strength, but in the strength of the mighty Comforter, the Holy Spirit. 77

Yes, we desire God’s blessing, but we shrink from the pain of His purging. Yet, my friend, we can never know that cherished nearness or the glories of Heaven’s best without the painful purging; but we have God’s promise that with the pain and the purging will come the strengthening power of the Holy Ghost, the mighty Comforter of the Trinity. Jesus said, I cannot give you seats, but I offer you a cup filled with sorrow even as My cup. And a cross; and whosoever does not bear his cross and come after Me, cannot be My disciple.

the clouds” (Psalm 108:4). Our Heavenly Father’s mercy is boundless and eternal and the effects thereof point to a God of love who cares about our needs. His mercy reveals His tender Heart towards us. He treats us better than we deserve. In Ezra 9:13 we read, “What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, You have punished us less than our sins have deserved…”

has

compassion

times of misery – the misery we often experience as a result of sin.

every morning

photography: liezl du preez

heavens, and Your truth reaches to

words: christa cloete, ena du plessis, retha fick

His mercy is new

“For Your mercy is great above the

References:

New Spirit Filled Life Bible. Nashville, USA: Thomas Nelson Inc., 2002. The NIV Thematic Reference Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1996. The Promise Bible. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers Inc., 2001. Thomson Chain Reference Study Bible. Indianapolis, Indiana (USA): Kirkbridge, 1997.

THE NIV THEMATIC REFERENCE Bible (Zondervan) defines mercy as follows: “A quality of compassion, especially as expressed in God’s forgiveness of human sin. Scripture stresses God’s forbearance towards sinners. In His mercy, God shields sinners from what they deserve and gives gifts that they do not deserve.”

Nehemiah 9 describes a pattern, repeating itself through generations, which is sadly still evident: of how God would help His people to take possession of all the good things He had in mind for them but that despite of this, “when all was going well” they would proudly and stubbornly turn away from His ways again. Nehemiah 9:30, 31 says, “In Your love you were patient with them for many years. You sent Your Spirit, who, through the prophets, warned them about their sins. But still they wouldn’t listen! So once again You allowed the pagan inhabitants of the land [their enemies] to conquer them. But in Your great mercy, You did not destroy them completely or abandon them forever…” According to Nehemiah, God listened whenever His people cried to Him for help. In His wonderful mercy He rescued them repeatedly. We all need mercy because we all sin. We read in 1 John 1:8, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” The beauty of mercy is that it triumphs over judgement. This triumph is illustrated in the significance of the mercy seat, of which we read in Hebrews 9. Hebrews 9 describes the layout of the tabernacle under the Old Covenant. In verse 5 it refers to the mercy seat that was overshadowed by the cherubim of glory. The Spirit Filled Life Bible explains that the mercy seat was a lid of gold above the Ark of the Covenant and indicated the place of atonement. “Applied to the sacrifice of Christ in that regard, the word [mercy seat] suggests that Christ’s blood and death appeased [satisfied] the wrath

of God that otherwise would have been vented upon the sinner. People sin and deserve God’s judgement; but because of the sacrificial death of Christ, they can receive God’s mercy and be cleansed of sin. As a result, they can experience God’s unmerited favour or grace.” God the Father gave us the ultimate gift of mercy in the form of His Son. Jesus offered Himself in obedience to God, as a sacrifice for our sins and took our punishment upon Him. Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ “shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Many of us go through life in ignorance of this truth and with constant feelings of guilt and fear in our hearts – expecting judgement or punishment to overwhelm us. Realizing what Jesus’ sacrifice on Calvary really means will allow us to let go of fear. God’s wonderful mercy made it possible for us to expect not punishment, but love and forgiveness. We need to “rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete in us so that we may have confidence on the Day of Judgement, because in this world we are like Him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:16-18).

EXAMPLES OF GOD’S MERCY An excellent Biblical example of mercy is that of the woman caught in adultery. When asked whether she should be stoned as required by the Law of Moses, Jesus answered, “All right, stone her, but let those who never sinned throw the first stones!” Upon hearing this, the accusers left the scene one by one. Then Jesus asked her, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she replied. And Jesus said,

“Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” (John 8.) This account shows that His mercy goes hand in hand with His forgiveness. God’s Heart towards all sinners can clearly be seen in His concern for the more than 120 000 people of Nineveh who were living in spiritual darkness in the time of Jonah. (Jonah 4:11.) The Lord gave them a warning through Jonah to turn from their evil ways and to stop all their violence. They believed God’s message and prayed earnestly to Him. Wearing sackcloth, they fasted to show their sorrow. Consequently He had mercy on them and didn’t destroy their city as He had threatened to do. It is important for us to realise that we have a responsibility to repent of our sin and then to turn our back on it. Not only do we receive forgiveness for our sin because of God’s mercy. We also find examples in the Bible where God showed compassion to individuals through healing, prolonging of life and angelic protection. These examples point to God’s tenderheartedness. Matthew 9:27-29 recalls the two blind men who followed along behind Him, shouting, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” After He had touched them, they could see. When King Hezekiah became terminally ill, the prophet Isaiah warned him to set his affairs in order as he would not recover. Upon hearing this, Hezekiah broke down and wept bitterly. As he reminded the Lord how he has always tried to be faithful and pleasing to Him, the Lord answered, “I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you … I will add fifteen years to your life…” (2 Kings 20). When Lot, his wife and two daughters still hesitated to get out of Sodom and Gomorrah before its destruction, angels literally seized their hands “and rushed them to safety outside the city, for the Lord was merciful” (Genesis 19:16). We all experience times when we feel that our problems lie heavily upon us and that

we do not know where to go for help. Mark 6:34-44 shows Jesus’ compassion. Jesus was not willing to send the crowds who had come to listen to His teaching away without feeding them first. He multiplied and divided among them the five loaves of bread and two fish that were available. His gifts of mercy are still available to us – He promises to fill all our needs from His glorious riches. (Philippians 4:19.)

WHY DO WE RECEIVE MERCY? We can all associate with Paul’s confession, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” (Romans 7:15). We are all sinners and deserving of punishment. God does not like to see people perish and therefore He gave us the ultimate gift of mercy in the form of His Son.

OUR RESPONSE TO GOD’S MERCY Mindful and motivated by God’s mercy, let us respond by joyfully committing our entire lives as a living sacrifice. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1). Let us obey Jesus when He teaches us, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36). Zechariah 7:9 says, “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.’” The nature of the mercy that God requires us to show one another, is described in Ephesians 4:32: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you,” and in Romans 12:13-20: “Share with God’s people who are in need. Practise hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse... Do not repay anyone evil for evil… Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is Mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink…’”

CONCLUSION The Lord is inviting us to receive His mercy. Isaiah 30:18 says, “… the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you” (Isaiah 30:18). Because of the Blood of Jesus we have free access to God. “Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the Throne of grace (the Throne of God’s unmerited favour to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it]” (Hebrews 4:16).

“Come to the Cross, there you will find mercy and true life!”

spiritual

w rfare the belt of truth

words: corrie huyser

photography: liezl du preez

As prayer warriors we need to know our enemy and the weapons he uses, but it is even more important that we know our own weapons and are able to use them. In Ephesians 6 Paul introduces us to the spiritual battle equipment God made available to us. In this issue we discuss the belt of truth. IN EPHESIANS 6:10-18 WE read, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” ¬ Let us take a second to look at verse 10, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” The Amplified Bible translates this verse as follows: “In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him

[that strength which His boundless might provides].” For us as Christians it is essential to realize that we will only be strong in our Christian walk and able to engage in spiritual warfare as long as we stay connected to the Lord – the source of our strength. Jesus taught the important principle of abiding in Him by comparing Himself to a vine with us being the branches. The branches need to be connected to the vine in order to bear fruit. Jesus says in John 15:5, “… apart from Me you can do nothing.” In verse 7 of the same chapter Jesus continues, “If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.” Once we become conscious of the importance of abiding in Him, we start to realize that our prayers in themselves can’t avail much, but because our prayers connect us to an all-powerful God, we see results. Jesus instructed His disciples to always pray in His Name. (John 14:13; John 16:23.) There is so much power in the Name of Jesus. We should approach our enemy in the same way that David went up to Goliath – in the Name of the Lord. (1 Samuel 17:45.) ¬ Because we are fully dependent on God we have to put on the full armour He gave us in Ephesians 6. Each piece of the armour protects us against a certain kind of attack and if we leave any area unprotected the devil will certainly aim at that one vulnerable spot. We need to continually inspect our spiritual armour to see that it is in place. Being spiritual soldiers, we have to be spiritually “battle ready” and fully equipped. We will now take a closer look at the belt of truth. ¬ THE BELT OF TRUTH The belt of the soldier in Biblical times was used to hold together all the other parts of the armour. In exactly the same way our whole Christian life should be “held together” by the solid truth of God’s Word. In his Notes on the Bible Barnes wrote, "Truth preserves a man from those lax views of morals, of duty and of religion, which leave him exposed to every assault. It makes the soul sincere, firm, constant, and always on its guard. A man who has no consistent views of truth, is just the man for the adversary successfully to assail [attack]." In John 1:17 we read, “...grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” Jesus said of Himself, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6) and He promised that “the Spirit of truth” would come to lead us into all truth. (John 16:13.) In His teachings Jesus Christ often said, “I tell you the truth...” (In the Gospel according to Matthew alone the concordance lists these words more than 30 times.) ¬A very important fact about the truth as applied to our Christian life, and specifically when confronted

with the enemy, is found in John 8:32: “… you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Jesus said this regarding sin in our lives and being slaves to sin. He continued in verse 36, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” ¬ We need to know the truth of who we are in Christ, otherwise we will have trouble becoming what He intends for us to be. The devil often tries to undermine our confidence in the Lord and we have to counter his accusations and the seeds of doubt that he plants in our minds with the truth of the Word. It is only when we know the truth of who God is and what Christ did for us that we will be able to take a stand against the devil in prayer.¬ ¬ It is imperative that we have the belt of truth in place all the time and that calls for a life of truth. We should depend on God to fill us with His truth and help us walk in integrity. Psalm 51:6 says, “Surely You desire truth in the inner parts; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.” We have to be willing to hold fast to the truth under all circumstances. In its explanatory notes to Ephesians 4:14-16 the New Living Translation TouchPoint Bible says, “Scripture is quite clear that, as followers of Christ, we are called to do away with false lifestyles and to live with integrity. But what if the truth hurts? What if an employee you manage must be confronted about poor performance? What if a friend asks your opinion, and you know it will not be what he or she wants to hear? Scripture says that we are to hold to the truth in love. How important it is to make sure our love for others is strong enough to include the truth, and how necessary it is to temper our truthtelling with love! Too many times people use honesty as an excuse for expressing bitterness or criticism, saying, ‘I was just telling the truth.’ Too often Christian relationships remain shallow because we hide from the truth behind a facade of ‘niceness.’ May we have the courage and gentleness to speak and live the truth in Christ’s firm, yet gentle, love.” The war we are involved in, is not merely defensive. We have to take God’s Kingdom into the world and for this purpose we need to not only know the truth of what we believe, but also demonstrate the truth of God’s Word through our lives. Duncan Campbell said, “The greatest thing about us all is not what we say, it is not only what we do; the greatest thing about us all is our unconscious influence, and that unconscious influence impregnated by the life of Jesus.” REFERENCE: Watson, David. Hidden Warfare. Eastbourne, E. Sussex: Kingsway Publication Ltd, 1987. New Living Translation TouchPoint Bible. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, 1996. www.e-sword.net

talk

“‘You are My flock, the flock of My pasture; you are men, and I am your God,’ says the Lord God.”

Ezekiel 34:31

Mercy words: edgar ramsami

photography: cindèle blake

Recently I met a friend for breakfast. As I approached him I noticed something different. He was neatly dressed, his hair was styled and the colours of his clothes matched. After greeting him I asked, “What’s her name?” and he almost fell off his chair. He had not told anyone yet. So how did I know? Well, when someone is in love or loves something of great value, they change their behaviour.

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. 86

Now God is saying to the Israelites and to us today that we must love mercy. And if we truly love mercy then our lives will be transformed and we will become people who serve others, care for others and love others with the love of God.

And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with

your God” (Micah 6:8).

THE PEOPLE OF MICAH’S day were not much different from people today. Many of them lived self-centred lives driven by greed and false pride. God speaks to the people of Israel through the prophet Micah. He gives them a challenge to change their ways, becoming people who act justly towards everyone, love mercy and walk humbly with Him. This is an awesome challenge – He doesn’t just say to be merciful or to be people who show mercy on those who need it most; He says to love mercy. When we love something or someone, that love compels us; it propels us into action.

To me mercy is to look at someone else’s view of life and to feel what they are experiencing; to move in and act on behalf of the ones who are hurting. Mercy has also been defined as compassionate treatment, or being kind and forgiving. To love even when we feel a person doesn’t deserve it – often that is when our love is needed most. In Luke 10:25-37 we read of a religious leader who, wanting to test Jesus, asked Him what he must do to inherit Eternal Life. Jesus replied that he should do what is written in the Law: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength and all your mind”, and “Love your neighbour as yourself.” This led the religious leader to ask another question, “Who is my neighbour?” Jesus answered by sharing the parable of the Good Samaritan and then asking which of the three he would say was a neighbour to the man who was attacked. The man replied, “The one who showed mercy.” Jesus said, “Yes, now you go and do the same.” We need three elements to be young people who love mercy and serve others in a Christ-like manner: 1. Compassion Believers need the same attitude that Christ displayed in Matthew 9:36: “When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” This is a

compassion that grows out of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives and that grows as we become involved in the lives of other people. As young people we must pray that God would soften our hearts and give us a Christ-like compassion. We must then demonstrate that compassion through our actions and share it with our friends. 2. Awareness It may be that we are surrounded by people less fortunate than ourselves. We should take time to observe the people around us in order to discover and become sensitive to their needs. 3. Response Our compassion motivates us to become aware of people’s needs. We serve them by responding to meet the identified need with no expectation of payment or return of favour. Here are some guidelines to bear in mind: - Meeting the needs of people does not necessarily require a lot of resources. - The need as felt by the person may not represent the true need. There are times when the discernment of the Holy Spirit is needed to know how God views the need of the individual. We must then act according to what He shows us. - The potential for people to become dependent on our help is a real danger. We must try to help people in a way that enables them to help themselves. - While the needs of our community may be most obvious, we must bear in mind that Scripture gives us a global mandate to meet the spiritual and physical needs of people in communities and countries other than our own. The true character of mercy is in giving – giving compassion, giving help, giving time, giving money, giving yourself and giving forgiveness. If you desire to be more and more like Jesus and to reflect the character of Jesus you must never give up loving mercy and, because you love mercy, you will show His mercy.

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How do I know God’s will for my life regarding my career choice?

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Ask Him! God is our loving Father. He really wants us to ask His advice in all we do. And when we ask Him, we can expect Him to guide us. Proverbs 3:6 says, “In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.”

and He is not becoming deaf. He can hear you when you call. But there is a problem – your sins have cut you off from God. Because of your sin, He has turned away and will not listen any more” (Isaiah 59:1, 2). Sincerely repent of whatever you have done wrong, and the relationship between God and you will be restored. We are sinners, but that is why Jesus died for us. We need to come to Him, repent and turn our back on sin.

Our Father knows us. He knows exactly what we are good at, what we enjoy and where we can make a difference. God wants to use your unique combination of gifts, abilities and passions. Even before you were born, He had already been planning great things for you. David says in Psalm 139:16, “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”

The devil is of course always trying to confuse us. He will try his best to get you off track by letting you hear voices that are not from God. Do not be alarmed by this – James assures us that if we are always willing to do whatever God shows us, the devil will run a mile. “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). If you still doubt whether what you are hearing is from God, test it by asking yourself whether you have His peace in your heart. “And let the peace (sole harmony which So how exactly do you ask God where it is that He wants to use you, comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts…” and how will you know that you are indeed hearing His Voice? As (Colossians 3:15). your Father, He wants you to spend a lot of time with Him – He enjoys your company. The more time you spend with someone, the Once you have made your choice, remember that you will still better you get to know them, and this definitely applies to God. If need God to guide you every step of the way. As you continue to you spend a lot of time with Him, praying, reading the Bible and grow in your relationship with Him, you will be surprised to see listening, you will learn to know His Voice. Remember that sin just how keen He is to be involved in every part of your life, every brings distance between God and us – if you are keeping uncon- single moment. You really can count on Him to show you the way fessed sin in your life, you will battle to hear God’s Voice. The each day. “I [the Lord] will instruct you and teach you in the way you prophet Isaiah warns us, “Listen! The Lord is not too weak to save you, should go; I will counsel you with My Eye upon you” (Psalm 32:8).

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We are bombarded with choices. Along with the choices comes the pressure of the world always watching how Christians handle life. During my walk with God, I realized that the fear of man and their opinion is a lie from the enemy. But that lie must be replaced with the Truth. The Truth can only be found in God’s Word. Only God’s Word and His Spirit can empower us to boldly stand for the Truth. (Acts 1:8.)

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Voice

I clearly recall the numerous occasions on campus, as I graduated last year, when fear paralyzed my boldness to stand for the Truth.

The word “monotony” does no longer exist in my vocabulary since Jesus came into my life. To know Christ is to truly live.

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Voice

I clearly recall the numerous occasions on campus, as I graduated last year, when fear paralyzed my boldness to stand for the Truth.

The word “monotony” does no longer exist in my vocabulary since Jesus came into my

’

life. To know Christ is to truly live.

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photography: liezl du preez

ChanĂŠ, Nathan & Loshice

eyes

through the

of a child

â&#x20AC;&#x153;There shall be a handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon; and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.â&#x20AC;? Psalm 72:16

The alarm clock is ringing! It’s time to get up.

We must hurry! We must not be late!

Mercy

illustrations and words: dewald and marilese van heerden

Almost! Wait for us outside; we’ll be there just now.

ANTOINE

ANTINA

Are you ready?

What is an alarm clock? Do you have one? How do you wake up 84 every morning? Have you ever overslept? Did it get you into trouble?

Did you hear that? Someone’s in trouble.

ANTOINETTE

Antina and Antoinette finished quickly. Excited about the new day, the four of them sang as they drove away in Antoine’s Jeep – the Antmobile – that he and his dad had built.

If we stop now to help, we will be late. Uncle Antique is waiting for us.

For a few seconds they sat quietly waiting and praying.

Someone sounds very scared. Oh Lord, what should we do?

ANTONIO

I’m suddenly thinking of the story in the Bible, of the good Samaritan.

You are right. It was very bad of them not to do

Yes, I read it in my Bible last night. I really don’t want to be like the first two men who didn’t help.

it – that poor man was almost dead after the robbers had taken all his money and clothes. It really must have

hurt.

Do you know the story? Read it in your Bible in Luke 10, or ask your teacher or mommy to tell it to you. Our four friends are moving closer to where the voice came from, a little scared of what they are going to see.

15 It is a baby anteater!

anything. Just think of

Look, we have love, wisdom, a rope and the Jeep. Uncle Antique always says, “Do to others what you would have What should them do to you.” we do? It looks as Matthew 7:12 if he is stuck in a tin. We are so tiny and what if he is hungry – it could be dangerous!

What would you have done with love, wisdom, a rope and a Jeep? Let’s see what our friends are going to do.

If only his feet can touch the ground, we will get the tin off.

With much effort they tied the long rope around Sammy the anteater’s feet and also to the Antmobile. They pressed, pulled, pushed and then suddenly… click!

Thank you so, so much. How can I ever thank you enough? I am free, and it was… Where are you?

Antoine and his friends were peeping from where they were hiding in the grass.

But you are ants… You are so tiny… I am your enemy – why did you help me?

The Bible teaches us to do good to others even if we think they don’t deserve it.

Yes, this is mercy. This is what Jesus the Son of God did for us. He forgives us our sins even though we don’t deserve it.

That is so amazing. I’m thinking of Psalm 136 that says, “God’s mercy will endure forever.” That means His mercy can never stop. It is forever and ever.

ANTIQUE While the four friends were telling Sammy about Jesus Christ’s love for us and how important it is to give your heart to Him, a very concerned Uncle Antique was waiting for them at the water tower. Next time we’ll see what happened…

who

touchedme? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.â&#x20AC;? Deuteronomy 11:15

photography: karin els words: ena du plessis

“My message to everyone is: Use your talents to help someone. This is a great gift and does not cost money. The change that you want to see in the world, has to start in your heart. From there it will flow to those around you. One day as you look around you, you will see yourself surrounded by ‘graceful lilies’…”

Susan Luthuli (70)

Ikageng They have neither youth nor physical strength on their side. They live in humble homes in Ikageng, Potchefstroom. Amongst the 50 of them, they have two bicycles and their own feet as means of transpor tation. But the ladies from Ikageng Day Care Centre for the Aged are not letting any odds keep them from impacting the lives of those around them.

WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND HER control cost Susan Luthuli (now 70) of Potchefstroom her job as nursery school teacher in 1997, she did not allow her faith in Jehova-jireh – the Lord whose provision shall be seen – to be shaken. She patiently waited on Him to provide her with a new calling and the means to fulfil it. Susan’s faith was rewarded when in April 1999 the Lord showed her exactly what He wanted her to do for Him. It started one Thursday afternoon when she was visiting a friend. “My friend insisted that she had to show me something,” Susan recalls. “Great was my shock when I came upon a very sickly old lady in a squatter home. She was weak, undernourished and helpless. She could not walk at all any more. My heart went out to her and I offered to care for her. I bathed her, rubbed petroleum jelly into her body, dressed her in my nightgown and fed her thin porridge and soup from a flask.” Susan realized that there were many such helpless, elderly people in her environment. Determined to do something about their plight, she began to look for volunteers who share her passion. She did a

door-to-door campaign and did not finish until she had enlisted close to 50 pensioners. Ikageng Day Care Centre for the Aged became functional on the 25th of June 1999. Says Susan, “We went into the neighbourhood to look for sick and helpless people to whom we could offer our services. We fed them thin porridge and soup from flasks, washed and dressed them, did their laundry and made them comfortable.” They still required a building for administration. On the grounds of the SAP Susan saw a ruin without any doors or windows. As it was central, she decided to apply for it, trusting that God would provide windows and doors. She submitted a business plan to the commissioner of the SAP, explaining that although they did not have money to pay for the building, they were prepared to work hard. On the 22nd of June 2002 the commissioner gave approval, so that Ikageng obtained the building at no charge. Says Susan, “Each of the members donated R20 from their pension. We used this to plant fruit and vegetables. We sold the fruit and vegetables and used the profits to obtain a telephone, windows and doors. We also started purchasing wool and fabric, from which we made clothing and blankets to sell. The profits were used for a bicycle and food, as well as toiletries for the needy.” They currently have two sewing machines and a knitting-machine, as well as two bicycles with ice-cream carriers, which they use to transport toiletries and other necessities to the frail people in their care. Susan’s working day begins at 7:30, when she arrives at the Centre. She then puts water onto the stove, as the building has no supply of hot water, and she lays the table for breakfast. Around 8:00 the rest of the members arrive. They start off by doing some exercises, followed by prayer and reading from the Bible. Next each member has a glass of water before they

sit down for breakfast. After the meal, everyone departs to visit the frail, except the two who are on catering and housekeeping duty that day, and Susan, who does the administration. They move about in groups of four and the healthier of them use the bicycles. Around 14:00 they arrive back at the Centre, exhausted after the day’s activities. The members then have lunch together, after which they tidy up and conclude with a prayer of thanksgiving.

Every other week Susan goes out to the various people in Ikageng’s care to check that they are being attended to properly. These people are mostly brought to Ikageng’s attention through family members. Susan says that many of them simply do not know how to care for an elderly person. When this is the case, Susan provides guidance and checks that they keep doing the necessary. If, on the other hand, family members are simply unwilling or unable to fulfil the role of caregivers, the Ikageng ladies make the frail people their own responsibility. Only 14 of Ikageng’s founding members are still living. They are currently 16 full-time members, caring for 14 frail elderly people. To Susan, whose name means graceful lily, it is a privilege and a joy to be able to serve in this way. “I have a heart for the elderly,” she says. “Each of us has received gifts and talents from the Lord. If we do not use these, we throw them away; but when we utilize them, they flourish in the lives of those around us. “My message to everyone is: Use your talents to help someone. This is a great gift and does not cost money. The change that you want to see in the world, has to start in your heart. From there it will flow to those around you. One day as you look around you, you will see yourself surrounded by ‘graceful lilies’…”

Now the wall of the New Jerusalem had twelve foundations and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb

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In Revelation 21, the names of the apostles are not written in a specific order. We know that Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone. We feature the apostlesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; names purely as information as to who the apostles were. Their names are in the order which they appear in Acts 1:13.

the name of the apostle for Chrysoprase S i m o n

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