MY World Issue 07 Chrysolite by MY WORLD MULTIMEDIA MINISTRIES

living My Word in your world makes the difference

WOMAN OF DESTINY d r m a m i s a c h a b u l a’s remarkable life

A FRIEND IN NEED

and real life

CO P I N G W I T H C H A N G E blessed are the flexible

9 771812 324004

inspiration, values

Issue 7 - 2005

100 pages of

Chrysolite

animal facilitated therapy

It’s all about

Peace be with you!

Wow, what an awesome magazine. God has used it to speak into my life in so many different ways. Thanks for

The recent article on Kempbisa in Issue 5 was written objectively and balanced and testifies of excellent journalism. Our heartfelt thanks to MY World.

your obedience to Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s call and your tangible desire to see Him glorified. I felt called to do a course on Spiritual warfare and was amazed at how often that message occurs in MY World - even in the kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; stuff...

As you are, always in His service!

Thanks again for MY World.

Hennie Barnard (This letter has been translated from Afrikaans)

Love

Brenda Stickells

Letters to

To all our readers... Thank you, thank you, thank you! To everyone who phones... Your calls are welcomed and so encouraging! Thank you so much for your obedience to our Father - we are really enjoying MY World!... Blessings for you and your team; may our Father inspire you daily! Much love!

Please e-mail your letters to letters@myworld.za.com or post them to Private Bag 2003, Krugersdorp, 1740. Please phone us at +27(11) 953-5214

(Excerpt from letter) ..Thank you for your obedience and ability to articulate the Heart of God for a time such as this.

MY World is a prophetic voice to the nation touching lives that need God and bringing clarity to the purposes of God

Kiekie Bolton

in the lives of its readers.

(This letter has been translated from Afrikaans)

God richly bless you. Shalom. Kind regards,

Greshen Chetty

Chrysolite Issue

Contents

REAL LIFE A friend in need

Animal facilitated therapy

A lifetime of faith

Mariaan de Bruin’s lives against all oddss

Woman of Destiny

36 38 42

FRUIT, FRUIT, FRUIT Fruit stories Kenton on Sea

WORK AND PLAY Financial obedience Getting your house in order

Dr Mamisa Chabula’s outstanding life

“Today

if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”

Mirror, mirror “Can I watch your car?”

IT WAS GOOD Ants, ants, ants

Addiction

The King and I

Welcome to Chrysolite - Our issue of salvation! Chrysolite is very special! God has given a strong and extremely serious word and message for our seventh foundation stone. This is a specific word for the body of Christ and particularly our nation. I pray that you will allow the Holy Spirit to minister to you as you read this message. The following is the word God gave for Chrysolite and on pages 28 – 33 you can read the message in its entirety. “Enter in” I remember one evening praying with one of my friends. I had asked God a day before to give me the word for Chrysolite. As my friend prayed the words “enter in”, it dropped into my spirit. I knew! The following day, out of the blue, I received an email from a lady I met in America earlier this year. In her letter she used the words enter in.

When I receive God’s word for “From my heart”, I always ask Him to reveal the meaning of the word He has given to me through Scripture. I went through the word finder and could not find the words enter in. I found enter into, enter through and enter by, but not enter in. Since I have a couple of Bible Translations, it was only by the leading of the Holy Spirit that I decided that evening to read one of the references to the word enter in my Spirit Filled Life Bible. It was Hebrews 3. I read the entire chapter. I did notice the word enter throughout the chapter. And as I read the last verse of Hebrews 3, there it was: “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” I was in awe. God knew what He was busy saying and all I had to do was to listen and comprehend. As I read Hebrews 3, I realized the seriousness of this message. Paul is speaking to the believers, not to the unbelievers – in other words you and me, Christians. He starts off by saying, “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him…” He firstly reminds us that Jesus Christ was faultlessly faithful to God, His Father. He then says the following in Hebrews 3:7,8: “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.’” He asks us not to harden our hearts but to incline our spiritual ears to hear what God’s Spirit is saying to us. He warns against an evil heart of unbelief, turning away from the living God. He clearly asks who it was that rebelled against God. “For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief” (Hebrews 3:16-19). I continued reading Hebrews 4. It was about the promise of rest and how it referred to the Sabbath Day, the Seventh Day. Initially I did not comprehend how this section linked to enter in, yet it was in preparation for the entire message as on pages 28 – 33. However, I knew the following: We are God’s children, as were the people of Israel who were led out of Egypt to the promised land. They knew God and knew His provision. Yet they hardened their hearts in disobedience and unbelief and they could not enter God’s rest.

As God’s children we now have a compassionate High Priest, Jesus Christ. “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has

As God’s children we now have a compassionate High Priest, Jesus Christ. “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 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 4:14-16). We are sure of our salvation because of Jesus Christ and when we are weak and in need of grace, He becomes our strength. Yet even if we have received Jesus as our personal Saviour, we can still, by choice, harbour evil and deceitfulness in our hearts. That is why Paul warns: “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God, but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today’, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:12,13). As is written in Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” and in Matthew 6:21, “For there where your treasure is, there you heart will be also”. We as Christians need to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal the true motives and desires of our hearts. We need to do a thorough clean-up, lest we do not enter in. I have often written that I feel like the mother of MY World, and I do! That God has placed this precious child in my care. In light of the significance that Chrysolite is our seventh issue, it was a great privilege for me when God allowed me to literally design this issue. When one of my dear friends asked me how I experienced it and coped with this challenge, my immediate response was: “Although I do not have children of my own, it felt as if I was lovingly changing my baby boy’s clothes for the first time. It is a feeling that only a mother will know!” And it is only by God’s grace!

“I can’ t imagine my life without her.” Adelle Schamrel

A FRIEND IN NEED ANIMAL FACILITATED THERAPY The therapeutic use of pets in the lives of suffering people can be seen as a gift from God to mankind. This 11

is a field that has gained ground in

inherent sensitivity and empathy these animals show during sessions, one cannot but wonder whether this was not part of Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plan in creating animals.

photography: liezl du preez

between animal and patient and the

words: dini esterhuizen

recent years. From the interaction

A FRIEND IN NEED INTRODUCTION

ADELLE SCHAMREL

THE DICTIONARY DEFINES therapy as “the treatment of physical or mental disorders, other than by surgery” – quite a wide concept. Animals are indeed used to help sufferers of a great variety of conditions. Experts use two terms interchangeably: Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) and Animal Facilitated Therapy (AFT). There is no legal definition, so many organizations use the terms much more broadly.

31-year old Adelle Schamrel lives in Bellville, Western Cape, with her guidedog Toffee, a Golden Labrador. Adelle is a beautiful, bright, witty and fun-loving worship leader who lights up a room with her presence. She was born blind, yet she is gifted with exceptionally sharp spiritual vision.

The therapeutic use of pets is applied to a wide variety of patients, such as people with AIDS or cancer, the elderly, the mentally ill, and the handicapped; therapists and researchers report remarkable results. The first reports of animal facilitated therapy in 1792 came from the York Retreat in England, founded by the Society of Friends, a Christian movement.

Animals provide a constant source of comfort and focus for attention; animals bring out our nurturing instinct; they also make us feel safe and unconditionally accepted. Whereas our interactions with people may be complex and unpredictable, we are free to be ourselves around pets. Any type of pet could render this therapeutic benefit – a dog, a cat, a parakeet, a goldfish or anything else – as long as the animal is of interest to you. In this article MY World features the testimonies of the owner of a guide-dog, professionals working at a child trauma clinic, and the manager of a stable providing horse-riding sessions for disabled children. They all testify to the amazing way in which God uses animals to help people. We are also taking a look at the reasons behind the success of animal therapy, as well as some of the latest findings and breakthroughs in this field.

“I AM SO GRATEFUL TO THE LORD THAT I WAITED TO EVENTUALLY GET THIS SPECIFIC DOG” Adelle calls Toffee a gift of God. “God’s grace is wonderful in giving blind people the aid of guide dogs for the following reasons: The dog makes the blind person much more accessible to the public.” People would much easier start a conversation with a blind person if he or she has a guide-dog.

also testify about the protection of Jesus over this animal. I believe that in the same manner that Jesus chooses certain friends for us, He chooses your dog for you, with a temperament that suits your needs.” Guide-dogs are bred and trained by the Guide Dog Society in Johannesburg. Their training starts out with a year in the care of a puppy walker, a volunteer member of the public who exposes the dog to real-life situations and amongst other things, teaches the dog to walk on the left-hand side of a person on a leash, and to respond to commands such as “sit” and “down”. The dog is then returned to the Guide Dog Society and trained for a further six months. The prospective owner then spends three weeks with the society, after which the instructor accompanies them home to see that they settle in together. The Guide Dog Society also trains service dogs and hearing dogs, to serve paralyzed or deaf persons. They use different species; such as Labradors, German Shepherds, and Golden Retrievers, all of which have different temperaments.

“It does take a lot of discipline and sacrifice from the dog. It is also a great service and sacrifice on the part of the trainer because they become very attached to each other. Even now, whenever Toffee sees her trainer, she jumps up and down, not out of disloyalty to me, but simply because she remembers her.”

Adelle gives some guidelines to members of the public who want to interact with a guide-dog: “It is better to stop the blind person before you talk to or stroke the dog so as not to distract the dog in its work. One should also guard against feeding the dog tidbits because they are on specific diets for their health. Labradors are inclined to develop joint problems in their hips and their diets should be watched.

While Adelle was studying B. Mus. at the University of Stellenbosch, she wanted a dog but dogs were not allowed in residences at that time and she had to manage without a dog for the time being. “I am so grateful to the Lord that I waited to eventually get this specific dog. I can

“Toffee is not only a means to an end,” Adelle says, “She is also a companion because she is so sensitive to mood. She senses when I urgently need to hand in work or reach a deadline; then she would come and lie directly next to me and cuddle up.

A FRIEND IN NEED

“She makes it much easier for people in public to respond to me as a blind person her presence provides a point of contact. I trust that God will be glorified as people see in what manner she helps me.

“I thank God for her every day. I know that God can see in my heart how truly thankful I am for her. She represents the grace of God.”

boy’s father died under tragic circumstances a year before. He would bring the dog to the sessions and would excitedly show her the dog. This would put him at ease during the session.

TRAUMA CLINIC “A practical example of her help is that her guidance has given me a much better insight in the layout of roads. In terms of the therapeutic value an animal has, we know that even people are sometimes not as faithful as an animal. I believe that God created an animal, especially this kind of dog, and horses and whatever Jesus uses to help people, with this built-in faithfulness. That helps a lot to give a person a feeling of security. It is also a remedy in the case of rejection. Guide dogs and service dogs give people more independence, selfconfidence and boldness, and help them not to feel inferior. “The relationship is not a selfish one. I, as the person to whom God lends the guide dog, do not have an attitude of trying to see how much I can get out of her. I also have the responsibility to see to it that she is happy, and to give her enough love, talk to her, touch her and use different tones of voice for when she did well and when she did wrong. And it is important to realize that Toffee is no different from any other dog in that she likes to play. It is also important to groom her often and see to it that she is clean and tidy when seen in public, because just like us, when well cared for, they feel better. “I actually do not have words to explain how much I love my dog. I cannot imagine my life without her. ”Every time when I go and minister somewhere and I can’t take her with me, I am so relieved when I return and realize Jesus has once again protected her. I have asked the Lord to keep her alive for long.

Dr Carla Winter uses animal-facilitated therapy as part of her approach in working with traumatized children at Child Trauma Clinic in Woodhill Park Centre in Garsfontein, Pretoria. We spoke to her at the Clinic where she works in partnership with her colleagues, clinical psychologist Marita Rademeyer and Liesl van der Sandt, a specialist in play therapy. All three therapists are committed Christians who rely on the help of the Holy Spirit in their work. They specialize in helping children who have experienced problems such as hijacking or house-breaking, divorce of parents, or sickness or death in the family, and children who display behavioural problems. They also provide encouragement and help for the parents and family members.

“IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE CHILD TO NURTURE THE ANIMAL.” Carla holds a master’s degree in psychology and a doctorate in social work. She lectured at the University of Pretoria and trained students in play therapy and animal facilitated therapy. She experienced very positive results with Yorkshire Terriers during sessions. In one case she used a boy’s own dog. The

In the case of the loss of a family member, especially a parent, or in the case of divorce, they encourage parents to buy their child a dog. “It is important for the child to nurture the animal”, she says. “It is true that if you nurture another person or even a pet in feeding or playing, you do it for yourself as well, fulfilling a need of being nurtured. I think it is all about the love behind the action. Animals, especially dogs, accept unconditionally. In the case of divorce, a child can feel very abandoned by both parents. Even in the case of death of a parent, where the surviving parent needs to concentrate on a job to make a living and the child needs even more attention than otherwise, a pet can be of great value. A mother once told me she is so busy that at night she has to prepare supper with the cell phone in one hand. Here the children’s pets made a great difference.” Carla’s colleague Liesl owns two Scottish Terriers. The older of the two dogs helped her in therapy with a boy who suffered from attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). At the time of this boy’s therapy, Liesl was ill for quite a long time until the Lord healed her. Her illness made it impossible for her to occupy the boy with therapeutic games. Her Scottish terrier came to her assistance and played with the boy until he was tired enough to sit still and concentrate on the counselling session. Says Liesl, “I believe that the Lord created these animals so that we can enjoy their love and be entertained by their antics and their cuteness.”

13 13

HORSES SARDA is a stable near Ruimsig, Roodepoort, which uses horses in therapy for cerebral palsied, mentally handicapped, physically handicapped and autistic children. The staff is trained by RDA (Riding for the Disabled) based in England. This therapy helps the children to strengthen their muscles, and motivates them. Especially the autistic and mentally handicapped children benefit greatly from this kind of therapy. According to Anne Bregosz, the stable manager, they have ponies that show a special empathy and affinity for the handicapped children. Although these ponies are often naughty when ridden by able-bodied children, they are instinctively good when they work with children with special needs. THE BENEFITS WE EXPERIENCE WHEN PETS ARE PART OF OUR LIVES Repeated exposure to the distraction and non-threatening quality that an animal provides - in accepting without qualification - can reduce or eliminate anxiety. A pet provides entertainment to those watching it.

Even people who don't like animals often enjoy watching their antics and reactions. The presence of animals brightens the atmosphere and increases amusement, laughter, and play. These positive distractions may help to decrease people's feelings of isolation or alienation. Research shows that children see animals as peers. In some cases they can identify better with animals than with humans, probably because interaction with animals is much simpler – issues such as dishonesty and hidden motives, for example, do not exist. Part of a child’s development in communication skills is to develop the skill to read and interpret body language. Children find it easier to read animals’ body language because it is more direct. From their ability to interact with animals, empathy with these animals become possible. As children grow up, their ability to empathize with animals carries over into their experiences with people and helps to develop an outward focus. Owning a pet can furthermore help develop children’s sense of responsibility, as well as their need of being nurtured and ability to nurture others. Emotional well-being is greatly influenced by personal relationships throughout a person’s life. The pets of a family provide the possibility of emotional attachment that adds to a feeling of well-being and stability. As non-judgmental companions, pets supply emotional support.

BETTER HEALTH AND LONGEVITY Research has shown that heart attack victims who have pets live longer. Even watching a tank full of tropical fish may lower blood pressure. A study of 92 patients hospitalized in coronary care units for angina or heart attack showed that those who owned pets were more likely to be alive a year later than those who did not. The study found that only six per cent of patients who owned pets died within one year compared to 28 per cent of those who did not own pets. In a study conducted at City Hospital in New York, it was found that heart patients who owned pets were significantly more likely to be alive a year after they were discharged from the hospital than those who didn't own pets. Pet ownership may affect people physiologically through the soothing and relaxing effect of touch. And non-verbal communication with a pet, or simply watching a cat or fish, may produce a relaxation response with little demand on the patient. BEREAVEMENT AND STRESS Research suggests that pets may be particularly helpful to those finding themselves in stressful circumstances that make it difficult for them to turn to human relationships, such as bereavement or serious illness. Pets frequently play an important role in helping terminally ill adults cope with feelings of distress, and even prolonging their life span, by providing a reason to live and consistent companionship and affection. They even have a beneficial impact on the healthy spouses of such patients. These spouses normally do not see pet care as a burden, even while caring for the patients.

A FRIEND IN NEED The companionship of pets (particularly dogs) has been shown to help children adjust better to the serious illness and death of a parent. The benefits were observed in five areas: -

Children received love at a time when their need for love was enormous; Children were able to confide their feelings more readily to their pets than to people; Taking care of their pet helped maintain structure in the midst of a vast disruption in their daily routines; Children felt competent by taking care of the pet at a time when their lives felt out of control; Children felt needed by their pet.

IN HOSPITALS In hospitals, where touch is often painful or invasive, the touch of an animal is safe, non-threatening, and pleasant. An experiment was done in a hospital in California, using a cat as companion animal in every ward. The overall feedback, in spite of a minority reporting concern about flees or allergies, was that the cats improved responsiveness, gave pleasure and in general improved the milieu of treatment. VISITING PETS In the USA, programmes are in place according to which pets – mostly dogs – are making visits to convalescent homes, hospitals, youth facilities and the like. The pet owners are volunteers, who receive little or no training in therapeutic technique. Their role is to simply make life a little more pleasant for those in various treatment or residential facilities. These visits give residents or patients something to look forward to; they offer entertainment, or a distraction from pain and infirmity. Stroking the pets can reduce a person’s blood pressure.

The visiting pets help fill the void left by having had to give up one’s own pet in order to be admitted to a hospital or group home. Residents are motivated to leave their rooms, increase their physical activity, and interact with others. Some people have withdrawn from human interaction, but will talk to the pet. In other cases the pet provides a bridge to facilitate communication with other people. The benefits continue even after the visit – memories are left of the visit itself as well as of past experiences. INTERACTION PROGRAMMES WITH DOLPHINS AND HORSES In his book on the therapeutic use of animals, Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, AM Beck writes about the remarkable findings of a Frenchman called Conderet. Conderet studied the impact that animals had on normal as well as disturbed children in Bordeaux, France. His most surprising observation was of an autistic child who had only responded to lifeless objects such as building blocks before, who smiled for the first time when a pigeon flew right in front of her. She watched the bird, imitated it and used a new word. Her reactions were recorded on video and reported by Conderet. Exactly how that moment helped the child is not yet explained. Beck also reports on a case in Miami, Florida, where dolphins are used to draw interaction and response from autistic children. Together with the dolphins, several people also interact with the children. An autistic child has been noted to imitate the clicking sounds of the dolphin. PERSPECTIVE

We have taken a look at some amazing ways in which God shows us His Love through His creation of which animals form a vital part. Besides these documented cases, many of us can testify of therapeutic use of animals in our lives. God has called us to take care of His creation...and we receive so much uncondintional love in return. You may not have a pet or even an inclination to keep one, but just take a moment to look at animals and appreciate them, bearing in mind that God uses them in phenomenal ways to help us.

CONCLUSION “And God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth every kind of animal – livestock, small animals, and wildlife.’ And so it was. God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to reproduce more of its own kind. And God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:24,25).

In what we keep discovering on the possibilities of animal therapy, the goodness of God’s creation is simply confirmed to us over and over again. Let us respect each creature, never forgetting that He made everything in an awesome way and with great love. Proverbs 27:23, 26 and 27 reminds us, “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds;” for then “the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field. You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed you and your family and to nourish your servant girls.”

IN THE SCHURVEBERG VALLEY outside Pretoria lives an exceptional woman, hidden in ordinary life of hard work, being a wife to her engineer husband and bringing up four daughters. Neither the church house group her family belonged to for years, nor even the people living closest to her realized until recently how great the odds were stacked against her. Her early life existed of doctors, treatment, warnings about her health and her parents’ concerned discussion with doctors behind closed doors. She overheard snippets of this, which left her with the impression that her chances of living beyond the age of 16, were slim. When she survived, another projection was made that she would not live much over the age of 30. Doctors strongly advised against her ever having children.

In her childhood, Mariaan de Bruin, now 51, was diagnosed with Wolff-ParkinsonWhite Syndrome (WPW Syndrome) and Epstein’s Anomaly. This means that her lower heart chamber is positioned too low, with the result that the valve is also very low. The valve does not close completely every time. The electrodes that regulate and synchronize the heartbeat are situated here and the rhythm of the heart is disturbed, causing arhythmia and palpitations. As she sits telling her story, the features that made this soft-spoken, humble person a beauty queen are still evident although this information on her background she never mentioned. The sunburn from years of incredibly hard work as dairy farmer also shows. But what is most striking is that she has once again, after so many years, heard what was practically a death sentence. “I asked my mother and she says I had a high fever as a small child. This was years ago when we didn’t have the technology that we have nowadays. She initially took

me to our family doctor but he couldn’t find out what was wrong. (Later on, doctors expressed the opinion that I must have had rheumatic fever that damaged the heart.) When I was about seven, our family doctor left and my mother took me to another doctor. When he saw me, he immediately referred me to a specialist.”

me about the Psalms they sang. I learned them from her and then I would walk in the veld and sing them. In this way the Father drew me to Him without my even knowing it. In standard four (grade six) we had to buy Bibles for school. I started reading from my Bible, and that was the preparation of my spiritual life.

Her life was dominated by penicillin and other drastic treatment. Her parents even took her to the famous heart surgeon Prof. Chris Barnard. He said there was nothing they could do for her. The heart chamber had sagged too much and was too enlarged.

“In my teens, however, I was not close to the Lord at all. When I started working, I came to the city and a friend of mine invited me to a service at the YMCA, where Rea Uys (a well-known minister’s wife who at the time ministered far and wide in South Africa) preached. I didn’t know who she was. I can’t remember what she preached but I remember that she said if we wanted to receive Jesus as Saviour, we should remain behind. I wanted to get up but I couldn’t. I had an experience there on that chair while she preached. Now I know I felt the anointing over me.

“I started reading from my Bible, and that was the preparation of my spiritual life.” “It was a battle as a child, because despite the heart problems you remain a normal child and you want to do everything that other children do. Yet you are hampered. You always have to fight against the odds. I very much wanted to participate in sports, but if we ran a race, I could only do it once. Although I played netball well I didn’t dare to do it. I could enjoy horse riding, however.” Christianity was not such an integral part of Mariaan’s home when she grew up as it is now. “I think our parents’ generation didn’t see Christianity as we see it now, committing your entire life to God. We didn’t know that kind of life. We were financially secure, but my friend’s family, who were not that privileged – one thought of them as poor – were a very happy family. They went to church and she always told

“I couldn’t leave. She then took me to a room to pray with me. I was on my knees and when she led me in prayer I saw a vision of mountains moving away from one another, like on a sliding stage. On the far side were angels and on the mountains in the foreground were also angels, clothed in white, rejoicing. The one group said to the others, ‘We got another one!’ “What I experienced that day, fascinated me through the years. Why can’t we see such things all the time? “Because I so often became very ill – mostly with pneumonia – my immune system became weak of all the medication. I was permanently under doctors’ treatment and as a teenager I rebelled against this. I said I was not going to continue with the medication; I wanted my immune system to start working. “Looking back, I believe that this was a good decision and that it helped me.

faith

“The heart disease, however, felt like a blow and a fight against death. If your foot is sore, it is easier to have the faith that it would heal because it is not life threatening. I often had to get over it, time and again.

faith faith faith faith faith faith faith faith

“I met Jan and we got married. When I fell pregnant in spite of the warning, the doctors guided me through the pregnancy, but I could not breastfeed with the heart tablets I had to take. That in itself was bad. They immediately took my baby Susan away. The doctors then said I should under no circumstances ever have children again.

“Contraception failed however, and I was pregnant again. It caused great tension when I heard that I was pregnant. I sat there in shock. Then the doctors insisted that I should have an abortion. I can remember that the heart surgeon banged his hand on the desk when I said I wasn’t going to have the abortion. He said, ‘You won’t have enough strength to raise the child!’

“I was so rattled and upset and I cried so much that they put me into Denmar Specialist Psychiatric Hospital. There I just sat on my bed and cried more. And right there I made the decision. This was when the one doctor had already signed for the abortion and the other one still had to sign, and they were waiting for our consent. “It was as if I was told in my heart, ‘The Lord brought you here and allowed these circumstances, and He will take you through’. Then I took a stand and refused to continue with an abortion. After that I didn’t worry about it any further. It had reached finality.

“Afterwards when I was released from the clinic, it was as if the illnesses were over. It wasn’t easy; I was often extremely tired. I just had this drive inside to prove that I was normal. I decided I would have the

strength. There were hard times. I remember kneeling in front of my bed, praying, and He took me through every time. Life was not wonderful all the time, but He carried me through every time even when it was hard. Its like being in a storm – you have to be in it to get through it. “Elize was born, and I still believed that I was healed. I fell pregnant for the third time. This time it was planned and I had stopped contraception. I also decided to stop the heart tablets so that I could breastfeed the third baby Mariana. I delivered successfully and she was healthier than the others. “After I had had my fourth daughter Jana, I knew that the child-bearing time was over.

“The Lord replied: ‘I know why.’ Just that...it is not for me to know because He knows.” “The Lord gave me wonderful children. (All four have been tested as highly gifted and had distinctions in all their matric subjects. The eldest two are married.) It was not easy. I remember one evening when I cried before the Lord and said it would have been easier if they were sons. Then my husband would have played a bigger role. With girls the burden is on the mother. A father can’t do things like sewing. I sat on the veranda and asked, ‘Lord, why girls? It would have been much easier if they were boys.’ The Lord replied so clearly, ‘I know why.’ Just that... It is not for me to know because He knows.”

FINANCIAL CRISIS

fai fai fai fai fai fai fai fai fai fai

When Jana was still a baby, the family landed in financial difficulty. Mariaan then took on an enterprise that many a farmer would call one of the hardest in the farming industry. Remarkably she did this in spite of her heart condition and even as she tells her story, it seems that she still doesn’t fully realize how taxing it was.

“I initially baked cake for extra income. I then started with a dairy farm – there were still a few heifers on our farm that my father-in-law had bought. I had made a decision to work with what was available. I didn’t know how much work it would involve.

”Our Heavenly Father caused the dairy to grow so much that it secured a good income for many years. We had about 65 milk cows, producing 800 litres of milk per day. I started making cheese and yogurt. The Lord really took care of us. There were always good products on our tables. We had an income and I was at home. “In 2001 it became too much for me. The doctors advised me to have a hysterectomy and I realized it was getting too much. There is no way to scale down a dairy. I held an auction and sold the animals. The calves that I kept have now become cows and my husband decided to take care of them. “The Lord has ended a phase in my life and brought me into a calmer season. I had been overworked and one has a responsibility to oneself; you can’t just keep carrying on at full blast.” TUMOURS

For a few years Mariaan knew that she had to go for a hysterectomy, but because there was no crisis, she kept delaying it.

ith ith ith ith ith ith ith ith ith ith

faith faith faith faith faith faith faith faith faith faith

“Then we planned to go abroad and I knew I had to get my things in order. During that year I felt some pain in my stomach area. There were growths on my pancreas and liver, and the doctor said I had to see a gynaecologist urgently. That Sunday at church, our pastor said the Lord told him there was a woman who had something in the pancreas and stomach area. He prayed for me and gave me a Scripture verse: ‘...if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there” and it will move’ (Matthew 17:20). I took that verse for myself. I was very relieved after that ministry.

JUST BEFORE GOING TO PRINT, WE RECEIVED THE

“When I saw the gynaecologist, he told me that there were huge growths on my ovaries and they were very concerned about it. From the shape these growths looked like cancer – they had three pointed offshoots that are characteristic of cancer. The gynaecologist suggested that we should extend our medical fund to maximum cover because they anticipated chemotherapy and radiation.

live until her Godly purpose on earth is fulfilled.

“They did the operation in a hurry, especially because my father had shortly before passed away from cancer. I was so used to the heart disease and never thought something else like this would happen. I was taken aback; it was terrible. I had come to the point where I said, ‘Not my will but Your will be done...’

SCRIPTURE BE OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOU AND

“The Lord was so good. The growths were not malignant and after we took the sonars again the growths on the pancreas and liver had disappeared. To me this was a great miracle, and I once again realized that I had received grace out of my Father’s Hand. “During that time in hospital, the Father showed me that every day is like a slide show that flips over. Every day is a gift. We so easily take for granted that there is no end to it, but I decided to receive each day as a gift. You cannot anticipate these gifts; nor can you bring them back.” Mariaan’s life is truly a testimony of living by faith and believing the report of Jesus, that by His stripes we have been healed. Whether Mariaan’s life in the natural is difficult and sometimes filled with adversity, her promise of eternal life makes her whole!

FOLLOWING NEWS:

Mariaan has received a new confirmation of the heart defects that have been threatening all her life. Yet

Mariaan and all those who love her continue to entrust her life to the Hands of God, knowing that Mariaan will

FROM ALL AT MY WORLD, MARIAAN, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR YOU. MAY THE FOLLOWING

YOUR FAMILY: 2 Corinthians 12:8-10

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away

from me. But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for

you, for My power is made perfect in weakness’. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my

weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses,

in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

DR MAMISA CHABULA

This exceptional woman holds a B.Sc. degree in chemistry and mathematics, a B.Sc. honours degree in Chemistry, the degrees M.B., Ch.B., and a diploma in obstetrics. Amongst many awards, the greatest achievement was that her continuous efforts towards the eradication of medical complications in traditional circumcision culminated in the promulgation of the Application of Health Standards for Traditional Circumcision Act in 2001. Adding to all of this, she is a single mother of five daughters and five sons. All of them have the same father and were born in wedlock. Nine of the ten hold university degrees, and the youngest is currently a first-year university student.

her needs and provide for her in a way that didn’t make her feel poor. “I remember one day when I was eleven years old. I didn’t have a proper shirt and I always wore my jersey to hide the shirt I was wearing. In the line for assembly that day, we had to take off our jerseys. I didn’t take mine off but started crying. The sister didn’t understand my behaviour, because I wasn’t a disobedient child. Afterwards she called me to the staff room and when I took off my jersey, she realised what was going on. Because God granted me the ability to reach above average achievement, I always was the top student in my class. From that day on, the prize for the top student included clothing!

Assessing her life, Doc Mamisa (57) recognises the Hand of God. She accepted Christ as her Lord and Saviour in 1971 as a student at the university of Fort Hare. The fifth born of a family of ten in the midst of extreme poverty, a firm foundation of faith in God’s goodness and provision was laid in her youth. Her journey has not been an easy one. Says Doc Mamisa, “I was raised in a slum area. We had to survive with very little, almost nothing. I received my first pair of shoes at the age of fifteen. My school uniform (an old dress from my aunt) had a big hem, so that it could be undone every year.

“I later realised that it was only in respect of the classes I was in that the top student was given clothes. At age fifteen, one of my duties was to work in the school’s tuck shop. The sisters would then ‘pay’ me with a cake of soap or toothpaste. I thank God for opening the eyes of people to my needs, and then providing in my needs in a way that would not make me feel that they were giving me hand-outs because I was poor, but in a way of compensation for service rendered.”

You learn to find ways of survival. I am so grateful for my mother – she was a wise

The wisdom of authority figures in her life moulded Doc Mamisa into the person she is today. “I used to be quite bored at school and quickly lost interest. One of the teachers noticed this and she decided the best

time for knitting. I knitted garments and even started a small knitting business: knitting baby clothes and articles for the aunts in the neighbourhood. Even today knitting is a much-loved hobby. You can give me any pattern to knit and I will be able to do it.” Looking at different snippets of Doc Mamisa’s life leads one to understand the resilience her whole life portrays. “At the age of eleven, I started working after school as a gardener for 20c per day. I started off by cleaning the outside of the yard. As time went by, I was promoted to the flower garden. The greatest day at this particular job was when the owner of the house asked me to clean the stoep. She gave me polish with which I cleaned the floor and the window-sill. I made it shine! I felt so good inside because I knew after that something better would come. The salary remained 20c but I was asked to clean the inside of the house, which I did well! The owner of the house would, besides the 20c, also give me two loaves of bread, a tin of meat paste, and a packet of biscuits. “My mother wisely decided to put me in a local school in the township at the beginning of my matric year. Only later did she explain to me that she didn’t know how I would react to the pressure of township life, as in the church school I never really submitted to peer pressure.”

“I BELIEVE THAT GIVING THANKS MEANS LIVING THANKS” woman. She worked as a domestic worker and raised us as a single parent, as my father was in exile since I was seven years old. She never made us feel poor. In spite of all the poverty we were surrounded with, I never ever as a child thought I was poor.” In retrospect, Doc Mamisa realizes how faithfully God prompted people to notice

way to keep me coming to school was to keep me engaged. She started to teach me to knit by using a pattern. I was about nine years old at the time. She wouldn’t help me to interpret the abbreviations on the pattern but left it to me to figure out. “Because I was so challenged with these abbreviations, I suddenly wanted to go to school, because at school I would have

Doc Mamisa worked as a high school teacher and a university lecturer, but having always wanted to become a doctor, she went to medical school at the age of 34 when she already had eight children. She had two more children during her third and final years of medical school respectively. Doc Mamisa started practising in Motherwell, Port Elizabeth in 1988, where she’s

”Today my children have a place they can call home, which is much better than the shack where I grew up. I remember how it leaked when it rained.

“I sometimes say I am a child of the community. It was the people’s good hearts that brought me where I am today. If you have a bursary, somebody must have given the money. I believe that giving thanks means living thanks.”

Dr Chabula was recently nominated for the Herald Citizen of the Year Award for her efforts to create an HIV/Aids-free Motherwell. “It is all God’s Grace,” she says. “THAT’S ALL!”

JESUS

ALL for

still practising. After being involved in various community activities, her focus now is on HIV/Aids. She recently set up the Emmanuel Haven Day Care Centre for those infected or affected by HIV/Aids, aiming to provide holistic, comprehensive care. “I do this as a way of giving thanks to the community of Motherwell. It is time for me to thank them for supporting my practice, because without their support, I would not have managed to put my kids through university.

“TODAY ” if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.

inspired by God, written by Lindie Gouws

This is not an article. It is a specific and serious message to the Church. It is extended from pages 6 and 7, “From my heart”. As I mentioned in “From my heart”, God has given a clear word for His Church for this hour. I have to be obedient to God and publish it in our seventh issue, Chrysolite. The word for “From my heart” is “Enter in”. If you read that word first, it will be a sound basis and introduction for the rest of this message. I had the privilege of delivering this word in person at the Radio Pulpit Four Seasons Breakfast in Gauteng in September 2005. May the Holy Spirit prepare your hearts and minds to receive this word as it was given to me.

BRIEF BACKGROUND Earlier this year, as I was driving down to Cape Town, I answered a call from Letsie van der Bank from Radio Pulpit. She had phoned me and asked if I would be able to speak at the Radio Pulpit Four Seasons Breakfast that was to be held in September this year. I had to speak on the four seasons in a person’s life. I took heed of the theme yet knew that if God wanted me to speak at this function, He would give a word that would be edifying and that would speak into the lives of people. It would be a word in season as we, His church, would need it. Months passed and the end of August arrived. Meanwhile I had received the word for Chrysolite – Enter in – from God. I understood what God was busy saying about obedience in the body of Christ and that we as His children, by having hardened, unbelieving, disobedient hearts, were taking such a risk with our eternal destiny. I received this word out of Hebrews 3 and I can recall that as I continued reading on that particular day, I still wondered what the significance was of the period of rest, the seventh day, mentioned in Hebrews 4. At that stage I had already received the explanation for enter in in Hebrews 3. What relevance would this section have to the word enter in? Well, the production of our seventh issue was well on its way. With the production and designing process as priority in my mind, my spirit never lost focus and sight of the fact that God wanted to give me a specific word in season. The evening of the 31st of August I went on my knees next to my bed and held one of my Bibles (a tiny wooden bound King James Version that I bought in Israel) in my hands as I prayed. I asked God to tell me clearly what He wanted me to say at the function. Although I searched the word finder in this particular version, I could not find the word season. I then spontaneously opened this Bible in the Book of 2 Timothy. I started reading in 2 Timothy 4. Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4:1-2, “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season…” Needless to say I was in awe. My first reaction was, “Thank You, thank You, Father. You have allowed me to tap into Your heart.” That evening I went to bed knowing that God would completely reveal this word to me and that I would be able to present the message.

Still, it was not done yet; it had only just begun. Every morning as I prepare for work, I switch my television on and tune into TBN to listen to the various messages preached. On the morning of the 1st of September (the morning after God had given me the word on the seasons) John Hagee was busy ministering. I heard him prophesying that we are spiritually going into a new season, the Sabbath Day. And that if we as God’s children will not become obedient to Him, we will not enter His rest. He referred to the Book of Leviticus 23. I immediately sat down to listen. I found it extremely interesting as I heard what He said in light of what God had been preparing in my spirit. Three central concepts stood out to me: - “Enter in”… God’s rest (this has to do with obedience); - “The seventh day” (the Sabbath Day); - “Be ‘instant in season and out of season’” (be ready). I then went to the Book of Leviticus 23 and read about the Sabbath Day. I continued reading Leviticus 24 – 26. It was about pure oil in the lamps of the Tabernacle, the various feasts the Israelites would celebrate as well as the blessing for obedience which, I might add, mentions rains in their season. So how was this all relevant? How did it all fit together? FIRSTLY, LET’S HAVE A LOOK AT THE SCRIPTURES AS A FIRM FOUNDATION: HEBREWS 4:2-7 “For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: ‘So I swore in My wrath, “They shall not enter My rest,”’ although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: ‘And God rested on the seventh day from all His works’, and again in this place: ‘They shall not enter My rest.’ Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, again He designates a certain day, saying in David, ‘Today,’ after such a long time, as it has been said: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.’”

2 TIMOTHY 4:1-5 “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”

nor shall you set up an engraved stone in your land, to bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God. You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the Lord. If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them, then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.’”

LEVITICUS 23:1-3

To God a thousand years is like one day and one day like a thousand years. (Psalm 90:4.) We have completed six thousand years since the existence of Adam; therefore in terms of this Scripture verse, we have completed six days. We are about to enter into the seventh day, or the next thousand-year period. We read in Revelation 20:4-6 about the thousand years’ reign of the saints with Christ. So this period is a period of rest.

“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the Lord which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts. Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.’” LEVITICUS 24:1-2

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Command the children of Israel that they bring to you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to make the lamps burn continually.”

“Be instant in season, out of season”

HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO US? - “ENTER IN”

If God then gave the word “enter in” for our seventh issue, and in the same breath He speaks about the seventh day of rest, we need to take heed of the warning that those believers who are disobedient or unbelieving will not enter His rest, the Sabbath. If we then are about to enter the Sabbath Day or seventh day of rest, at which stage are we now? - “BE INSTANT IN SEASON AND OUT OF SEASON” I believe that right now as Christians in South Africa we are very strategically placed to fulfil a Divine purpose and destiny in the kingdom of God. That is why it is vital that we listen to the following word in 2 Timothy:

LEVITICUS 25:1-3

LEVITICUS 26:1-4

“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”

“‘You shall not make idols for yourselves; neither a carved image nor a sacred pillar shall you rear up for yourselves;

Instant means immediately; on the spot; in other words quickly. We have been called to reprove, rebuke, exhort in

“And the Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: “When you come into the land which I give you, then the land shall keep a Sabbath to the Lord. Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather its fruit; but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the Lord. You shall neither sow your field nor prune your vineyard.”

love. We see that there are going to be many around us who will compromise and who will only want to hear that which is pleasing to them but it must not influence us; we have to be obedient to God and not partake in the compromise and unbelief, because this unbelief will cause many not to enter in. LOOK AT THE WORLD. IT IS BEING SHAKEN! In Haggai 2:6-7 we read “For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations…’” Yet before the end comes the promise of God’s Spirit that will be poured out upon all flesh must be fulfilled. Joel 2:28, “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.” What did God say to us in Hebrews 4? “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” GOD IS GOING TO POUR OUT HIS SPIRIT IN THIS NATION UPON THOSE WHO ARE WILLING AND READY TO RECEIVE HIS SPIRIT. I believe it is those people whose lamps are filled with pure oil. The oil as referred to in Leviticus 24, which will provide for the lamps to burn throughout the night, continually. Because you see, not all believers carry pure oil. Many live a life of compromise in worshipping foreign gods. To read the stars, to depend on people who claim to have insight into the lives of the dead, to depend on the goddess of luck and so much more may seem harmless; yet these things are fatal. They are abominations before God, creating impurity in your life. God is not prepared to share your life or your heart with any other god. “‘You shall not make idols for yourselves; neither a carved image nor a sacred pillar shall you rear up for yourselves; nor shall you set up an engraved stone in your land, to bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God. You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the Lord. If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them, then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit’” (Leviticus 26:1-4). “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to them-

selves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry” (2 Timothy 4:3-5). How then can God trust you with His power? He will not pour out His power into a heart filled with evil, pride or unbelief. That kind of heart, even if it belongs to a believer, will only abuse that privilege! THE VOICE OF THE CHRISTIAN We should not think that the world is going to be turned to repentance and to Jesus Christ by a Christian voice that is heard through petitions, or by walking around with placards displaying slogans. Neither is the fact that you wear a cross around your neck going to be a Christian voice that brings in the final harvest. The Christian voice is going to be heard by the world when they see the power of God made manifest in our lives. The Kingdom of God is not going to come by merely speaking words, but by allowing His power to be made manifest in our lives.

“You will be a witness and a testimony” In whatever area of life you move in, by God’s Spirit and His power in your life will you be moved to do things that are different to the ways the world do them. You will operate in His wisdom and you will do things that astound the human mind. You will be separated from this world and separated to Jesus. Yet you will be a witness and a testimony to the world and because of His Power and His love living within you, will they want to know Jesus. This will bring revival. But we have to be ready, pure and obedient. People are going to be turned to Jesus when they see His impact in your life and when they see His Spirit poured out upon you. If you are ready instantly in season and out of season, when God calls upon you to lay hands on the sick (even when you do not feel ready – because it has nothing to do with you, it has to do with Jesus), because you are filled

with His Spirit and power you will be able to and people will come to know Jesus. We only have the “six days” in which we can do all these things and, as Paul says in 2 Timothy 4, evangelize and minister. For when the “seventh day” comes, we will enter the rest. (Leviticus 25:3-5: “Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather its fruit; but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the Lord. You shall neither sow your field nor prune your vineyard.”) IN CONCLUSION The world is being shaken and God is preparing us to enter His eternal Rest. Yet there are many who will not enter that rest because they have chosen in their hearts, although they have heard and believe the Gospel, to have disobedience and unbelief in their hearts. We are being given one more chance to turn from the slightest form of compromise and have purity of heart. Then God will pour out His Spirit upon us in this last period in time before we enter the seventh day. Endowed with His power we will be able to minister and evangelize instantly in season and out of season.

Many will be turned to God through our obedience to God and then too will we be able to say like the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 4:6 “For I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.” “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” I pray, even if we are only 10 per cent of the believers in the Body of Christ in South Africa who are prepared to really respond to this call, that God will not move His Hand off our nation but that He will choose to use whoever is willing. OBEDIENCE

Strange again, yet I obeyed. The next day, on my way to the event I wanted to stop at the filling station again for an energy drink and yet this day I received a “Yes” from God. Strange, I thought, I wonder why? As I drove into the filling station, a van pulled in. It said “Four Seasons Gardens” on the vehicle. I now knew why God had given me the go-ahead. On the side it said, “Clean-ups, irrigation and landscaping.” I realized that the two previous situations where God had said no, were simply a test of obedience and that God wants us to become obedient in the smallest of instructions. If we will listen to Him in those, He will be able to trust us instantly in and out of season. The words on the truck made me think! Firstly, our hearts need to receive a clean-up. Then we need to be irrigated and receive the Living Water of Life and the Holy Spirit. Thereafter we will be able to form part of an eternal landscape. We need to thank God for our Lord Jesus Christ. If it were not for His grace, we would never qualify to be used by God. But in 2 Corinthians 12:9 we read, “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength [power] is made perfect in weakness.” When we are weak, without pride, and understand our dependency upon God, we will by His grace receive His power. We are not under the law but in the dispensation of Grace. The people of Israel had the law of God as given to Moses on the Mount Sinai. We have Jesus Christ, the Word that became flesh and we also have the Sword of the Spirit (the Holy Spirit), the Word of God. Hebrews 4:12 says "For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

Two days before I had to speak at the Four Seasons Event, as I was driving to the office, I wanted to stop at the filling station for an energy drink as I had been putting in extra long hours. As I wanted to pull into the service station I knew that God had said, “No”. I was not allowed to. I thought it odd but I obeyed. So I drove past.

We have no option…we have to obey!

The same day I was going to make myself a cup of tea and I was going to drink ordinary Ceylon tea. Yet at that moment again I heard God say, “No, rooibos.”

Daily we move closer to the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, so “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”

CAN HE TRUST YOU WITH HIS POWER? Are you going to enter in? Are you ready instantly in season and out of season?

“Give Me every part of your life, every part of your heart. Make sure your hearts are pure. Then I will pour out My Spirit upon you. For see, only then can I trust you with My power. In the Name of My Son, Jesus, will you perform signs and wonders and people will through your life, through My Spirit, My power and in love see that Jesus is alive. That is how revival will come. That is how you will fulfil your purpose. I want you to enter My rest. Do not be disobedient or harden your hearts. See, the time is near and at hand that all will see who I really Am! For I AM, I WAS AND I AM TO COME!”

“TODAY ” if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.

Faithfulness

Humility and patience Kindness

words: retha fick

words: lu-ann leih

My one friend’s brother recently died of

The way in which he relates to people

One chilly Friday night, my family and I

cancer at the age of 26. Before his death,

inspires and motivates them. Whether you

went out for a meal. A car watch

friends and family earnestly prayed for his

are the gardener, the cleaner or the chair-

approached us to look after our car.

healing and salvation.

person, Rynu Roode (33), office adminis-

The fruit of faithfulness in the life of Pastor Francois le Grange from Mooi

trator of a huge company, will make you

As we were finishing our meal, the car

feel valued and important.

watch entered the restaurant. The owners seated him at a table from where he was

Hawens Church in Centurion gave Thinus the opportunity to accept Jesus only six

Asking him about this approach to people,

still able to watch over the cars and then

days before his death. Francois was on his

he gives credit to his dad whom he regards

brought him a hot meal to the table!

way to visit another patient in Pretoria

as his role model.

Academic

Hospital

when

passed

Thinus’s room.

He was guided by the Holy Spirit to enter the room, which he did, and was touched

It warmed my heart to see such unexRynu’s position causes him to receive up to

pected generosity shown to the less fortu-

54 phone calls a day of people demanding

nate!

his attention. If you have lately come across somebody

by the pain and suffering of this young man.

To always stay calm and friendly under

who really touched your life with an

such pressure is not easy. Always patiently

unconditional act of love, kindness or

After telling him about Jesus and explain-

willing to listen and to help, he surely

ing the message of the Gospel to him,

bears the fruit of the Spirit.

goodness, or by bearing any one of the fruit of the Spirit, please send us a brief email and tell us the story.

Thinus spontaneously accepted Jesus and the gift of eternal life.

What a joy to know that Pastor Francois was faithful and led Thinus to Jesus. We believe that Thinus is now healed and with

When asked about his relationship with God, Rynu answers, “I pray every morning

We need to publish this. It is the South African basket of fruit: Nine provinces, nine fruit of the Holy Spirit!

that the Holy Spirit will prioritise my day...and He does.”

Email us at letters@myworld.za.com

Jesus.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22

THE NDLAMBE AREA, situated between the Sundays and the Fish River in the Eastern Cape, was historically the area where KhoiKhoi met Xhosa and Boer met Brit. These meetings resulted in many clashes and frontier wars, which caused generations of bitterness and strife. God, in His mercy, has been changing this, bringing these ethnic groups together in reconciliation and love.

The main road from Port Elizabeth to East London winds past coastal towns like Bushmans' River Mouth and Kenton on Sea. On the other side of the road we find Ekuphumleni, Klipfontein and Marselle. For many years it was mainly the workers from these areas who crossed this road, but these days Christian brothers and sisters find common ground in prayer and worship on both sides of the road. Where did it all start? Nobody can really tell, but all agree that people started to pray and God started to move. Some years ago seven people started an interdenominational prayer group praying for the community. Their numbers grew and after a while they crossed the ethnic divide and became an inter-racial prayer group. God brought people from outside to kindle the fires of Christian unity. This resulted in the first ever meeting on 'the other side of the road'. People from all ethnic groups, Xhosa, Khoikhoi, English and Afrikaans, came together in Ekuphumleni and worshipped, prayed, cried and laughed together and became brothers and sisters in Christ. Many names can be mentioned and many more will remain unmentioned. These are ordinary men and women who trust in an extra-ordinary God. People who were

willing to take hands and work together to address the needs of their communities. George grew up in Klipfontein and became a boilermaker, but he knew that God called him for service. He completed his theological training, but his passion for the youth led him to take a teacher’s diploma. With the help of his friends in the intercession group and the local congregations he is now a JOT (Jesus Our Teacher) teacher. His vision is to use sport as an instrument to teach young people spiritual and moral values. He says, "God is preparing a new generation. We are now running in front, but soon we will disappear when God does not need us any more.”

"This inter-denominational, inter-cultural prayer p y group is the engine room of what is happening. pp By praying p y together we have come to trust one another.” Gladys used to be a part-time domestic worker cum caretaker at the holiday home of a family from Gauteng. Her concern for the children in her community who did not attend school and were roaming in the streets caused her to start caring for 12 children in her own home. She gave them what she had for food and encouraged them to go to school. She is now working together with Child and Family Welfare, feeding 170 families every month. Says Gladys, "God loves children. I love God. When you are looking after children you do what God wants."

Cynthia, a qualified teacher who has a heart for the little children, started a pre-school in a shack. As the shack was completely inadequate, the prayer group started praying. They went to see the municipality, who gave them a piece of land. The prayer group started fundraising for the building and equipment. The school became a reality and can accommodate 89 children. Says Cynthia, "We received the school through prayer. It's a miracle." God is sending people with serving hearts into the area. After moving to Kenton on Sea from Natal, Jenny, who feels strongly about unity in the body of Christ, became involved in networking between groups, churches and races. She humbly says, "We need to be the little leavening in the bread, allowing God to teach us." She is helping with the establishing of crèches and a crisis centre for children, as well as with skills development. Errol and Ann moved from Gauteng to retire at the coast. Errol used to work with computers and was the perfect person to head a team of retirees in establishing a community computer centre, providing teachers and learners of the local high schools as well unemployed young people with free basic computer training. Ann is busy establishing a library at one of the schools. Reverend Terry Beadon points out that every form of outreach in the area is covered directly or indirectly by the Monday night prayer group. "This interdenominational, inter-cultural prayer group is the engine room of what is happening. By praying together we have come to trust one another. Seeing God's heart in each other got rid of our preconceived ideas. We come together to pray, encourage and support one another. Christ incarnated is our model. He did not direct from a distance, but came right into the situation to address the problem.”

financial OBEDIENCE words: myles sinclair

photography: liezl du preez

words: myles sinclair

“The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, ‘Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the LORD. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.’ Elisha replied to her, ‘How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?’ ‘Your servant has nothing there at all,’ she said, ‘except a little oil.‘ Elisha said, ‘Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.’ She left him and afterward shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. When all the jars were full, she said to her son, ‘Bring me another one.’ But he replied, ‘There is not a jar left.’ Then the oil stopped flowing. She went and told the man of God, and he said, ‘Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.’” 2 Kings 4:1-7 (New International Version).

WHAT FINANCIAL PRINCIPLES CAN BE IDENTIFIED FROM THE PASSAGE IN 2 KINGS? IN PARTICULAR WHAT PRINCIPLES ARE THERE FOR GETTING OUT OF OR AVOIDING DEBT? 1. COUNSEL The widow asked for advice and sought help from a Godly person. She approached the prophet of her own accord. Many times you end up in difficulties simply because you do not ask for advice from mature, experienced Christians. If you simply asked you could receive valuable advice. It is important to test all advice according to God’s Word. 2. OBEDIENCE The widow obeyed the prophet’s instruction even though it may have seemed absurd. The prophet represents God in your life. God gives more than advice. He gives instruction that really must be obeyed. When you obey God even though it seems illogical, He is then able to perform the miracles you need. Remember that God does not think the way you think. (Isaiah 55:8.) In fact often you find that God uses simple ways or principles to confound or confuse the wise. (1 Corinthians 1:27.) This principle of obedience is probably the most important aspect as all the other principles stem from it. 3. WILLING TO USE ANYTHING SHE HAD She was prepared to use her last bit of oil. If you really want to resolve your financial crisis, you must be willing to do whatever it takes. Do not hold on too tightly to anything even though it will look as if you cannot live without it. Be prepared to give up the house that is dragging you under financially, or the car, or whatever. This is often a temporary measure that will allow good financial principles to be established.

4. DEBT AFFECTS EVERYONE The prophets, despite being God’s representatives, were not spared the challenges of being in debt. Sadly I have met many wonderful people who are faithfully and fervently serving God and yet are still drowning in debt. Serving God actively and zealously is not going to protect you from the damage caused by ignoring Godly financial principles. 5. HONOUR THE DEBTOR The amounts she was paying were the debts her husband had incurred. They were not her direct purchases but they were her problem. From the passage it seems that she did not resent the debtor for claiming what was rightfully his. (Remember in those days it was custom that if a debt could not be paid a person would go into slavery or jail to pay for the debt.) She did not blame the debtor for what was possibly her husband’s poor judgment. When someone lends you money they trust that you will repay them. They are honouring you through their trust. As Christians we should be returning the honour by repaying the debt. Psalm 37:21 says that those who do not repay are wicked. 6. PAY DEBT BEFORE LIVING EXPENSES This is a really challenging principle or instruction. The prophet clearly instructed her to first pay the debt and then live off the remainder. Often you may be tempted into thinking “I can’t afford to repay my debt” when the more accurate comment should be “I can’t afford to repay my debt and continue with the lifestyle I’ve had”. The clear principle here is that if you have debt you should ensure that your monthly repayment is made before you spend on yourself. That will sometimes force you to make the crucial lifestyle changes you need to make.

7. GOD IS LIMITED BY HOW MUCH WE BRING TO HIM The prophet clearly instructed her to get a lot of containers. He even told her what the containers were to be used for, before the miracle occurred. Now we don’t know how many she gathered, but we do know that when all the containers were full, the oil stopped flowing. Do you suppose she could have found a few more containers if she really tried? Could she have sent her sons to the neighbouring village to ask? Could she have emptied some containers that had dry goods like flour or brought those that were only partially filled for topping up? Perhaps she did not fully believe the words of the prophet and thus only brought a few containers. It could be that she did not expect all the containers to be filled. The lesson is clear. God is limited by our level of obedience, belief, and expectation. 8. HUSBAND SHOULD HAVE PROVIDED BETTER We tend to overlook this point even though we have probably read the passage many times. The husband did something wrong. He left his widow to clear all the accounts and debts he had accumulated, to sort out the mess he had created. In today’s world this still happens. Husbands (or wives) often do not leave their partner in a good place when they die. If there ever was a passage that seemed to indicate that life assurance is sometimes a good thing, then this is it. Over and above the life policy issue, many other things can and should be done to ensure the surviving partner has an easier time after your death. We will cover some of these in the practical section that follows.

PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS We don’t know when God is going to call us home. This may be stating the obvious, but we often don’t respond to what we intuitively know. If on your death bed you leave behind a wife or husband, children or parents, they will be less troubled if your affairs were in order. At a time like that, one of the greatest ways of saying “I love you” would be to have a structured, well documented file containing all the salient and important issues that would be needed to sort out your estate. It would drastically reduce the stress and thus the suffering your family would experience. We want to mention a few of these practi44

cal aspects now for you to consider and hopefully apply if you have not already done so. GETTING YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER Steps to getting your house in order 1. Financial statements These should be updated in your file at least once per year. The more detail in your financial statements, the easier other tasks will be (for example deciding on how to dispose of your assets on your death). For purposes of getting your house in order, these statements should ideally include more than the regular statement that may be submitted to the bank for credit approval.

List of assets and liabilities Detailed list of all bank accounts Account name Account number Name of institution Type of account (cheque, saving, business, call) Is it a joint account? Authorized signatories Location of cheque-book List of credit cards Issued by Number Authorized signatories Location of Card If stolen or missing call Vehicles Description Registration number Registered owner Owner’s address Make of vehicle Finance house Account number Valuable personal property (This is a description and estimated value of some of your most valuable property) Description Estimated Value Date of Value Investments / Insurance Investment/insurance company Name of account/Person insured Agent’s name Agent’s phone number Beneficiary Policy number Premium Value Cash value

List of items loaned to others Item Loaned to Borrower’s contact information Date due to be returned 2. Arranging your important documents All relevant and important documents should be filed. In some instances the original is kept elsewhere, so keep a copy in your file. The location of all these originals should be noted in your file. Here is a list of some of the documents you should obtain and keep. If the original is not available, please state where it can be found. Birth Certificates Marriage Certificate Wills Trusts Power of Attorney Death Certificates Citizenship papers Divorce papers Lease Agreements Shareholder agreements Business agreements Insurance documents Tax papers Personal information sheet Name Marital status Address Citizenship Identity number Passport number Educational qualification Copies of certificates/degrees Personal information sheet for spouse (same as above) Instructions for computers with important info

Locations Programme needed Path to the data Password and login info Person familiar with programme who can assist in accessing info Name Company Address Phone Number Email address Alarm information on properties Alarm disarm code(s) Security/response company Phone number

final thought: the gift of life, the gift of love, the gift of salvation, the gift of eternity in heaven - all of these are priceless. the possessions we have are generally a tangible result of what we have invested in time and energy and talent. but who we are - our character, is always a direct result of what we have invested of ourselves with god and others. (COMMENTARY: LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE - TYNDALE).

TIP: Keep the above information and documentation in a central file/cabinet. 3. Action plan 45

This is a list of things a surviving spouse should do or remember. In a time of tragedy, a clear action plan requiring little thought or planning is a wonderful asset. This should include detailed instructions to your spouse/family as to actions that should be taken in event of certain emergencies or tragedies. It should include a list of people to be contacted (with phone numbers). If your spouse has at least one account in his/her own name, he/she will be able to still transact and have access to money in the event of your death. (Remember that all accounts of the deceased may be frozen for some time.)

mirror

mirror on the wall

- who’s the fairest of them all?

MY WORLD RECENTLY MET with two men who watch cars as a means of making a living. BOBBY RALEY 44-year old Bobby Raley has, for the past seven years, been earning a living in this profession. For all this time he has been the one and only car watch in the parking lot of Wimpy on the corner of Scott and Marais Streets, Hartbeespoort, North West Province. He calls this parking area “my new world” as it is the place where six days a week, he not only keeps watch over cars but has through the years become a legendary and much-loved character in the local community. 46

To the tourist visiting this well-known holiday town and famous weekend breakaway destination, he is the source of essential information. He is able to direct you to overnight accommodation that will suit both your preference and your pocket. To the local children he is the friendly uncle who wears a Christmas suit from the day school closes for the December holiday until Christmas. To real estate agents he is a partner in marketing. Whatever product you need a contact for, Bobby will be able to provide advice or a business card. Bobby enjoys the many facets of his job, especially the fact that he doesn’t work for a boss. “I am my own boss,” he says smilingly. Security and the safety of members of the community are Bobby’s passion. He works closely with the police, providing them with information about unfamiliar vehicles in town as well as suspect persons or vehicles.

As car watchmen’s best quality is their attentiveness, fine detail doesn’t escape Bobby’s eyes. “You learn to ‘read’ people from the instant their vehicle comes around the corner,” says Bobby. “The moment a person gets out of the car, it is possible to identify if this is a decent person or a criminal.”

Increased tension in his war-torn home country urged him to find refuge elsewhere. At the time he had just finished his second year of study at the local university. Today his mother and father are still living in the DRC. Allemand started as car watch at Quagga Centre four months ago.

Car watchmen can tell a lot about humankind. “You get to know all sorts of personalities and characters. Later you know how to treat different people in different ways.” Being confronted with the moods and attitudes of so many people all day doesn’t bother Bobby. “You learn to not be upset when a person ignores you. In the beginning it did bother me. But now it’s different. When someone is rude to me, I just turn my back.”

Being a born-again Christian, he is a second year student at Beam Africa College. His long-term goal is to be a pastor. “I am so happy about God. I study because I love God.”

“Church people” taught Bobby to return a blessing to someone who behaved badly towards him. “I just quietly ask God to bless that person.” This helps Bobby to go on and to not take insults personally. “The first thing I do in the morning is to tell myself that there is love in my heart. When you don’t have love, you don’t have anything. If it hadn’t been for God I wouldn’t have been here,” says Bobby.

He likes his current job for the simple reason that it pays for his rent and his books. “I am happy here in South Africa. This country was created for all the people,” says Allemand.

Wherever life takes us, the opportunity will be there to meet fascinating people whose lives have the potential to inspire and enrich us. Why not let it be the person keeping an eye on your car?

ALLEMAND KABAGA Congolese Allemand Kabaga (27), one of the car watchmen at Quagga Shopping Centre in Pretoria West, left his home in 2002 and came to South Africa as a refugee.

They are just doing their jobs, and in the process, serving you!

ALLEMAND KABAGA (27)

“I am so happy about God.”

photography: liezl du preez

“You learn to not be upset when a person ignores you. In the beginning it did bother me. But now it’s different. When someone is rude to me, I just turn my back.”

words: retha fick

“CAN I WATCH YOUR CAR?” BOBBY RALEY (44)

“I just quietly ask God to bless that person.”

They don’t ask much. And with what they receive from members of the public, they make a living. Vehicle owners, in particular those who know the sinking feeling of arriving at an empty parking space where a much depended on vehicle was parked minutes before, recognize the value of the car watch’s job.

WHAT WONDERFUL – and exasperating – little things these are! Ants are among the most successful and numerous social insects on the planet. There are between 8 000 and 14 000 species of ants throughout the world and these have colonised almost every known habitat except for the polar regions and the high peaks of mountain ranges and deserts. Who amongst us do not frequently have these little insects speeding along the kitchen floor inhabiting our immediate living space. Yet we know so little of these precious insects, which are referred to in God’s Word as the epitomy of diligence! An ant colony may consist of a few individuals or may number many millions. Colonies usually have one queen but certain species do have more. Interestingly, an ant colony is usually a purely female society. Males are bred and maintained only for the mating flights and they, with the virgin queen, are the only ones to have wings. Males die soon after mating, but the newly impregnated queen will be the founder of a new colony. ¬ Ants form one very large family - the Formicidae - and they are related to bees and wasps. This order is divided into eleven sub-families of which seven occur in sub-Saharan Africa. The word Formicidae is related to formic acid, an irritant substance contained in the fluid emitted by some ants. ¬ Interestingly, there is a distinct separation between termites and ants - termites belonging to the order Isoptera, which means insects with similar wings. They also have a resident king - something the ants do not have. Termites are the creators of those magnificent icons of the African scene - termite mounds, and are erroneously called "flying ants" when the males and virgin queens take to the air during or after rain. ¬ Ants, on the other hand, live in a variety of places. Some create their own dwellings, while others excavate around roots or rocks or create dwellings amongst rocks. In Zululand one can readily see two very different ant dwellings. A fairly common one, the home of the brownish

coloured cocktail ant, looks like a large ball of black mud in the branches of a tree. Cocktail ants are so called because of their habit of lifting the abdomen when alarmed. These smallish ants are very aggressive and secrete a whitish fluid, which is an irritant, with a distinct smell. ¬ On the coastal belt one finds the home of the tailor ant, which also cocks its abdomen. These use the silk-spinning capability of their larvae to good advantage. Working in a tree with large leaves, such as the uMdoni or waterberry tree, workers pull leaves together while others run around using the larvae like a glue stick, the silk they secrete binding the leaves together to form a snug home. A colony occupies several such nests in one or adjacent trees. As the leaves start to die the inhabitants move out and build another dwelling nearby. These are also very aggressive ants and will attack any intruder, biting with their strong jaws and injecting formic acid from the cocked abdomen into the wounds. ¬ Ants have varying visual abilities. Those that spend a lot of time above ground in daylight generally have good eyesight, while those that are more subterranean have varying degrees of blindness. They all, however, use their other senses – particularly the sense of smell – to good advantage. They create ant highways by leaving traces of scent or pheromones – a chemical substance they secrete – along the way. The strength of the pheromone trail provides an indication of the amount of food available at the other end.

Each colony sends out scouts that do not use a pheromone trail but navigate by using the pattern of polarised light in the sky as a sort of light compass. Once a scout finds a source of food it will leave a pheromone trail back to the colony for other workers to follow. As the food diminishes so fewer ants pass along the trail and the odour begins to fade. ¬ Each colony develops its own unique odour and this enables individuals to identify one another as members. An outsider is not tolerated. More than a few other insects have managed to develop ways of communicating with ants or have learnt how to deceive them into believing that they are part of the colony. Thus certain predatory insects live in ant colonies and prey on the ants and larvae or live in symbiosis – a mutually beneficial relationship – with them. The pheromones that ants secrete, are also used as alarm signals. Each one produces these pheromones and when alarmed releases the scent. When other ants pick up the scent they react accordingly and either flee or become aggressive, seeking the source of the threat. ¬ Ants are an everyday part of our lives, yet do we realise how resilient and tough they are? They can tolerate far greater extremes of temperature and higher levels of radiation than we humans can. God has given us more than enough reason to admire this tiny creature!

ADDICTION words: mary-ann shearer

intro: lindie gouws (reference: Life Application Study Bible, Tyndale) photography: liezl du preez

Who wants to be a slave, chained forever to a life of bondage? Yet that is what addiction is: self-imposed slavery, giving yourself over to a lifetime of bondage to habit, substance and even sin. While we typically think of addiction as a problem related to drugs and alcohol, there are other addictions that can also be destructive. We may become addicted to work, addicted to mediocrity, or addicted to an unhealthy lifestyle. It is human nature to have addictions, whether they are “minor” bad habits or dangerous dependencies on substances. Our human nature is to do wrong and one thing we can become dangerously addicted to is sin. But when you submit control of your life to God and His Holy Spirit, His power is transforming and will ultimately heal you of your addictions. His control is always for our benefit and health, not for our destruction. That is why Jesus said in Luke 4:18: “He has sent Me to proclaim that captives will be released.” We asked Mary-Ann Shearer, well-known author of various books on how to maintain a Godly, balanced lifestyle to share more information on addiction and how she and her husband broke the chains of addiction in their lives.

WE PROBABLY ALL KNOW of somebody or know somebody that suffers from addiction related problems. Why is this so common in our day and age? And is there hope for the addict?

WHO SUFFERS FROM ADDICTION?

tion, but may also be failing to be a good steward of the body God has given you. Mark and I have found that we needed to deal with addiction and the spiral of temptation from both angles – our diet and our relationship with God. “If your sinful nature

According to Dr Neil Barnard from the Physicians’ Committee for Responsible Health in the USA, people who have this tendency to addiction, whether it be to food, alcohol, drugs, lust or work, have been observed with PET scans to have fewer dopamine receptors (dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain) called DRD2, compared to other people. For them, the brain-rewarding chemical has fewer places to attach to brain cells and work its magic. Presumably, they are less able to experience rewarding, pleasurable feelings and as a result need more of anything or everything to obtain this. This usually results in addiction of some description. What is missing in these individuals is not part of the brain that copes with addictions – it is the brain receptor for normal feelings of pleasure. Dr Barnard proceeds in explaining how a healthy, natural diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and no processed foods, with exercise – in other words, the lifestyle God designed our bodies for – can help you.

OUR TESTIMONY Both my husband Mark and I come from families with at least one alcoholic parent and have seen how in our own lives we had a tendency for addiction. What this scientific research fails to include, is that when Jesus sets us free, we can be free indeed – and that includes freedom from any addictions. (John 8:36.) It furthermore makes no sense to use this freedom as an opportunity to sin. (Galatians 5:13.) This sin may not specifically be succumbing to tempta-

controls your mind, there is death.

disturbed behaviour results. This may result in aggression, irritability, confusion, amnesia, depression and many other psychological disorders such as neurosis, psychosis or schizophrenia. This would explain the violent behaviour that results when some people consume alcohol or even just refined sugar. Many people today suffer from this problem. With a change in your diet and daily quiet times with God you will overcome this. You do not need to be a slave to any substance. OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.” Romans 8:6 OUR DIET It is estimated that 50% of people in most western countries, where they have easy access to refined cane sugar, suffer from hypoglycaemia or low blood sugar. Refined cane sugar upsets the blood sugar and this in turn can upset the entire endocrine system. When your blood sugar is low, you will crave sugar to bring it back up again and some people will find this craving translated in a desire for alcohol. It appears from further research that people who craved sweets and had access to refined sugar on a daily basis as children, are far more likely to suffer from hypoglycaemia and have a tendency towards alcoholism. Hypoglycaemia also contributes to bad behaviour in that increased aggression can result. In hypoglycaemia the higher, less primitive area of the brain cannot work efficiently as the brain requires sufficient glucose to work properly; when these “socially responsible” areas of the brain shut down because of lack of energy,

For many years we behaved as if our decision to accept Jesus as our Saviour was our “eternal life insurance policy” and spent very little time building a relationship and allowing Jesus to be the Lord of our lives. Yes, we went to church and were in fellowship, but actually spending regular time with God was something we seldom did. It was when we realised that without dayto-day fellowship with God, we would never have the victory in this area. We needed to not only have Jesus as our Saviour but also as the Lord of our lives. We had to be crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20); our lives needed to be surrendered. This is a process, not an overnight sensation. It takes time, little by little, and in the process God will heal you of all addictions, whether it is from a faulty gene or just an undisciplined life. Start today by spending at least 10 minutes (as a start) in reading God’s Word and in prayer; you will be amazed at the results. Through the Holy Spirit you will soon receive the Mind of Christ concerning your situation and freedom will come!

words: lindie gouws

God has the SAY; all you need to do is to OBEY. In our Carnelian issue I shared with you about God’s timing for your life and how you could be too early, or too late, or perfectly on time. 54

In this issue I am sharing a complementary message. It is about obedience, and that by obeying God, we will stay in His most perfect timing and will. As God’s children we often ask the question, “Within my everyday walk with God, and in light of all the influences around us, how do I know what to obey, how do I obey and when do I obey?” God gave me a very practical analogy. When we want to obtain a valid driver’s license, one of the first tests we go through, before we even do our practical test, is the test for a learner’s license. Our knowledge on the rules of the road as well as the road signs is tested. We firstly learn the meaning of the road signs and then that they are there to be obeyed. Once we have passed that test we learn how to drive and we are allowed to drive a vehicle on the road, but accompanied by somebody who has a valid driver’s license. Only once we can drive according to the set standards, do we take a practical test for our valid driver’s license. On passing the test, we may venture out on our own. Now let’s take a look at road signs. Once we know the meaning of the signs, they communicate to us either by way of instructions or by way of warnings. Because we have a firm knowledge of the road signs, when we venture out onto the road, we

instinctively know what to do. As we drive along we obey the signs alongside the road. We only obey the signs relevant to us, where we are at. As road users we should obey these signs in order to ensure that we use the road in harmony with each other so that we all can reach our destination safely. By obeying we protect our own lives and the lives of others. It could be fatal not to obey! Let’s take a look at the one road sign or rather instrument that communicates instruction and warning and that is also timing orientated: a traffic light. A traffic light communicates via one of three lights – red, amber or green. Each colour gives a separate, clear instruction. If the light is amber you know that you have to slow down as it will turn red soon, requiring you to stop. When the light is red and you are approaching, you know that you are required to stop when you reach it. The reason is clear: a traffic flow from a different direction has the right of way. You have to obey that instruction. If you do not, it could be dangerous and you could collide with another vehicle. It could be fatal. When the traffic light turns green you know that you have received the instruction to go. The road is clear and you have the right of way. What we as road users often tend to forget is that a traffic light is very carefully synchronized with other traffic lights and programmed according to the speed limit set on that specific road. A simple instrument, yet carefully programmed.

So how did I apply all the above to my walk with God and how did it assist me to live a life of obedience? Knowing the rules of the road and the road signs: A firm knowledge on the meaning of the road signs is much like reading and knowing God’s Word. By taking time to allow God’s Word to become our life’s foundation, we will be able to say like King David in Psalm 19:11, “They are a warning to those who hear them; there is great reward for those who obey them.” Deuteronomy 6:6 says, “And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today.” It is vital to know God’s Word. As road users we are all equal, no one is above the law, and we all have to obey. The same applies to us as Christians – we are all equal in the sight of God. Deuteronomy 17:20 says, “This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens…” God’s Word keeps us humble. Applying the rules of the road and the road signs: When we drive a vehicle on the road, having a sound knowledge of the meaning of the road signs, we instinctively know what to do. It is the same in our walk with God and in everyday life. When we are faced with various situations in our lives, and we have spent time in God’s Word and we have allowed His Word to fill our hearts, then automatically the relevant Logos (the written Word) will become Rhema (the living Word) relevant to our particular situation. We receive guidance and instruction in what to do. God’s Word will be a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. (Psalm 119:105.) Proverbs 6:22 says, “Wherever you walk, their counsel can lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you. When you wake up in the morning, they will advise you.” Obeying God’s Word will sustain our lives. James 1:22 says, “And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don’t obey, you are only fooling yourself.” Jeremiah said in Jeremiah 15:16, “Your words are what sustain me. They bring me great joy and are my heart’s delight…” As God’s children we must obey His Word. Jesus says in John 8:31-32, “You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” We have a choice: either to allow God’s Word to edify us and guide us, in other words to obey His Word, or to disobey. But just as disobedience to road signs could be fatal, disobedience to God’s Word could be fatal to our spiritual lives!

For lack of better wording, I would also describe the traffic light as the only road sign that has “movement” or is dynamic. It communicates timing and insight into the oncoming traffic. In John 16:13-15 Jesus said, “When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not be presenting His own ideas, He will be telling you what He has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring Me glory by revealing to you whatever He receives from Me. All that the Father has is Mine; this is what I mean when I say that the Spirit will reveal to you whatever He receives from Me.” When we have the Holy Spirit living within us, we are prepared, guided and forewarned by Him. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:1012, 16, “But we know these things because God has revealed them to us by His Spirit, and His Spirit searches out everything and shows us even God’s deep secrets. No one can know what anyone else is really thinking except that person alone, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And God has actually given us His Spirit (not the world’s spirit) so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us…But we can understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.” Paul also wrote in the book of Ephesians 5:17, “Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.” When the Holy Spirit fills and controls us, not only will we know His promptings, but we will also desire to obey. When the Holy Spirit communicates to us (likened to the red, amber or green light), He does so according to the plans that God has for us. Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” We will willingly obey the prompting of the Spirit. Also God says in His Word that we should not be drunk with wine, because that will ruin our lives. It is so apt for our analogy – drunken driving is forbidden, and can destroy your life and the lives of others! The “Arrive Alive” campaign is known for the saying, “Speed kills.” Running ahead of God’s timing is fatal too. We have a choice to produce the fruit of the Spirit or the fruit of the flesh, the sinful nature.

The traffic light:

It depends on whether you know God’s Word, whether you allow it to transform and guide you and whether you choose to live by His Spirit.

A traffic light is an “intelligent” road sign or instrument, in other words it has a programmed memory.

Let God, through His Word and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit have the say; all you need to do is to ‘obey’.

In the Bible, the book of Psalms is a collection of 150 poems written to celebrate the glory of God. We would like to encourage our readers to follow the example of David and the other Psalmists, and to send us your poetry. If your contribution is placed, you will receive a beautiful leather bound Bible (New International Version) published by Struik Christian Books.

Come on! Put your pen to paper and send your contributions to letters@myworld.za.com or Private Bag 2003, Krugersdorp , 1740

Congratulations to Heather Davies on her beautiful poem. We have sent you a special Bible for your husband as you requested. May you be blessed by God!

D Y O U, L O R

oem eem m

he eart ea e a arr

FOR EACH DAY

ur way ls come o ia tr y a d night Day by n turn to a c t h g li t tes tr y The brigh we seldom y h w r e d I wo n rd r lives, Lo u o in u o To let y away star s fade , s n w a d Morning ay another d in r e h s u To blind e re of ten w d in f rd We rise to for us, Lo d in m r u yo To gr asp

say for us to g n lo u o ay” But all y ow Your w n k to , d r e, Lo life Is “help m truth and e r a e n lo d For You a in us, Lor e if tr s e To quell th

r ow n ew ke tomor a w I s a So an do , what I c d r o L , e ou S h ow m f me to Y o t s e b e To give th ord ur will, L o Y y f s ti a To s

ar t pla y my p to e r e h d me star t You place s find the r e th o g race In helpin t human s te a e r g e e To run th ace to fac f u o y t e e rd Before I m alone, Lo e c a r g r u …By Yo - Heather

Dav

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“…to another the ability to speak in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:10).

tongues The Gift of

“I wish you all had the gift of speaking in tongues...” (1 Corinthians 14:5).

GIFT OF TONGUES AND INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES We are very fortunate that Paul needed to address the misuse of Spiritual Gifts in his first letter to the Corinthians. This gives us the privilege to read his specific guidelines and to obtain some clarity and perspective on a subject that is often controversial today, as in the times when this letter was written.

photography: liezl du preez words: dini esterhuizen

Paul teaches that each believer has a Spiritual Gift that involves the Holy Spirit working through him or her. Since it is the same Spirit at work, no gift or recipient of a gift should be regarded as â&#x20AC;&#x153;specialâ&#x20AC;? or superior. It is a gift from God!

THE VALUE OF THE GIFT OF TONGUES

INTRODUCTION The gifts of tongues and the interpretation of tongues, the eighth and the ninth mentioned in 1 Corinthians, are of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit which may be given to believers who have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. The Greek word used for gift when it denotes the gift of the Holy Spirit received at the baptism of the Holy Spirit is dorea, while the Greek word for the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit including the gift of tongues is charisma. There is a clear distinction between these two aspects of spiritual experience. The one is not the other although they are closely related and can manifest in conjunction with one another. WHAT HAPPENED WHEN PEOPLE WERE BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT?

On three occasions in the New Testament we read what happened to people who were baptized in the Holy Spirit. - On the day of Pentecost: “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from Heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them (Acts 2:2-4). - When Peter preached the Gospel to Cornelius and his household: “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising the Lord” (Acts 10: 44-46).

- To the converts at Ephesus to whom Paul preached: “When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied” (Acts 19:6). THE TESTIMONY OF BELIEVERS “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My Name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues...” (Mark 16: 17).

It can be argued that the power in Paul’s ministry and life had to do with the role the gift of tongues had in his own life. He says in 1 Corinthians 14:18 “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.” “When words cannot express the worship, gratitude and thanksgiving in my heart,” a person at a Christian fellowship recently remarked, “or in times of crisis, when I don’t know what to pray, I find myself praying in tongues.”

That means that the exercise of these gifts or signs is not only for a special class of believers, but for all believers. Just as the Scripture allows for all believers to lay hands on the sick for them to receive healing, the Scripture allows for them to lay hands upon other believers to receive the Holy Spirit.

The individual can be built up in the case where the mind is unfruitful: 1 Corinthians 14:4 says, “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself…”

We should, however, take care that we have a heart without sin when we minister in this manner. “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure” (1 Timothy 5:22).

Tongues are directed not to man, but to God. (1 Corinthians 14:2.) This is a way in which we can address God who is able to do immeasurably above what we can ask or imagine. Thus the Lord created a way for His beloved followers to be able to ask what is best even beyond the limitations of our own intellect and understanding. (Ephesians 3:20.)

STRENGTHEN, COMFORT AND ENCOURAGE Paul says he desires to visit the believers in Rome so that he may be able to impart in them “some spiritual gift”. The imparting of spiritual gifts is a way of strengthening them in their faith, to comfort them and encourage one another. (Romans 1:12.) Paul desires for all believers to speak in tongues, but, given the choice, he would rather have them prophesy. Unless the tongue speaker interprets, that is, brings some revelation, knowledge, prophecy or teaching, the church can’t be built up. To understand what is said, is crucial.

In 1 Corinthians 14:22 we read, “Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers.”

THE GUIDELINES TO THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE CONGREGATION 1 Corinthians 14:27,28 says, “If anyone speaks in a tongue, two – or at the most three – should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.” Christians often believe that the supernatural gifts are optional or unnecessary. This is not in line with Scripture. The gifts are an integral part of God’s total plan for the church.

In 1 Corinthians Paul describes the functioning of the gifts in the congregation: “I always thank God for you because of His grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in Him you have been enriched in every way – in all your speaking and in all your knowledge – because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed” (1 Corinthians 1:4-7). The gift of tongues is probably the most controversial; some fear it because of some negative experience or misuse or simply out of fear of the unknown or even the fear that they are “not good enough” to qualify. We have to be reminded that a gift is something that cannot be earned, only received. Many people who yearn to have this gift, find it difficult to break through. Becoming like a child helps us to move in this realm that is not rational. The mind will feel uncomfortable, especially in the beginning, with being “unfruitful”, that is, being sidelined and left out of the picture and overruled. The mind prefers logic and the rational and can be left feeling awkward and uncomfortable. “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful” (1 Corinthians 14:14). We must also remember that this specific gift has to do with the tongue, a very powerful organ, in itself not easy to control or subject or keep a “rein on”. (James 1:26.) Some sincere believers end up asking, “Is it really necessary?” while others ask, “Is it not from Satan?” As in the case of most phenomena, there is the pure and true gift from God, and also the version produced by human effort, which is contrived by an eagerness to be spiritual; the contrived version will soon prove to have no effect. As with all Godly things, Satan will try to imitate the gift and produce the counter-

feit. The safeguard in this case we find in Matthew 7:9-11. In the sincere prayer to the Father in the Name of Jesus we are assured by Scripture that, specifically in the context of praying for the Holy Spirit, we will not receive anything else than what we are asking for. We are safe to ask for the Holy Spirit: “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:9-11). We will always be able to discern from the fruit whether someone is operating under control of the Holy Spirit or another spirit. TESTIMONIES One day while driving in his car, a man experienced wonderful praise and adoration coming from his heart – the next moment he found himself singing in different unknown sounds. He asked someone who was ministering on this subject, what to make of it. This person first of all asked whether this experience drew him closer to God and he said yes. He was then advised to continue worshipping God in this manner, and see what fruit and effect it has. It became clear to him and to those in the body who saw the growth in his life that this indeed was a gift from God. People have mentioned that they are hesitant to receive the gift of tongues because they think they could be simply imitating the sounds that another person is praying. Objectively seen, this is not likely, because one would not be able to follow the sounds of someone speaking a foreign language like Greek or French – one would simply not be able to keep up the pace.

EXISTING LANGUAGE In the event of the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the people recognized their own language spoken by people who had never learnt it and normally wouldn’t be able to speak it. That caused the amazement. There were people gathered from the 150 Jewish colonies scattered throughout the Roman Empire. They were stunned as each one heard the Galilean followers of Jesus speak in their own language. (Acts 2:8, 11.) These were existing languages. At a Christian Youth Camp the Holy Spirit was convicting people of sin, and for days on end they were experiencing this time of insight into their own lives, confession, and spontaneous worship that followed. One girl reported that the person next to her was praying the word shekinah over and over. They didn’t know that this was the Hebrew word for the glory of God. Someone from Zambia also heard a South African using words of praise from a Zambian language, unbeknown to the user. Another example of a person praying in an existing language without understanding that language occurred during a prayer meeting in the USA. The leader of an intercessory group thought she was praying in tongues for the nations. The visiting preacher was German, and understood every word. This hostess was in fact humbling herself before God and confessing her own sin, and for some reason the Lord wanted the German minister to understand. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LANGUAGE AND MERE SOUNDS Language has content and meaning, even if not here, then at another place. If a person is unfamiliar with Spanish or Russian, words will sound like mere sounds until

informed of the meaning these sounds represent in another context. The other context can be a foreign country but also the spiritual dimension. INTERPRETATION ¬ Paul uses the word manifestations (phanerosis) when he refers to what theologians call utterance gifts and includes the interpretation of tongues. (1 Corinthians 12:7.) The purpose of the utterance gifts is to edify the body of Christ, the church, and tongues require interpretation in order to accomplish this function.

We should be mindful that these utterances come through fallible human instruments and should be judged by the standard of the Scriptures. There are guidelines in the Bible for the practice of this gift. It should be done in the assembly only if it is interpreted, and it should be limited. (1 Corinthians 14:5, 27-28.) ¬ We read in this passage in Corinthians that we can speak in tongues while our mind is unfruitful. Here we do not see specific evidence that this language is an existing language that could be translated. We rather read that we could ask for it to be interpreted, giving these utterances an understandable content. They require a supernatural gift of interpretation to be intelligible. Interpretation is therefore not translation. A prayer in tongues can be long and have a brief interpretation; and a very brief prayer in tongues can have a long interpretation. Human skills do not come into play since this is a gift of the Spirit, inspired by the Holy Spirit. ¬ WHY DO WE PRAY IN TONGUES? ¬ Praying in tongues enables us to communicate from spirit to Spirit beyond the confines of our own limitations, insight, knowledge and understanding. This is a

wonderful way to pray the will of God even¬ if we are not sure what His will is at that moment. When praying in tongues on our own, we edify ourselves or "charge" ourselves with God-power. When this ministry takes place in a congregation, with interpretation, all are edified, directed and spiritually built up. ¬ HOW WE RECEIVE THE GIFT ¬ We can read the Scripture regarding this gift and then go to our Father directly, with a sincere heart, and ask Him to endow us with what is promised in His Word. We can also ask another follower of Jesus, a minister or a pastor to pray for or with us. Even if we have been prayed for before in this regard, we can pray anew, because we are to be continuously filled by the Spirit. ¬ Receive this Gift in faith as in the case of all prayers; venture to pray and praise Him not in your own language, but in sounds directly from the heart. ¬ Do not rely on emotion or other sensations, since what is given is of a Spiritual and not a sensual nature. Emotions such as joy or peace or awe can follow, but keep in mind that emotion is not the test for answered prayer; faith is. Even if speaking in a new tongue feels strange at first, because your rational mind tells you that you are making no sense, do not be discouraged; rather continue in this new gift.

REFERENCES: Special Edition Prophecy Bible, New King James Version. Trinity Broadcasting Network,Inc. 1985.

Are Miraculous Gifts For Today? Four Views “Cessationist” Richard B. Gaffin, Jr. “Open but Cautious” R.L. Saucy “Third Wave” C. Samuel Storms “Pentecostal/Charismatic” Douglas A. Oss Wayne A. Gruden - General Editor Zondervan Publishing House USA 1996

Foundations

For

Christian

Living

From the Bible Derek Prince Rhema Bible Media Centre Copyright

1993

Derek

Prince

Ministries International

¬ Always keep in mind what 1 Corinthians

Richard’s Complete Bible Handbook

13:1 says: "If I speak in the tongues of men

Lawrence O. Richards

and of angels, but have not love, I am only

formerly published as The World Bible

a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.”

IN CONCLUSION OF OUR SERIES OF THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT AND TO SUMMARIZE, WE QUOTE AN EXCERPT FROM THE COMMENTARY IN THE PROPHECY BIBLE PUBLISHED BY TBN. THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT “For the one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:8-10). There are nine gifts of the Spirit given to the church “to each one for the profit of all” (1 Corinthians 12:7). A.

THE WORD OF WISDOM Godly wisdom given as needed for specific difficult situations in the life of the Church.

THE WORD OF KNOWLEDGE An awareness from God concerning some situation or teaching needed for a specific time or problem.

FAITH When special faith is needed for a specific time to accomplish a great task for God, this is given to the Church.

GIFTS OF HEALING Out of God’s love and concern He provides these gifts for His people who need physical, emotional, or mental healing.

WORKING OF MIRACLES The performance of some task that is beyond the ability and possibility of human efforts to accomplish.

PROPHECY Proclaiming the message of Jesus Christ with great power so the lost can hear and turn to Jesus as Lord.

DISCERNING OF SPIRITS Understanding the spirit world and being able to distinguish those false teachers and prophets.

DIFFERENT KINDS OF TONGUES Other languages given for witness as happened on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:6).

INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES Ability to understand and interpret languages we have not learned.

ALL OF THESE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT ARE OPERATING IN THE CHURCH OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND ARE GIVEN THAT THE CHURCH BE A VITAL WITNESS IN OUR DAY. THEY ARE NOT FOR THE GLORY OF ONE OR OF A FEW INDIVIDUALS. THEY ARE GIFTS TO THE CHURCH AND THESE GIFTS BELONG TO GOD, NOT INDIVIDUAL PERSONS. PAUL SAYS WE ARE TO DESIRE THESE GIFTS (1 CORINTHIANS 12:31).

We are living in the time of grace – Jesus Christ has come as the Lamb of God, to show us the way and then to die on the cross as the perfect sacrifice once and forever to save everyone who comes to God through Him. (Hebrews 7:25.) For now, He is your Advocate with the Father, presenting your case through His Blood, making you the righteousness of God. (1 John 2:1.) The Greek word sozo means to heal, save, make well or make whole. Jesus Christ is the Saviour of your whole life and wants to restore: 1.YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THE FATHER. Jesus wants to restore the friendship where He confides in you and tells you (through His Holy Spirit and His revealed Word) new things you have not heard before, about what He is going to do. (Isaiah 48:5-6.) 2. YOUR BROKEN PERSONALITY. Through the fruit and the gifts of His Holy Spirit, to bind up your wounds; to give you the grace to love and to forgive; to deliver you from any bondage by demonic power which gained entrance to your life through sin. According to 1 John 1:9, the confession of these sins is all that is needed in order to be forgiven and cleansed. He was wounded and crushed for our sins on the cross – the punishment that brought us peace came upon Him! 3. YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH. Isaiah 53:5 exclaims that by His wounds you are healed and made whole. The key is faith and the Bible says that we were each dealt with a measure of faith. (Romans 12:3.) So, launch your faith in prayer like the woman with the issue of blood who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment, whereupon Jesus said, “Your faith has made you well.” (Luke 8:43-48.) 4. YOU ULTIMATELY TO ETERNAL LIFE AT THE RESURRECTION. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 says, “I can tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not rise to meet Him ahead of those who are in their graves. For the Lord Himself will come down from Heaven with a commanding shout, with the call of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with Him forever.” Paul also tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:4 that we will slip into new heavenly bodies and that our dying bodies will be swallowed up by everlasting life! Remember that God raised Jesus from the dead and He ascended to Heaven to sit at the right hand of God in a place of honour, with power and authority over all things.

To understand this concept, we could compare our situation to that of a lady who once landed up in a mess. Before she knew it, she was facing criminal charges against her. She then decided to represent her own case, because she strongly believed in her own innocence. The more she worked on her own case, the more she realized that she was indeed in deep trouble and unable to defend herself. The threat of imprisonment became a frightening reality. The day before her court case, she rushed through to a well-known advocate’s office and pleaded with him to look at her case and to assist her if possible. He then sadly informed her that he would have been able to get her off the hook, but that she unfortunately approached him too late. You see, he had received a phone call that morning, appointing him as judge in her court hearing… Therefore we must all turn from our sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. Then we will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38.) It is only through the Spirit that we have the desire and the power to do what pleases Him! 1 John 3:8 warns that people who keep on sinning, belong to the devil – and we know that hell has been prepared for him and his followers, where the worm never dies and the fire never goes out. Jesus was born in a humble stable among very ordinary people to powerfully demonstrate that salvation is available to anyone who sincerely seeks Him! This is exactly what a certain prisoner in Canada discovered. His testimony shows that God will meet you at your place of need. He wanted to return to God but didn’t know how, so he prayed, “God, if somewhere in the world there is another lonely prisoner who knows you, please bring me his thoughts”. Miraculously, night after night he literally began hearing a kind of sermon that seemed to come from far away. After his repentance and release, he came across Romanian pastor Richard Wurmbrand’s book, Sermons in Solitary Confinement, which Richard continued to preach – in a solitary prison cell, to an unseen audience. The Canadian immediately recognized these sermons as the same ones he had heard in prison!

Make right with Him now and listen to His message, because when He comes again, He comes as the Judge of all mankind – we will then each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in our bodies. (2 Corinthians 5:10.) References: The PROMISE BIBLE – New Living Translation – Tyndale, Amplified Bible - Zondervan, New Spirit Filled Life Bible – NKJ version The Voice of the Martyrs – Extreme Devotion – W Publishing Group - 2001

IF INTERCESSORY PRAYER is such a powerful tool to be used in God’s Kingdom as we saw in the previous issue of MY World, we

have to ask the question, “Why are there so few intercessors?”

There are many possible answers to that question, but few of them are relevant. The most common answer would probably be that only some people are called and anointed to be intercessors and that the majority of Christians, amongst whom we group ourselves, are not called. Wrong!

We call ourselves Christians, because we are followers of Jesus Christ. Jesus is our role model, also as Intercessor. (Hebrews 7:25.) If that is true and if it is true that His followers, all Christians, are to follow His example, we cannot argue that we are not all called to intercede. Christ’s lifestyle was characterized by a spirit of intercession and He gave His life in an act of intercession. The questions we should ask are: - Do we really desire for God’s Kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as in heaven, as Jesus taught us to pray in Matthew 6? - Do we really believe that we are made to be God’s representatives on earth? (Genesis 1:26.) - Do we really believe that God Almighty has committed Himself to work through His church? - Do we believe that our prayer can make a difference? (James 5:16.) The most important question is probably whether I care enough to want to make a difference. We as intercessors have access to the supreme power and authority vested in the Name of Christ to use in our prayers

(Matthew 28:18), but if we do not also have the heart of our Lord, we will not pray for anything but our own needs and desires. Our prayer life depends on our love relationship with the Lord, but with intercession it also depends on our love for our fellow man. In one of his books Andrew Murray suggests that our disobedience to God’s law of brotherly love is the main cause for our ineffectiveness in prayer. Intercessory prayer is not just another type of prayer; it becomes a way of life. Once you look at life and people with the eyes of the Lord, prayer will become a habit. You will pray when you hear an ambulance or a police siren; when you see the drunk on the pavement, the schoolgirl or -boy, the criminal, and the television news. The story is told that Brother Andrew, also known as God’s Smuggler, once visited Corrie ten Boom, the Dutch veteran missionary. As he was leaving she reminded him to always look down. He was surprised and asked whether he should not rather look up, to God. Her answer is a lesson to all of us. She said, “You must look at the world from God’s perspective so that you will know how to pray.” Intercessory prayer is the prayer from God’s Heart and from His perspective for His world. Dick Eastman wrote in his book No Easy Road, “The greatest habit we can take into our Christian life is living in the presence of Christ. This is more than a prayer room experience; it is making Christianity a daily thing. This is how God’s pray-ers become the builders of God’s kingdom. Habits of prayer build habits of evangelism. Habits of evangelism build God’s Glorious Kingdom.” A habit is defined as an act repeated so often it becomes involuntary. Intercessors are sometimes called “channels of compassion”, and rightly so, because the intercessor conveys the unlimited supply of love and compassion from God to the needs of man. Compassion is more than sympathy; it is love

released through action. Prayer is action. The needs all around us, calling out for intercessory prayer, are endless. Let us consider the challenges to becoming an intercessor. The only qualifications are a love relationship with the Lord, a willingness to look at the world with His eyes, and enough compassion to release the love of God that has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. (Romans 5:5.) God sees the heart and listens to the prayer of the heart much more than to the prayer of the lips. Intercession is being sensitive to the needs of others to the extent that we will be able to identify with them and be willing to deny ourselves the luxury of sleep and comfort and sometimes even food when praying for their needs. Intercession is also a willingness to share what we have in abundance with those who do not have. Intercession is brokenness before God and weeping for the destruction of the world for which Jesus gave His life and God gave His Son. (John 3:16.) A grey-haired little peasant woman in Bulgaria told how they often prayed secretly through the night in a hut in the fields. When morning broke the dirt floor was muddy as they cried to God to free them from the communist yoke. Jesus Christ, our model intercessor, also prayed through the night and He cried for Jerusalem, the city He loved. He cried in the garden of Gethsemane as He prepared Himself for His ultimate deed of intercession for us. One of the most important reasons why intercession is so essential is because it is through intercession that we rule. In God’s commission of the prophet Jeremiah we read, “See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant” (Jeremiah 1:10). The intercessor must remove what is not of God and establish that which is of God. In that way we build God’s Kingdom through our prayers.

what makes me an

INTERCESSOR? photography: liezl du preez

words: corrie huyser

“But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.” 1 Peter 4:7 REFERENCES Eastman, Dick. Dick Eastman on Prayer (No Easy Road) Global Christian Publishers, 1999

THE ROLE OF CHANGE

change

Constant change is here to stay. This is one sure thing in life. Some years ago I was in the army. It was a dynamic, changing environment in which we never really knew what would happen next. We were never given information; everything was on a need-to-know basis and it seemed we never needed to know. We would wake up in the morning and have no idea what would happen next. To add to this, many rumours would be doing their rounds. The rumours would cause the troops to fly from insecurity to anxiety to anger. My friends and I soon discovered that by simply making a statement we could start a rumour, which would spread like wildfire and cause havoc. It was easy to see who had learned to be flexible. Those who did not have the ability to be extremely flexible, cracked. Life may be slightly more predictable but the same principle still applies. The greater your ability to embrace the new, the different and the changing, the greater your likelihood of success. I once read the following quote: “A mind once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original proportions.” This “stretching” can only be successful if we are flexible. To someone who does not have the capacity to be stretched, stretching is destructive. But when the flexible are stretched, the sky becomes the limit! BLESSED ARE THE FLEXIBLE! I once heard someone say the following: Blessed are the flexible for they will not be broken. It sounds as if it comes from the Bible but it doesn't! It does however contain an element of truth. There is special grace for those who are flexible. When we are flexible God can get our attention. When we are flexible we are ready and able to embrace change. Lack of flexibility is often caused by pride. Proud people are often stubborn and inflexible. Humble people are generally teachable and flexible.

Proverbs 13:10: “Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.” THE ONE CONSTANT Within all the change that surrounds every aspect of our lives, we often long for something constant. The other day I spoke to a lady whose life had been on a bit of a roller-coaster ride. She said how she longed for her life just to plateau out. Although we long for progress and forward movement, at the same time we seem to want things to stay the same. This is because within each one of us is a longing for the constant. This longing can and should only be satisfied in our relationship with God. God is the only constant to which we can hold on. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” In John 8:58 we read, “‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am.’” The challenge is to live with flexibility in our hearts while holding on to the One who never changes! DESIGNED TO CHANGE! You and I were designed with the innate ability to change. We may be creatures of habit, but we have the ability to make decisions and change. Matthew 3:2 says, “Repent (think differently; change your mind, regretting your sins and changing your conduct), for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” Preconceived ideas and stubbornness make for a potential breakpoint.¬¬ God is at work in our lives. He is pruning, disciplining and leading. In the words of Proverbs 3:12, “For whom the Lord loves He corrects, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.” As a result we are constantly adjusting and co-operating with God, becoming what He wants us to be. Proverbs 15:10 says it well: “He who hates correction will die.”

ADJUSTING YOUR SAILS¬

COPING WITH CHANGE

As a teenager I used to windsurf. I grew to love the sport and learned some valuable skills. At the same time I learnt many life lessons. I learnt that¬ if you do not adjust your sails you will not have much joy. You have to constantly adjust your sails to take best advantage of the prevailing winds within your ability and strength. There were times when I felt stronger than the wind and inevitably I would be thrown off. Sometimes in life we are like this. We constantly want to challenge the prevailing circumstances.

Besides staying flexible, how do we cope with change when it does come our way?

Then we wonder why we are being thrown around. The skill is in the ability to adjust our sails effectively. To be able to realize which things we can handle and those things we cannot. When I windsurfed, I would often teach others how to do it. The first thing that a novice would do was to adjust his or her sail perpendicular to the wind. The sail would suddenly fill up with air and whip the person into the water. They would always respond and say with shock, “What did I do wrong?” In our desire to be flexible we need to learn to adjust our sails. In the process we can take on enough to facilitate progress but not so much that we land ourselves in trouble. BE READY We need to be ready for whatever changes life may demand from us.¬ We do not know what will happen next and this is why we need to be flexible and ready to change. This readiness is primarily an attitude.¬ If we have an attitude that says, “This is how it has always been and this is how it always will be and we will not change”, then change will demolish us when it arrives.¬ If, however, we say, “Lord I entrust my life and my future into Your hands. I cannot see the future, but You can and I trust You to help me through”, then we will be able to flow with the change and go from strength to strength. “Be ready!” (2 Timothy 4:2).

We can ask God to lead us. In the midst of all the change we face in life, one of the most reassuring things is to know that God’s Hand is on us and that He is leading us. God wants to lead us each step of the way, through every aspect of change that we have to face. The psalmist David understood this. Psalm 23:1-3 says, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake.” Notice the two things that God does for David. Firstly He leads him and secondly He guides him. Today, God wants to be involved in our lives to help us and lead and guide us through the changes we may have to face. We can also cope by staying focused. Times of change can be really stressful times – times of doubt and insecurity. It is as we face these kinds of feelings that we need to stay focused. Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us. Keep your eyes on Jesus, our leader and instructor.” There is a particular race for each one of us to run. Each race has its own challenges to deal with, but as we keep our eyes on Jesus and stay focused, we will be able to face whatever comes our way! We must however, not look back. Looking back can be a very dangerous thing to do. As we face new challenges and changes on the road of life there is a trap that we could fall into. It is the trap of longing for and living in the past. The past is a strange thing. We just remember the best of the past and as a result the past looks as if it was ‘the good old days’. We must avoid this trap because God wants us to move forward and not live in the past. Isaiah 43:18-19 ‘Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a

way in the desert and streams in the wasteland’. It is when we look back and start longing for something that is over, that we become hindered in being able to experience the new that God has for us. We also need to remain tender-hearted. I have seen over and over again how people confronted with change in life can become hard-hearted. When our hearts become hard we cause ourselves even greater pain. Ezekiel 11:19-20 says, “I will give you one heart and a new spirit; I will take from you your hearts of stone and give you tender hearts of love for God”. God is looking for those who have tender hearts. If our hearts are tender, then God can work with us and help us to move through and process the change we are going through. Ezekiel 36:26 says, “And I will give you a new heart – I will give you new and right desires – and put a new spirit within you. I will take out your stony hearts of sin and give you new hearts of love”. We need to make sure we stick with what God has told us. If God has told us to do something, we need to stick with what He has said and make sure we obey. Often, as we deal with change we begin to doubt what God has said. In Ezekiel 11:19-20 we read, “I will give you one heart and a new spirit; I will take from you your hearts of stone and give you tender hearts of love for God, so that you can obey My laws and be My people, and I will be your God”. Many times I have had to hold on to what God has said to me in the middle of the most contradictory circumstances. If you feel that God has spoken to you or has opened a door for you, then stick with what you believe He has said. The alternative is being tossed about and that is even more difficult. LIFE – A SERIES OF SEASONS Seasons change! This is important to notice. We were not designed to live in winter forever. We were meant to enjoy spring and summer as well! 2 Timothy 4:2 says, “Be ready in season and out of season.”

“And friends are friends forever, if the Lord is the Lord of them. And a friend will not say “Never”, ‘cause the welcome will not end. 70

Though it’s hard to let you go, in the Father’s Hands we know, that a lifetime’s not too long to live as friends.” Deborah D. Smith & Michael W. Smith

One morning during the first week, the entire doorway to my office in The Gardens darkened - the tallest woman I had ever seen made her entrance. She had wild hair and tunnel vision that caused her to tilt her head at an angle and search the room till she focused on me. “Who are you?” she asked brusquely. I introduced myself. I soon realized that she was probably the person I had been warned about by a colleague. He had told me about a freelance journalist who had been forbidden the premises of the press office. I was fascinated by this woman and curious to know why she was banned. This resulted in a conversation over coffee in Greenmarket Square. On our way back to the office she confided in me about a problem that she had. I said I would pray about it. She almost tripped off the pavement in astonishment – “Do you pray?” Shortly afterwards she approached me with a prayer request. She told me she had been interviewing a boxer in a pub that day. She was sitting on a bar stool facing the boxer, and the photographer was sitting next to him. Then she heard someone behind her mention her name, referring to her reputation. She instinctively swung her very long left arm around and knocked the person out. The photographer said the boxer’s comment was that he had never hit such a “left” in his entire career. Her prayer request had to do with the victim who was going to sue her. When she ended up not being sued, she must have been encouraged to ask me for more prayer. She had broken up with her boyfriend and he was threatening to kill her cats. At this time she had undergone a face-lift and was still in hospital. (A plastic surgeon whom she had interviewed had given her the face-lift free of charge.) On the news of the threat, she checked herself out of hospital, and hurried to see about the cats. Afterwards she dropped in at my cottage to report, very grateful that prayer saved the cats. She was wearing a black evening dress and no shoes. Her hair was still sticky from the operation and the stitches among the bruises looked like railroad tracks. “Why the evening dress?” I asked. She was trying it on, she said, when ex-boyfriend phoned to say he was serious about the cats. “What did he do when you got there?” “He left in a hurry.” Then there was Winston who worked on the Portuguese’s truck, and carried with him a whiff of diesel. He was a borrower. When he gathered that our group of new acquaintances was easy to borrow from, he found it unnecessary to come all the way to tell the latest story. He would then borrow money via a courier on a bicycle. The bearer would present a letter saying that because he, the bearer, ate so much, his host was running short on cash. Then came the spy. My little rented cottage opened directly on the pavement. I had made spare keys for all my regular visitors and often found myself without a key, and then simply climbed through the window. A man who had been watching all the comings and goings, thought this apartment was a boarding house. One night he walked in and introduced himself, saying that he worked for the Department of Foreign Affairs. “So are you a spy?’ I asked. That became his nick name.

mission accomplished

Spaghetti evangelism works well, I read somewhere. You invite people, cook spaghetti because it is cheap, and then testify about Jesus. In order to invite people, however, you at least have to meet them. When I moved from Johannesburg to Cape Town as a young convert, my friends sincerely prayed that I would meet the right people to have fellowship with. This is how it went.

dini esterhuizen

Spaghetti Evangelism

Jackie, a hairdresser, was the only one in Cape Town who imported bright red, orange and green dyes for the punk look. She practiced for national hairdressing championships on models, and they turned up with their bright coloured hair in huge curlers, waiting for it to dry. All these people turned up for a spaghetti evening. We sat them down and played the only Gospel message that we had on tape, by Colin Urquart. He made an invitation for salvation at the end of the sermon and the guests were invited to pray the sinner’s prayer. The last guest was a family member’s father-inlaw who was down in Cape Town for Parliament. When I opened the front door, he was right there on the sidewalk, on his way to his hotel next door. Having heard from the family that he viewed us and our new converts as a sect, I was so nervous when I bumped into him. Not knowing what to say in my moment of surprise, I found myself inviting him in. I recall that he looked somewhat out of place in his suit on a straight back chair among the other lot. That night he phoned his wife to say he met the Lord. He died a few days afterwards. Most of these guests were subsequently transported to church on a Sunday. We attended church at a very upper-class assembly in a smart suburb with beautiful mansions, where people had double-barrelled surnames. We later heard that people in the church were afraid of us in the beginning. They never said anything, though – and the prayer for fellowship companions had been answered.

SSalvation aallvvaattion ion Salvatio SSa allvvvation ation SSalvation aallvvati atioonn Salvation SSalvation aallvvati alvati atioonn Salvatio SSa allvvvation ation SSalvation aallvvaaation tion

“THROUGHOUT MY MANY years of involvement in youth ministry I have found that when it comes to the topic of salvation, many young people struggle to have assurance of their salvation. Many nagging questions tend to linger in our minds, whether we are young or old. Am I really saved? Does God truly love me? Will I ever lose my salvation because of my behaviour? On what is our assurance of salvation founded? The bedrock on which our salvation is secured, is faith in Christ Jesus.” Edgar Ramsami

Three main pillars form part of this foundation of assurance of our salvation through Jesus Christ:

Christ. There is nothing we can do to earn it.

So many young people are constantly

Our assurance of salvation is based on God’s unshakable love for us. The love God has for us is not just an emotion, but a steadfast fact. God proved His love for us by willingly sending His Son to suffer and die. So why would He withhold anything from us? In fact, there is nothing in the whole universe that can separate us from God’s love. God specializes in loving those who are unlovely and undeserving. ¬ Finally God has provided the Holy Spirit as our ultimate guarantee of salvation. The Spirit of God comes to live in us when we act by faith and surrender our lives to God and by our acceptance of the work of Christ on our behalf. God gave us the Holy Spirit when we turned our lives over to Him. We receive the same Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead. He puts His power to work within us to bring about our spiritual renewal and transformation. ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬

3. GOD’S POWERFUL LOVE

3 1 2 We all have something special or precious that we will protect with all our strength. At times we are even willing to sacrifice our lives to protect that precious thing. In the same way, Jesus tells in John 6:39, the will of God is to keep us safe from the evil one. “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of all that He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day. For My Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."¬ ¬ When we surrender our lives to Christ, we can feel safe and secure. No one can take us away from Him and His care, not even the devil. But to be honest, there are times when life seems very unsafe, especially if we have been hurt in the past. God can protect us far better than we can protect ourselves. When we trust in Him He will cover us with His divine protection and even redeem our past hurts. ¬

2. GOD PROMISES TO KEEP US SAFE

When parents adopt a child, the court awards them adoption papers stating that the child will be treated “as if born to you” and will receive all the same privileges and rights as those of a biological child. Paul takes this further in Romans 8:16-17. “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. ¬

In the book of Ephesians Paul reminds us that God is in control of all areas of our life. God has a special plan for us, which includes adopting us into His family. A few years ago a young girl who had been adopted, was asked how she dealt with her adoptive parents’ having had their own children afterwards. She replied that the big difference between her siblings and herself was that her parents got to choose her, whereas with the biological children they had no choice.

1. GOD CHOOSES US

OUR SALVATION COMES by trusting Jesus

trying to earn the approval of others. We

can be thankful that God does not accept

us on the basis of our performance. He

accepts us because of what Christ has done

on our behalf, no matter how great our suc-

cesses or failures. 79

Write Message

help!

That we can’t see God does not mean that God is not real. John 4:24 says “God is Spirit” and Paul referred to Jesus as being “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is like the wind. John 3:8 says, “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” We cannot see the wind, yet we can see the effect of the wind. You only have to look at the effect of a storm, or leaves being blown about, or a curtain moving. We recognize God in His creation. Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His Hands.” John said, “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.” (John 1:18). To see God, we have to look for Jesus. Read the Bible and pray from your heart, asking forgiveness for all sins, and that He should reveal Himself to you.

options

Are angels real and will they help me in time of need?

SMS

Why can t I see God and how can I believe if I can t see Him?

Angels are real, according to the Bible. The original word for angel means messenger. Angels are created beings that neither reproduce nor die but are like us in many ways. (Genesis 18:3; Luke 20:34-37; 2 Peter 2:11.) They can, however, manifest themselves visually. Their main task is to minister to God or for God to those who will inherit salvation. Hebrews 1:14 says, “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” God protects us by angels. The Bible says, “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and he delivers them” (Psalm 34:7). God knows when we are in danger, and sends angels to help us. The angels protect the physical part of our lives, while the Holy Spirit guards our spiritual lives. We do not pray to angels, however, but to God. Nowhere in the Bible do we read about prayer to angels, but the Bible says, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus…” (1 Timothy 2:5).

AB 777

God planned an awesome future for you and me. I don’t know about you but I can’t wait to live in the fulfilment of HIS dream in HIS Kingdom. The most important thing I ever asked HIM was to make me everything He wanted me to be and that I want to enjoy my adventure here on earth before He comes to get us. And I dare you to do the same! Since I asked HIM to reveal HIS most intimate secrets regarding life and everyday stuff … He hasn’t disappointed me at all. I have been in the wilderness for many years trying everything except the right things. To make it even worse I had a very bad and egoistic attitude towards life. I thought I was invincible until … God showed me who the real God was. Today I am 100% healed. God is so willing to give and teach you the ways HE planned for your life and so willing to use you in HIS plan. HE really put it into my heart to share some revelation on real stuff that all of us go through and how to have victory over the enemy so that we can live in HIS abundant blessings and glorify HIS Name. Every day! 77 In authority! In the next issue I want to discuss a subject that will lead you into a new beginning of Kingdom living : “Your confession becomes your reality” – a very powerful statement that makes the difference in the things that take hold of you every day. Hope you are ready for the biggest adventure in the spirit that will manifest in your physical life and mind. Ask yourself the following: How is your adventure going so far? Is it exciting? And most importantly…does God enjoy it? Remember the truth will set you free! Until next month, by the power of Jesus! Waldo

Waldo is a new contributor in our Y- talk section. Welcome to MY World!

“Remember Antventures, we are all soldiers in the army of the Lord. We need to go and make sure everybody knows that Jesus Christ is the only Name through which they can be saved! Who is ready? Who is willing and obedient to go?”

(Read Acts 4:12)

SALVATION

Immediately four hands go up - those of

free from burdens

the four best friends Antoine, Antoinette, Antonio and Antina. They are ready to

illustrations and words: dewald and marilise van heerden

join Antique! Are you ready for a Kingdom Antventure!

“Patience! Patience... young ones, patience!

ANTONIO

First let’s make sure we are dressed for battle! Is your armour in place? We must just be obedient and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit within us.

“Us, us! We are ready. Ready and eager to go - please send us!”

We must pray together.”

(Read Eph 6:11-18)

ANTOINETTE ANTINA

ANTOINE AMEN!

So the young ants stood with their mentor, and together they prayed to the Lord for guidance. Remember, God says in His Word He will always guide us and lead us by His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God’s Spirit living in us, helping us to make the right decisions and teaching us God’s will.

(Read John 14:26)

Now we are ready!

Antoine loves building things and his dad Antenna has taught him all he needs to know!

Together they built an antmobile, using a remote controlled toy jeep they found in the forest. Antique, together with his four young friends, scrambled into the antmobile and off they went.

“Antique, what is going on over there? Why are those ants struggling so badly?” “Well, let’s go over there and take a look at what is going on?”

“We are all carrying “Good morning my

certain things that we cannot

friend, my name is Antoinette.

leave behind. It is slowing us down,

Why are you carrying those

making us miserable and

heavy backpacks and where

holding us back.”

are you going?”

“What is wrong “Where do I start, Antique? my young friend?

I have done wrong, I pinched sweets,

Maybe we can

I am hurting. I am angry with my friend,

my dad fought with me and

sins

I am worried about help you?”

school it is just too much!”

hurts fears

“I know where you can leave all these things behind. Have you ever heard about

Are there sins in your life? Did you maybe lie to your friend or mommy? Did somebody hurt you, fight with you?

Jesus Christ the Son of God?”

Are you all alone?

Are you hungry and have no food? “No, I have not. But please tell me more. Who is He and where

Are you being bullied and afraid?

can I find him?”

“Hallo, I am Antina! Let me tell you more about Jesus. God sent His only Son to the earth to die on

Jesus carried the Cross, and on this Cross was all our hurts and sins.

the cross for everything that we would ever do wrong. We can go to Heaven. Jesus rose again and is now with God in Heaven, where He speaks to God about us. He is praying for you now!

So it is not necessary that we carry them any longer; He already has.

Do you want to pray to Him and ask Him to take it away?”

Read John 3:16

All we need to do is to lay it down at His Feet. He will take care of it.

“Our Heavenly Father, we come to you in the Name of Jesus. We believe that Your Son Jesus died on the Cross for all

“Yes, I want to

our sins so that we can be free and saved. We forgive everybody who hurt us and sinned against us. We pray that you

pray. Can you

will also forgive us for doing wrong. We believe in You, and we are clean and washed in the Blood of Jesus Christ.

please help me?”

Thank you Father God for loving and saving us through Jesus and for Your Holy Spirit who now lives in our hearts.” Read Romans 10:9

After greeting and inviting the little ant to one of their playgroups where they pray every

“Thank you. Now I am free

“We are not going back already, are we? It is much too early to go home!”

day, they hopped into their antmobile again

and saved.” and whizzed off!

All our ant friends shout and scream as their little antmobile jumps high into the air. Join us next time to see where Antique and our four young friends will land.

Antique whispered something in Antoine’s ear and they both smiled. The next moment Antoine speeds up and uses an old box as a ramp!

God bless you, and remember: “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

Read Matt 7:7

ords of w

words of wealth Continue to read with us through God’s Word in one year. Month 7 Day 01: Acts 10: 24-48 / Job 20, 21

Day 16: Acts 20: 1-16 / Psalm 16, 17

Day 02: Acts 11 / Job 22, 23, 24

Day 17: Acts 20: 17-38 / Psalm 18, 19

Day 03: Acts 12 / Job 25, 26, 27

Day 18: Acts 21: 1-17 / Psalm 20, 21, 22

Day 04: Acts 13: 1-25 / Job 28, 29

Day 19: Acts 21: 18-40 / Psalm 23, 24, 25

Day 05: Acts 13: 26-52 / Job 30, 31

Day 20: Acts 22 / Psalm 26, 27, 28

Day 06: Acts 14 / Job 32, 33

Day 21: Acts 23: 1-15 / Psalm 29, 30

Day 07: Acts 15: 1-21 / Job 34, 35

Day 22: Acts 23: 16-35 / Psalm 31, 32

Day 08: Acts 15: 22-41 / Job 36, 37

Day 23: Acts 24 / Psalm 33, 34

Day 09: Acts 16: 1-21 / Job 38, 39, 40

Day 24: Acts 25 / Psalm 35, 36

Day 10: Acts 16: 22-40 / Job 41, 42

Day 25: Acts 26 / Psalm 37, 38, 39

Day 11: Acts 17: 1-15 / Psalm 1, 2, 3

Day 26: Acts 27: 1-26 / Psalm 41, 41, 42

Day 12: Acts 17: 16-34 / Psalm 4, 5, 6

Day 27: Acts 27: 27-44 / Psalm 43, 44, 45

Day 13: Acts 18 / Psalm 7, 8, 9

Day 28: Acts 28 / Psalm 46, 47, 48

Day 14: Acts 19: 1-20 / Psalm 10, 11, 12

Day 29: Romans 1 / Psalm 49, 50

Day 15: Acts 19: 21-41 / Psalm 13, 14, 15

Day 30: Romans 2 / Psalm 51, 52, 53

Day 31: Romans 3 / Psalm 54, 55, 56

words wor rds d o ords

o or ords compiled by myna gouws

words wor rds d wo words

words

BEGOTTEN

FORGIVING HEBREWS

H I

C Z A E J

R L

S Z

X E V K

G O J

Y H F E A E U K W X N T

S Z L

A X M R R X M F

B Y E R

PROVERBS REST DAMASCUS GENEROUS

U N Y E P V P J

D M O E F A I

U P E M T

U L P T

H F

O A D R N H S N T E B C P O T

HOLY E M T E M I

PSALMS

SERVANT

R A B A L

D N Q W P R G H

N M L

E S P F O E H

FAITHFUL D M H A S C E Y V X X W V B G

GREAT D S T Y C P G E K F

HOPEFUL

REDEEMER

M P Y J

Y E O V

Z F U G S H H N R V H

SEVENTH S W E R B E H S B C C V B E S Complete this word search correctly and send it to MY World, Private Bag 2003, Krugersdorp, 1740.

M D T Y D H F C J V H B P G N I

V I

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

G R E A T H I

P C R C S Q P T

Y J

S V F

G R O F Y Q

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!

LIESEL / LIEZL

ZANE / ZAIN / ZAYNE

RUBY / RUBIA

Language/Cultural Origin: German Inherent meaning: Oath of God Spiritual Connotation: Promise Scripture: Zechariah 9:11 NASB

Language/Cultural Origin: English Inherent meaning: God is Gracious Spiritual Connotation: Blessed Scripture: Numbers 6:25 NASB

Language/Cultural Origin: French Inherent meaning: Beautiful Jewel Spiritual Connotation: Full of Grace Scripture: Psalm 26:3 NKJV

The Lord make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you.

For Your loving kindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your path.

STEPHEN / STEVE

CLAYTON / CLAYTEN

CASSON / KASSON

Language/Cultural Origin: Greek Inherent meaning: Crowned Spiritual Connotation: Blessed Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:5 NASB

Language/Cultural Origin: Old English Inherent meaning: From the Clay Estate Spiritual Connotation: Moulded by God Scripture: Isaiah 64:8 NKJV

Language/Cultural Origin: English Inherent meaning: Helper of Mankind Spiritual Connotation: Protected of God Scripture: Proverbs 30:5 NKJV

Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.

But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand.

Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him

DILLON / DILLAN

CANDACE / CANDICE / KANDACE

CAELAN / CALLEN / CAYLAN

Language/Cultural Origin: Irish Inherent meaning: Faithful Spiritual Connotation: Steadfast in Christ Scripture: 1 John 3:18 NKJV

Language/Cultural Origin: Greek Inherent meaning: Unblemished Spiritual Connotation: Shining Scripture: Isaiah 62:3 NKJV

Language/Cultural Origin: Scottish Inherent meaning: Victorious Spiritual Connotation: Defended of God Scripture: Isaiah 54:17 NKJV

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth..

You shall also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgement You shall condemn.

As for you also, because of the blood of M y covenant with you, I have set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.

F r o m

T h e

N a m e

B o o k

b y

D o r o t h y

A s t o r i a ,

B e t h a n y

H o u s e

P u b l i s h e r s

photography: liezl du preez