Redemption Magazine Edition 4 by Redemption Magazine

Fathers Day Edition Edition 4

Christ’s Love Over SA

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Christopher’s Marvelous Testimony: Healing And Redemption

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The Encounter

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Father’s DayAGAPE Style!

Be STILL and know t h a t I am

GOD

M E W EL CO

Welcome Precious Reader! “Every day is a terrible day for a miserable person, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.” Proverbs 15:15

Everyday, you are blessed with the opportunity to see life in 2 ways. You can either see it from a positive perspective or from a negative perspective. You are given the choice. You can choose to be miserable or you can choose to be cheerful. Each day, the choice is yours. You have the grace and ability to be a source of light to those around you. Your little light can shine brightly and no amount of darkness can snuff out the light of a single candle. So shine on and bring light to the world! Prayer: Lord, I choose to live my life with a positive outlook and a cheerful heart. May my life be a “continual feast” as I choose to be positive in all that I say and do. Let my light shine so that others will know that You are my God! Amen.

“The light of the righteous shines brightly.” Proverbs 13:9

Meet The Team EDITOR: Ashiqui Haripersad DESIGN AND LAYOUT: Vivek Daya PHOTOGRAPHY: Carmen Feyeraband WRITERS: Keith Reddy and Nicholas Skelton Contributors: Denise Van Deventer and Jesse Pillay

Thank you to all the wonderful people who have shared their testimonies and advertised with us, helping bring the magazine to fruition Visit our website: www.redemptionmag.co.za Like us on Facebook: Redemption Magazine

Please send us feedback, share your testimonies, give God glory and honour for everything that He has done for you! Email info@redemptionmag.co.za ... #Redemption #SpreadTheGospel #TouchALife #SaveASoul

The Redeemed Lifestyle 1 Get Involved: Ways of contributing to the growth of 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Redemption Magazine....................................................... 4 Teaching: Worship.............................................................. 6 Redemption Angels............................................................11 Partner With Redemption..................................................11 Father’s Day: Agape Style..................................................12 Travel: Journey To Ephesus................................................14 A Word For Women: Regrets..............................................15 Health and Fitness..............................................................16 FREE POSTER........................................................................18 Praying Hands.................................................................... 21 Prayer................................................................................. 21 Money Matters: Tithing.....................................................24 Christ’s Love Over SA..........................................................25 Reviews: Books And Music................................................28 DVD’s and Gadgets.............................................29 Bible Reading Plan: Part 4.................................................30 Jesus Kids (Bible Stories): Adam and Eve........................ 31 Going Green: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.............................. 32 Jesus Movement: Disciples............................................... 33 Redemption Business Directory....................................... 34 Charity................................................................................ 36

T E N T S

Miracles and Testimonies 21 The Encounter.................................................................... 8 22 Pursued By The King..........................................................26 23 Testimony Journal.............................................................22

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TI SE ER DV A

Get involved! Be A Part Of The Redemption Movement

At Redemption Magazine, our vision is to spread the gospel and provide comfort reading to every man. The Redemption Team understands the stresses of everyday life and the various spiritual attacks that people come against daily, so we would like to provide even a tiny bit of comfort and hope for all by providing our encouraging testimonies and articles. It’s best to remember that no matter how bad a situation might be and no matter how dreadful you may believe you are, there is hope for all- hope in Jesus Christ. We also want to help the many business people in the country by providing a platform for them

to promote their businesses. This extends to many NPO’s and NGO’s too. We would love for our readers to become more involved in the magazine and in spreading the gospel of Christ. There are various ways in which one can come on board such as: Advertising in the newly introduced business directory with 2 price options: R550 and R950 (sizes respectively- standard and large) Advertising (quarter, half or full page adverts)

Sponsorship Partnering Sowing a seed Becoming a Redemption Angel and sharing your testimonies with us! (This is FREE, there are no costs attached to sharing your testimonies with us). Any and all contributions are welcome and have the biggest impact on the magazine! We would also appreciate any feedback from our readers. The good, bad and ugly are welcome. We are willing to learn and improve!

Advertise your business with us It’s the RIGHT time to make fruitful decisions, cost save and simultaneously spread the word of your business in the RIGHT magazine directed to RIGHT people. Redemption is distributed every 2 months so you can rest assured that your advert is getting all the exposure that it needs for a solid 2 months! Advertise with us and you will appear in both our online and printed media 10 000 copies are FREELY distributed per an edition We distribute 7 000 pamphlets to promote online reading and downloading of the magazine (online reading and downloading is ALSO FREE)! The magazine is distributed to more than 350 places in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng: Hotels, shopping malls, guesthouses and B&B’s and other major attractions (e.g. OR Tambo Airport, King Shaka Airport, Hilton Hotel, Coastlands Hotels, BP’s, Sasols, ICC, Moses Mabhida, bird parks, hospitals, over 15 libraries and many more) and distribution is handled by Brochure Management. Adverts in the business directory are split into categories- health, beauty, mechanic, etc- if your business does not fall into a specific category then we will create one just for you! The adverts in the business directory are in full colour and the price is R550 per an edition for the standard size and should you wish for a larger space in the Redemption Business Directory we will gladly give it to you for R950. Should you require a bigger space (full page, half page, quarter page, double page spread) feel free to contact us for these details.

Email info@redemptionmag.co.za or call 079 655 8405 Visit our website www.redemptionmag.co.za to read and download the previous editions of Redemption for free.

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By Keith Reddy

I will praise Your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise You and extol Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom. Psalm 145: 1-3

Intimacy with Jesus starts with worship. To many people this thing called “worship” is often misunderstood. In the minds of many, the act of worship is vague, and so as a result, the true essence of worship is something that is often overlooked as a key focus in our daily walk w i t h Jesus. In many churches t o d a y , when the worship leader tells t h e congregation to worship, some people start looking around in confusion because they do n o t k n o w what

to do at that point, while

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others may even start praying. Even at home, people start praying out of the blue without worshipping first, without having the faintest idea of what worship really is. This seems to be a common problem not just among adults but the youth too. There are those who mistake the overall act of prayer as worship to the Lord, when actually it is a totally separate act that can be done on its own, or joined together with the act of prayer. Let’s take note of this: Prayer is not w o r s h i p. T h e y a r e c o m p l e t e l y different acts. So what’s the difference between prayer and worship? Prayer is coming to God to ask Him for something: Whether it is to ask for the Lord to bless you with something, asking for forgiveness of sins, asking for Him to intervene and change a situation or person’s life or asking Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit… The list goes on really. But you get the idea here. Prayer is making your requests known unto God. Prayer is venting everything that is on your heart, and bringing to Him all your burdens, your desires, your needs, as well as other people’s requests. We see this in Philippians 4:6 (“do not be

a n x i o u s a b o u t a ny t h i n g , b u t i n everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”) It can be even seen as ‘offloading’ everything that is on your heart to the Lord so that you may be burden free and not anxious about anything. 1 Peter 5:7 “casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.” Worship on the other hand is quite different. Worship is a selfless verbal and physical act, where your body, mind and soul (Matthew 22:37 & Psalm 103:1) comes into the very presence of the Almighty Living God to meet with Jesus directly, like a Bride making her way down the aisle to the Bridegroom. It’s a time where you approach the Lord, with all of the love in your heart for Him, and verbally pouring all that love out on Him, like a sweet fragrance of expensive perfume being poured out (Luke 7:36-47 & Mark 14:3). It’s confessing to Him how much He means to you. Worship is telling the Lord who He is to you. Worship is describing to Him how you cannot be without Him for even a second. It’s telling Him how great and marvelous He is, how awesome and majestic He is. Worship is lifting up His name. Remember, this is a love relationship with your Daddy Jesus, and not a religion with rituals.

“I will give thanks to you in the great assembly; among the throngs I will praise You.” Psalm 35:18

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The Lord is my

strength

He has become my salvation.

He is my God and I will praise Him,

my father’s God and I will exalt Him.

The Bible speaks of us (the church) being the Bride of Christ (Romans 7:4 & Revelation 19:7-9). You have to adore Him in this relationship you know! You got to make Him feel that He is loved by you! It’s not at all about you! It’s ALL about HIM! A lot of the Psalms show us that we need to be loud

and active in worship! So worship with passion, raise your hands in worship, raise your voice in volume, and be bold in w o r s h i p ! H e y, e v e n dancing and jumping is a part of worship (2 Samuel 6:14) How does worshipping benefit YOU?

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The Bible says that Jesus inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). That means in the moment you start worshipping, the Lord will manifest His presence and come and meet with you. The deeper you go into the worship, the more likely you are to even start having personal encounters with Jesus!

I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and have been saved from my enemies. 2 Samuel 22:4

Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; speak of all His wonders. 1 Chronicles 16:9

So how do we worship? Worship is simple. Here’s some WORSHIP VOCABULARY to get you kick started to profess your love for Jesus in worship. This is just a guideline. As you grow in love for Jesus, you will have more things to say about Him. I love You Jesus I worship You, I praise You Lord I bless You Lord I lift up Your name, I exalt You, I magnify You You are so wonderful my Jesus You are my Shepard You are great & mighty You are everything I need You are My Healer, My Strength, My Shield, My Fortress, My Comforter, My Prince of Peace, My Shelter. None can compare to You. Your name is like honey on my lips! (See, you can even get c r e at i v e . I m e a n , it ’s a relationship with your Father after all!) Another great way to get a good idea of how to worship is to read Psalms like Psalm 103, Psalm 23 & Psalm 47.

The The story of my life is something I still find completely unbelievable. When I consider the magnificent grace and mercy of God, I am left in absolute awe. From where I’ve been to where I’ve come, I can only give glory and praises to God for His greatness. My life today is proof that His love and mercies endures forever. On the 27th December 2012, I had a magnificent and life-changing experience with the Lord, creating a massive turnaround in my life and adding value to what I considered to be a worthless and pointless existence. My life prior to this was a messconsisting of drugs and alcohol. I didn’t value anything that God had given to me, taking for granted my own life. I failed to recognise that every breath that I took was a gift from the Almighty. My experience caused a total change in my mind, body and soul. I pray that you are blessed as you read about my life experience. I was driving my business vehicle to Umhlanga, Durban, to finish up my work for the day. Suddenly, my vehicle started to jerk, causing it to come to a complete stop. I was stuck in the centre lane of the N2

North Bound. I nervously stepped out my vehicle and went to the front of it and picked up the bonnet, trying to locate the cause of the problem. As I stood in front of the vehicle, trying to solve the problem, I did not notice a petrol tanker traveling behind my vehicle at a very high speed and neither did the driver of the petrol tanker notice me. He knocked my vehicle at the back, which in turn, knocked me at the front. According to the paramedics, I did not have a pulse at the scene of the accident. I had sustained a broken neck, serious head injury and various other injuries. My brother, Sylvester, was the first one at the scene of the accident. He looked at me sprawled out with blood all over my entire body and felt emotionally torturedhopeless and helpless. Sylvester carried me out the way and immediately started praying, pleading with God to let me live and give me a second chance. A motorist who was passing by also stopped. The kind man jumped out of

his vehicle and immediately started praying with my brother, both of them standing on the word of God and believing in Him for a miracle. As the motorist and Sylvester were praying, I was suddenly awake but things were not how it should have been. I was standing outside my body, as though I were also a passerby. I stared at my dead body lying on the ground with blood everywhere. I watched as the paramedics continued to work on me, trying to get a pulse. After 25 grueling minutes they found that I had a slight pulse. The paramedics quickly rushed me to hospital. At the hospital, I was placed in ICU where I was stabilized with a life support machine. When I was in ICU I found myself outside my body once again. In fact, I found myself on a stretcher in an unfamiliar white room. I saw people walking past me. In front of me, I saw 5 white clothed people looking at me. I remember their words clearly: “Do not be afraid.”

Don’t forget to share your miracles and testimonies with us! Email us: info@redemptionmag.co.za

Encounter In hindsight, I know that these were indeed angels of the Lord. At that time, I remember fear creeping over every inch of my being. I was afraid because I did not know where I was or what these 5 strangers were going to do. I knew that my lungs were failing but I didn’t know if I was more afraid that they were going to perform surgery on me or that I was going to die. I would repeatedly open and close my eyes, hoping for it all to be a dream but sadly realising that this was definitely my reality. When I opened my eyes again, there was a neatly dressed man standing before me. I knew that he was awaiting my soul. I looked around me in despair, only to find my bed surrounded by 4 of Satan’s angel- demons. They were the most horrifying and hideous creatures I had ever laid my eyes on. They took pleasure in seeing my brokenness and laughed at me as though I was the punchline of a great joke. They impatiently pulled at my life suppor t machine, jeering at me and telling me how they could not wait for my arrival in hell. As these demons surrounded me, my physical body and condition worsened in the hospital.

As though I was stuck in a good horror movie, I started to see little clips (like a slide show) of what my funeral would be like. I was now more terrified than ever, knowing that my life was literally over. O u t o f n o w h e r e, a v o i c e whispered to me. It was a gentle and peaceful voice and it said: “We are going to talk to the Father to give you a second chance.” I remember seeing a bright light throughout my room and a commanding voice telling Satan and his demons to leave me alone at once. The Father was so bright. I could not see His face. He said “I am giving you a

second chance to change your life and serve Me by doing My work.” I vividly remember Him placing His hands on my lungs and telling me that I was totally healed. Today, I am proof that God certainly is real because I am alive and I am healed. Ever y time I think of my experience, I just remember how wonderful God is. When I thought that I was invisible to Him, He was right beside me. When I thought that all hope was lost, He gave me a second chance. When I was lost to a life of sin prior to the accident, God had a plan for my life. Don’t ever lose focus of Jesus, at the end of it all, He’s the only one you have.

Spread the gospel, save a life, touch a soul. #Redemption

M EN

Being Blessed & Being A Mighty Man Of God

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither- whatever they do prospers. Not so the wicked! they are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgement nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous but the way of the wicked leads to destruction” Psalm 1. As God scans the world for future leaders and mighty men of God, God does not look for the perfect person. He does not look for a sinless person. He does not look for a person with a degree. He does not look for someone who is known for doing good deeds. No. God looks for people who have the same qualities that were found in David: “A man after His own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14).

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” John 13:34-35). Being a mighty man of God means moving away from all unrighteousness and confessing your sins to God and most importantly- repenting for all your sins- “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). It means that even during times of adversity, you must watch over and protect your family and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. It means reading the word of God daily, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the hear t” (Hebrews 4:12) and always praying for your family. It means leading a righteous life which is pleasing to God and reflecting the goodness of God in everything you do.

MEN OF GOD As men, it is easy to follow the trend of believing that everything that you have is because of all YOUR hard work. As a man, you go to work early every morning and come home late in the evening. You see to it that every need of your family is taken care of and at the end of the month you pat yourself on the back for a month of work well done and being able to pay all of your bills on time. You are blessed with a beautiful home and a lovely car and you believe that this is all because of your hard work. But are you blessed because of who you are? Or are you blessed because of who He is?

Hard work does not mean much without the favour and grace of God. When God’s favour is upon you, the most unexpected things start to happen- doors that need to be opened are opened, promotions await you eagerly, restoration happens, new relationships are created and old relationships are restored- not because of who you are but because of who God is.

Being a mighty man of God is not a long drawn out task or an obstacle course. Being a mighty man of God is simple. It means always placing God as number 1 in your life. It means looking after and loving your family, no matter how hard family life may be. “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” 1 Timothy 5:8), it means loving those who hate you and blessing those who curse you, “a new command I give you: Love one

“In everything set them an example by doing what is good” Titus 2:7.

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Redemption Angels Spreading the gospel and uplifting Christ with YOU! Share your miracles and testimonies with us Your testimony can touch and change lives. It will give hope to the hopeless and encourage people to wait on God for breakthroughs and not to give up. We want to know what God has done for you! Even if it seems silly or irrelevant to you, we want to know! If God has brought you through it then He is worthy of all the praise. People who touch our lives in a profound way are often called ‘angels.’ Your testimony could touch someone’s life in a profound way, like an angel, so we encourage you to be a “Redemption Angel” and share your testimony with others and change lives while uplifting the name of Christ.

We will share your miracles and testimonies with our readers by putting them online or in the magazine. Become a Redemption Angel just by sharing your testimony with us! This is FREE! Contact us on 079 655 8405 Email info@redemptionmag.co.za

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DA Y ’S ER FA TH

FATHER’S DAY HAPPY

FATHER’S DAY DAD!

I love you because

Thank you for being a great dad! Love

Father’s day is upon us once again, bringing many new memories and happiness for some and heartache and despair for others. The stores have their big sales and specials on, encouraging all to spoil their dads and remind them how amazing they are and how they add such value to everybody’s lives. It’s beautiful to say thank you to someone who contributes to your life in such a great way, to remind them that even though it seems as though you take them for granted- you really don’t. But with that said, one should also keep in mind saying “thank You” to the Father of the heavens. The Father who knows your every thought, your every movement and the same Father who made the greatest sacrifice to have a relationship with you, by sacrificing His only Son, so that sin could no longer separate you from God. With God, you don’t have to spend money spoiling Him, or do rituals and sacrifices to satisfy Him. All it takes is a simple and sincere prayer to Him. Remember what the Bible says in Matthew 7:11: 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! Every breath that you take is a gift from God. The Father’s grace has no limits with you. He will never say “you are no longer my child” or “I don’t want to know you anymore” because you did something wrong. He loves you with an everlasting love (“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness” Jeremiah 31:3). The Father loves you with agape love. Agape love is the highest type of love that exists. It is selfless, sacrificial and unconditional love. It is not a romantic or sexual type of love, nor is it a friendship or brotherly type of love. It is the same love (and more) mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13 (Love is patient, love is kind. it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails). This is the love that God lavishes you with every second of the day. You do not have to do anything to receive it, it is there whether you want it or not.

Send us feedback. What do you think of Redemption magazine? How can we improve? Your opinion matters to us!

In good times and bad times, the Father is therecelebrating with us in happy times and comforting us in sad times, exactly as a parent would comfort a child in distress. To the parents that are reading this: Do you remember the day your child wanted to do something reckless and you said no, fearing that your child may hurt herself/ h i m s e l f ? Yo u r c h i l d deliberately disobeyed you and came back bruised and weeping, full of regret. This is exactly what God goes through with us on a regular basis but He never says He’s

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Is this not the love that constantly reigns down from the Father? He BEARS with our insolence and stubbornness, He BELIEVES that we will do better and we will change, He HOPES that we make the right decisions to lead us to His divine will and He ENDURES our bad behaviour, always calling us His children.

’S

1 Corinthians 13:7 says: Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

ER TH FA

agape style Romans 8:38-39

had enough. Instead, God gently wipes our tears away again and again, full of mercy, because even in your disobedience, you are His child and He loves you with an everlasting love!

Happ

Fat h e

r ’s

Day!

EL TR A V

J O U R N E Y T O E P H E S U S 14

The beauty of a journey to Ephesus does not lie in its buildings or upbeat ambience because if you are looking for a crazy party then Ephesus is not a recommended holiday. The real appeal of Ephesus is its deep history... Its Biblical relevance. of modern day Turkey, in a valley protected by steep hills on either side. In ancient days, the hills on either side would help protect the city from attack.

In the south of the beautiful city of Izmir, Turkey, lies one of the most significant places in the Bible- Ephesus. In the ancient world, Ephesus was famous for its temple of Artemis (the Greek goddess of the hunt), but now it is well known for the letter Paul wrote in the Bible to the church of Ephesus which can be found in the new testament (the book of Ephesians). The places in which the stories of the Bible took place can seem so unreal, therefore making the stories a lot less believable. However, once you get your family geared up for a spiritual journey of a lifetime, your feelings towards certain Biblical activities may change, making everything clearer in your mind and building up your faith tremendously. Apart from Israel, Ephesus is also highly recommended as a destination for christians on holiday. It lies on the western edge

The Theatre

As mentioned before, Ephesus is most famous for its temple of Artemis. At the time of Paul’s letters this temple was a glorious and majestic place which had many followers. It was 129.54 metres long, 67 metres wide and 18 metres high but today only the foundation and one column remain of this temple. Paul’s successful ministry was considered to be a threat to this very temple (Acts 19:27). In the heart of the city, you will also find the very famous Ephesian theatre. It was built in the Hellenistic period and was renovated by several Roman emperors. The theatre held a massive crowd of 25 000 people and was originally designed for theatrical performances but was later altered to allow gladiator contests. Paul was accused of hurting the goddess Artemis and her temple and so he was gathered together with the people to address the matter. (About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. He called them together, along with the

workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and let astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess of Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshipped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.” When they heard, this they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theatre together. Paul wanted to appear before the crowd but the disciples would not let him. Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theatre” Acts 19: 23-31).

Regrets that drive you to God are redemptive. Focusing on mistakes made in the past can easily lead one to suffer many regrets. But every time you find yourself treading this dangerous and self destructive path (which can lead to feelings like self loathing, depression, disappointment and thinking about what could have been and what should have been), ask yourself: Was I created to live a life full of regret? Or was I created to bask in the glory of Almighty God? Dwelling on the past and living a life of regret can often make you feel that there is no way of redeeming yourself or getting back into a relationship with God. It can make you feel dirty and ashamed.

EN M

r egr ets

O W

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips,and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem. Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar.” Psalm 51

God has cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us. He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2:14). Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here.

What does this mean to those struggling with regret? It means when you come to faith in Jesus, He forgives your sins- every single one of your sins are wiped out by the blood of Jesus. As far as the east is from the west, so far He has removed our transgressions from us (Psalm 103:12). Bad decisions may have changed your life and so now you live with the consequences of those bad decisions, but that by no means implies that you cannot move forward without the massive guilt that often accompanies regret. God has forgiven you. The Bible says so. We are children of God. If parents can still LOVE and FORGIVE their children for doing detestable things, how much more LOVE and FORGIVENESS can our Father give us?

How is it possible to move on from that? It’s simple.

Let go of the past and let go of y o u r r e g r e t s . I n b ro ke n n e s s , hopelessness and pain- God is always present. He will never leave you nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:8). God uses these moments of brokenness and remorse to bring spiritual insight and growth.

LT H

EARLY MORNING STRETCHES

S T A R T Y O U R D A Y

Why?

Now that winter has crept up on us, the most dreadful noise that anybody has to endure is the sound of their morning alarm clock- which now rings while it is dark outside and all the birds are still asleep, making getting out of bed and exercise routine of its own while you struggle with the snooze button.

So why mention something even more torturous like waking up earlier (skipping the fight with the morning alarm clock) and doing early morning stretches instead?

Well, for starters, this is not just a healthy routine for winter but for summer too. During those wonderful warm moments spent sleeping, the muscles in your body can become stiff and tight- not good when you think about approaching an older age. Early morning stretches are a great way to start your morning off right, not only do the stretches loosen you up (lets not forget warming you up and waking you up), but they also increase blood flow to your muscles and depending on the intensity of the stretches, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll also be able to replace your morning cup of coffee with a nice dose of feel good hormone seratonin. The Redemption Team challenges you to take your physical and spiritual life further by doing our Early Morning Stretch Challenge for a week. Of course being the dynamic Christian you are, we suggest that you put in your own small prayer as you stretch. This helps your body get into gear for the day and your mind to be focused on God to get you through the day. There is no better way to begin your morning!

Please remember to warm up before you stretch. After a night of inactivity, it is easy to strain your muscles by stretching without warming up. Do this by wriggling your toes and shaking your arms and legs to get your blood flowing.

The Upward Stretch

While sitting on the floor or on your couch or bed with your legs crossed, raise your arms toward the ceiling and lock your fingers together with your palms facing the ceiling. Straighten out your spine, take a deep breath, smile and count to 15.

Prayer while doing The Upward Stretch: Thank You God for blessing me with another day of this beautiful life. Thank you for every breath that I take because I know that it is thanks to Your grace and mercy that I can live. Amen.

Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Turn your left ear toward your left shoulder and hold this position for 20 seconds. This will help relieve the muscles on the right side of your neck. Repeat on the other side to stretch out the left side of your neck. Relax for a moment and then roll your shoulders to the back and then to the front. then life your shoulders to your ears and after 5 seconds gently allow them o drop completely. Repeat 5 times.

Prayer while stretching your arms: Lord help me to love people who hurt me, help me to bless those that curse me. Help me to love like you. Help me to keep your commandmentslove God and love each other.

Stretch Your Arms

Keep your feet slightly apart and raise your right arm above your head. Bend your elbow so your right arm is reaching for your left shoulder. Use your left hand to pull on your right shoulder. Hold for 10 seconds.

Stretch Your Legs

Keep your feet slightly apart and place your hands on a wall or chair. Keep your heels on the ground and knees straight while leaning into the wall or chair. You will feel a slight strain on your calves.

Prayer while stretching your lower back: Lord, I thank You for keeping my loved ones and I safe today and always. I thank You that You are in charge of everything in my life and you always have such a marvelous plan for me. Amen!

Prayer while doing The Neck and Shoulder Stretch: Thank You God for blessing me with a restful night of sleep, thank You that I have blankets, hot water and electricity to keep me warm. Holy Spirit I ask you to guide me with the words that I use today so that my words are kind and show people Your love that is in me. Amen.

H LT

The Neck & Shoulder Stretch

Prayer while stretching your legs: Lord I pray for my faith to be renewed and for my faith to grow exponentially as I pursue my relationship with You. I pray that You help me to understand what it means to have faith as small as a mustard seed. Amen.

Stretch Your Lower Back

Start by sitting on a chair. Rest your hands on your knees and slowly lean forward until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Slowly sit back up to finish. Repeat 10 times and then you are complete with your Early Morning Stretches and another day of the Redemption Challenge!

Put on the full arm take your stand aga

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#FullArmorOfGod Ephesians 6:10-17

or of God, so that you can inst the devilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s schemes

LT H EA H

P h a r m a c y O f G O D 20

STRESS Majority in the world today are faced with stress. Stress is a cause to many diseases and though many people are healthy and well, when stress impacts lives the repercussions are critical and has a negative impact.

reducing anxiety related symptoms associated with chronic stress. Rhodiola is also an excellent herb to improve memory and help with sleeplessness. It is highly recommended to students to use close to and during examinations.

Along with a healthy diet and exercise, there are other solutions to stress. Natural products like Bcomplex vitamins, magnesium, calcium and a powerful herb called Rhodiola are excellent to help with stress, anxiety as well as adrenal support.

Magnesium is also a vital element required as a cofactor for production of energy and the production of adrenal hormones. It helps combat the negative effects of stress like hypertension, blood clotting and vasco constriction (which is the constriction of blood vessels). Magnesium has a calming effect on the body and also on muscles with spasms. Cacao is an excellent source of magnesium.

Rhodiola is a Eurasian adaptogenic herb which significantly increases tolerance to various stressors (mental, physical and environmental). It acts predominantly on the hypothalmus (hormonal initiator of stress response), this causes the body to respond differently to stress triggers. This herb also has a potent enhancing effect on brain seratonin (seratonin is a chemical found in the brain and is responsible for regulating sleep, moods, emotions and appetite) and activity. This is of great value in

Magnesium and calcium are primarily required for proper function of nerves and muscles. Deficiency of both magnesium and calcium may lead to irritability, tension and insomnia (sleeplessness). Depletion of these important nutrients occur during stressful times.

B-complex vitamins are also vital to stress t o l e r a n c e. C e r t a i n B vitamins are also essential for adrenal gland function a n d a d re n a l h o r m o n e production. B-vitamin deficiencies are often associated with nervous disorders and anxiety. Other anti-stress herbs are American ginseng and ashwagandha. These can also be called adaptogens, which help the body adapt to stress, restore balance, increase resistance to all stressors and support normal metabolic processes. Keep your stress levels under control through natural products, exercise regularly, add a healthy diet and yes, the word of God and all will be well! â&#x20AC;&#x153;Be anxious for nothingâ&#x20AC;? Philippians 4:6

Praying Hands Christians Unite! “For when two or three gather in My name, there I am with them.” Matthew 18:20 Jesus said in Matthew 18:20 that if we gather in His name, He will be with us. This means that when we make the same prayer as a group of believers in Christ, Jesus will be in the midst of it all. We can believe that our pryers are as good as answered! Imagine if we went further than praying in groups of 2 or 3 and we prayed the same prayer by the thousands! How much more powerful will our prayers be? When you pray to a

God of miracles and a God who answers prayers, you can bet that your prayers will be answered within moments of being prayed. It might not be done in front of you immediately but in the spirit... It is done! Let us unite and pray specifically for the poor this month. Let us pray for those who beg for food and those that have no place to call home. Let us pray for orphans and widows that God will continue

to provide for them supernaturally this winter. Abba Father, today we pray that You bless the poor and continue to provide for them as You do. We pray that they have encounters with You so that they may get to know that there is hope in You. We pray that you keep them warm, safe and in good health this winter and that they will always have a hot meal at the end of the day... And that the will know that that meal was provided by You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Psalm 91: Abiding in the presence of God He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,

nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked. Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.

You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, An awesome And show him My Psalm to start salvation.”

your morning with!

L NA UR TJO

Dear Jesus

The Redemption Team

Anonymous, Durban.

Thank you!

M a t t e r s

ES NC

Tithing

NA FI

M o n e y

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should five what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly nor under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” 2 Corinthians 9:7 “One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” Proverbs 11:24-25. What does the word “tithe” mean? A “tithe” is a one tenth part of something given to a religious organisation, in terms of the Bible, it means giving 10% of your income to the church. This has become quite a d e b a t a b l e t o p i c, m a ny Christians arguing that 10% is part of the Old Testament and not the N e w

Testament. So what does this mean? This

means that God is not looking at you to part off with 10% of your money and live your life stressed, constantly wondering how you will make ends meet. No. God wants you to give cheerfully to the church and do what makes your heart happy. He wants you to give with an open heart. God does not look at the money in your wallet, He looks at your heart. “Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cent s. Ca lli ng H i s disciples to Him, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor woman has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything- all she had to live on’” (Mark 12:41-44). This is an example that God is ONLY interested in your heart for Him. Whether you will be faithful and give

your last cent to His Kingdom, or yourself in vain.

save it for

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good m e a s u r e , pressed down, shaken together and running o v e r, w i l l b e poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” Luke 6:38. The new testament does not command or even recommend that Christians submit to a legalistic tithe system. In order for your finances to prosper, you don’t need to give 10% of your income, instead give whatever you are able to, bless the orphans and the widows and the unfortunate people in your community. Each Christian goes according to His own journey and circumstance when it comes t o “ t i t h i n g ,” s o w i n g a n d reaping.

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:19

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SO H UT A FR A IC

Christ’s Love Over SA When last have you taken a look around you, at your wonderful home, South Africa, and truly appreciated God’s favour and grace over the land? South African’s tend to take for granted the rich and fertile ground that we have been blessed with. It’s hard to focus on things like the gold and platinum that God has blessed our country with, or the oil or even the very nature of South Africa, when it is continuously being overshadowed by crime. Many South Africans look longingly at America or Australia, hoping to escape the warm embrace of South Africa and why? Crime? Crime happens everywhere- these are the end times- we were warned by the Bible that evil would come over the world in a great wave. Not just South Africa, but the entire world. It’s time to stop complaining about this beautiful country and start appreciating what God has blessed us with. Oil, gold, platinum, beautiful climates, hardly any natural disasters... How many other countries can offer the same package? From our different cultures to our vast group of animals to our beautiful attractions, everything about our home is unique. We have the majestic Big Five to show off to all the world... We have different groups of people living in peace after conquering many years of apartheid thanks to the goodness and mercy of God. There are so many gorgeous attractions that our own country has, yet we are always looking at other parts of the world- the stadiums which hosted the 2010 Fifa World Cup, the Kruger National Park which is home to a variety of wild animals, Table Mountain, The Congo Caves, Robben Island and many more. All of which tell the rich history of God’s grace over our country. Thank you God!

Pursued By The King Fathimaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s* Â journey Â continues!

Part 3

Overport, Durban

Fathimaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s* journey from Islam to Christianity continues... Jesus has shown me a love that I will never find outside of Him. My family had disowned me, ashamed of me for forsaking their way of life. Yet, I still carry on, worshipping and praising the King like never before. After falling pregnant in 2003, I decided that I needed to follow my first vision from the Lord and get baptised.

I got baptised when I was 3 idea of not seeing my mother months pregnant. The one last time. I decided that if following week my mother going back to Islam is what it fell terribly ill. I rushed to the would take for me to see her hospital and sat at her for the last time, then I would bedside, speaking to her do it. As I opened until I was eventually my eyes, I saw 2 asked to leave. She hands placed I saw 2 hands passed away that in front of placed in front of my same night. my face, each with a face, each with a large hole The next day, I large hole in its palm and I heard a went to pay my in its palm voice that said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am respects to my and I heard m o t h e r, I w a s a voice that with you.â&#x20AC;? greeted by my sister said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am with who denied me access you.â&#x20AC;? I suddenly t o m y m o t h e r. â&#x20AC;&#x153; Yo u â&#x20AC;&#x2122;r e realised what I had to unclean,â&#x20AC;? she said to me, â&#x20AC;&#x153;you do. Islam was not an option. If have to have a bath and come I had not seen those hands or back to Islam, until then we heard that voice, I would have cannot allow you to see her.â&#x20AC;? I followed Islam once more. could not believe that they would be so cruel and not let In 2004, my father fell gravely me see my mother one last ill. I only found out about it on time! Unable to contain my the day he passed away. When tears, I collapsed into a chair I looked through the door of with my hands on my his ward, I saw him lying stomach. I could not stand the unconscious in his bed,

surrounded by our family and priests, saying their last words and prayers. When I walked into the room, he suddenly woke up. He covered his face with his hands and repeatedly screamed â&#x20AC;&#x153;take this Jesus away from here!â&#x20AC;? I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand what he was talking about so I continued to approach him, but as he shouted for me to â&#x20AC;&#x153;take this Jesus away from here,â&#x20AC;? my family quickly rushed me out the room... Before I could even say my final goodbye. My father died shortly afterward. I began to wonder why this was happening again. Why did I always feel so ashamed around the ones who were supposed to love me? Instead, they continuously made me feel bad about myself and my faith.

*Names have been changed in this testimony

That night when I finally fell rest of my family in the asleep, I had a dream about room, having a heated my mother, my siblings and a argument about my father’s safe with 9 envelopes inside. money and to whom his Nine envelopes- one for each possessions would go to. The of my parent’s children, first thing they said to me which were to be handed to when they saw me was: “Dad each of us upon my father’s didn’t leave anything for you death. In my dream, my because you turned your mother gave each of back your religion.” my brothers and Reflecting on my sisters an dream, and the When I woke envelope but I lesson I had up I knew that God did not learnt from receive one. God about was trying to tell me With feelings the rich something that my family of hurt, I man and the was hiding from asked her why poor man, I didn’t I get one. put myself me She then told me above this trivial that my father didn’t matter. “I didn’t leave anything for me come here for because he was so anything,” I said, “I simply disappointed in me. I noticed came to pay my respects,” an extra envelope and asked and with that, I decided that it that she give it to me anyway was indeed time to move on and inside I found the words with my life and never to “help me” scribbled upon it. I look back. then heard the voice of God telling me the story of the Despite these many rich man and the poor man reminders of my past and and how they fought over the sadness it brought me, money. When I woke up I everything was always knew that God was trying to completely overshadowed tell me something that my by the love of Jesus and I family was hiding from me. I strongly believe that if my decided to visit my sister to family was not removed pay my respects. When I from my life, I would never knocked on the door, I was be able to dedicate my life to greeted with the sight of the the Lord and I would never

have felt as comfortable praising His name as I do today. Even though I do feel upset at times, I am always comforted by the presence of God. I am grateful that He is with me, always guiding me through life. I n o w h ave a b e a u t i f u l family, my husband and my 2 sons are truly a blessing to me and I experience God’s blessings everyday. The Lord has done so much for my family and I, He has brought us through so much and even though I fail Him daily, He has never failed me. He constantly reminds me that He is with me. I am an active member at my church, and I proudly and openly worship the name of Jesus, without feeling condemned about my faith. The joy of the Lord is indeed my strength. I can proudly testify that my God is a God of restoration because it is most wonderful that my relationship with some of my siblings are being restored.

The End

I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in diﬃculties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10 *Names have been changed in this testimony

EV IE W S

REVIEWS

To D o L is t: The Power Of Praying 3 in 1 (Stormie Omartian): This book is for all the women out there, yes- this includes you- mum and wives. This 3 in 1 compilation has Stormie’s bestsellers “The Power Of A Praying Wife,” “The Power Of A Praying Parent” and “The Power Of A Praying Woman” all rolled into 1 volume. This powerful compilation has powerful and thought provoking content on prayer. It reminds you that although you might be going through changes (even unwelcome change), God is always listening to your prayers and pleas. It is easy to give up hope when you are going through problems but Stormie gets the message right- reminding us that God can do ANYTHING. The books teach how wives and mothers can intercede for their families and wait expectantly for breakthroughs. Most importantly, it teaches us HOW to pray, praying for the right things to help and benefit all. For women all over the world, this is a must read, it will teach you how to communicate with God and it will SHOW you how God longs to strengthen and support you. It reminds women of something that we often forget- that burdens of family and life are not ours to bear because Jesus is our burden bearer. The Love Dare (Alexander Kendrick and Stephen Kendrick): The Love Dare is New York Time’s No. 1 bestseller that has already sold 5 million copies. The book is based on unconditional love. Something that many tend to misunderstand. What is unconditional love? Unconditional love is defined as “affection without limitations.” There aren’t many people in marriages that can say that they love their partner unconditionally, in theory, unconditional love is easy but in practice, it is not that simple. The book is not just for marriages that are struggling but it is also a healthy relationship exercise for marriages that are healthy and strong. It teaches the keys to finding true intimacy and growing a healthier and happier marriage. The Love Dare is also a main plot in the popular movie Fireproof- which is a 40 day challenge for husbands and wives to understand the true meaning of unconditional love.

Sweet sounds for the soul 2014 Ultimate Worship: Yes! You are finally presented with all your favourite worship songs (most likely played during church every week) with all of your favourite songs from Darlene Zscheck, Tim Hughes, Planetshakers and many more. This brilliant and well put-together 2-disk compilation has music for all occasions and will definitely lift your spirits on a dull day, after all, worship helps you feel God’s presence and what more do you need when you are having a bad day?

Thrive (Casting Crowns): Casting Crowns takes worship to a whole new level with this album. Not only does the album have beautifully written songs which certainly capture the essence of God but it also has a certain style of songs about real life that redefine our identity in Christ. This God centred album reminds us that even though there are pressures of everyday life, we were not just made to exist, we were created for a bigger purpose- to live a prosperous life in abundance... We were created to thrive!

REVIEWS

REVIEWS Feast your eyes... S W IE EV

GADGETS

A M

Nokia Lumia 930 The new addition to the Lumia Family is jampacked with new features thanks to Windows Phone 8.1. The phone boasts a 20MP camera featuring Carl Zeiss Optics which displays those superbly captured images on a full HD, 5 inch, AMOLED screen. The 32GB smartphone supports 2GB of RAM which makes multitasking (or even simple tasks) quick and efficient.

HTC One (M8) The All New HTC One is arguably one of the bestlooking smartphones around. With “Ultrapixel” technology, the One has an awe inspiring camera. With a 5MP front-facing camera, selfies are easy to capture and are processed to be extremely vivid. The full HD 5 inch screen is the perfect size for viewing your pictures and videos on the go and even for mobile gaming! The “smiley face” shape is ergonomic and makes the phone a pleasure to use.

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GLAMOROUS

Father Of Lights This is a wonderful DVD which shows various spiritual encounters from around the world. Director Darren Wilson does an awesome job of capturing the true nature and character of God, reminding us that as much as God is a God of justice, He is also a God of mercy, grace and most importantly- a God of love. It is based around a simple question: Who is the Father? Darren manages to get the answer through muslims, gang leaders, witch doctors and hindu gurus alike who have all encountered the God of the Bible. This is a must-see! Watch and be transformed!

The Bible: Epic Miniseries Teaching the bible in a creative way, The Bible Epic Miniseries brings forth the stories from the Bible in an unforgettable way. From the beginning, when Noah tells the creation story to when Joshua invades and conquers Jericho to the resurrection of Jesus and Jesus commanding the disciples to “go and preach to all,” the series covers all in 10 educational episodes. This is the perfect way to get your kids and teens to learn about God and His magnificent acts.

JUNE M T W T F 2 9 16 23 30

3 4 10 11 17 18 24 25

5 6 12 13 19 20 26 27

S S 1 7 8 14 15 21 22 28 29

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BIBLE READING PLAN: Part 4

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T 3 10 17 24 31

F S 4 5 11 12 18 19 25 26

Evening:

ROMANS

PSALMS

54, 55, 56

57, 58, 59

25, 26, 27

60, 61, 62

13: 1-25

28, 29

63, 64, 65

13: 26-52

30, 31

66, 67

32, 33

8: 1-21

68, 69

15: 1-21

34, 35

8: 22-39

70, 71

15: 22-41

36, 37

9: 1-15

72, 73

16: 1-21

38, 39, 40

9: 16-33

74, 75, 76

16: 22-40

41, 42

77, 78

11: 1-18

79, 80

S 6 13

17: 1-15

1, 2, 3

11: 19- 36

81, 82, 83

17: 16- 34

4, 5, 6

84, 85, 86

7, 8, 9

87, 88

19: 1-20

10, 11, 12

89, 90

20 27

19: 21-41

13, 14, 15

15: 1-13

91, 92, 93

20: 1-16

16, 7,

15: 14-33

94, 95, 96

20: 17-38

18, 19

97, 98, 99

21: 1-17

20, 21, 22

100, 101, 102

21: 18-40

23, 24, 25

103, 104

26, 27, 28

105, 106

23: 1-15

29, 30

107, 108, 109

23: 16-35

31, 32

110, 111, 112

33, 34

113, 114, 115

35, 36

7: 1-19

116, 117, 118

37, 38, 39

7: 20-40

119: 1-88

27: 1-26

40, 41, 42

119: 89-176

27: 27-44

43, 44, 45

120, 121, 122

46, 47, 48

10: 1-18

123, 124, 125

10: 19-33

126, 127, 128

11: 1-16

129, 130, 131

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The JOY of the LORD is my Strength

Date:

Morning:

Evening:

ACTS

JOB

10: 24-48

20, 21

22, 23, 24

PSALMS

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BOOKMARK

July Morning:

JULY M T W 1 2 7 8 9 14 15 16 21 22 23 28 29 30

June

ROMANS 29

49, 50

51, 52, 53

Date:

1 COR

In Eden, Adam had everything- trees that were beautiful and bore fruit but in the middle of the garden were 2 very

Now God enjoyed His creation of Adam but God could see that Adam was lonely and so God created a helper suitable for Adam. God placed Adam into a deep sleep and when Adam awoke God presented him with a woman. Adam was delighted with his new partner! She was called Eve- which means mother of all. Now, there was a devious snake which lingered in the Garden of Eden. The snake had a sly plan- he planned to get Adam and Eve to disobey God and eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. “You will not die if you eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,” the snake told Eve, “when you eat from the tree your eyes will be opened and you will be exactly like God.” Eve’s eyes widened as she thought about eating from the tree and becoming like God. The cunning snake watched as Eve stared longingly at the delicious fruit which hung off the forbidden tree’s branches. Eve was intrigued with the idea of gaining wisdom and being like God and so she

S ID

God had planted a majestic garden in the east: The Garden of Eden. Here, God placed man which He created out of dust from the ground, once He’d created man, God breathed into man’s nostrils the breath of life and man suddenly became a living being! God called man Adam.

special trees. The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God warned Adam not to eat from these. “When you eat from it, you will certainly die,” God sternly told Adam.

After God had spent 7 days creating the earth and the heavens, God created Adam and Eve. At the time, no plants had appeared on the earthnone had sprung up on the earth because God had not yet sent rain nor were there any farmers to tend the land. And suddenly, like magic, streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the earth! Plants started to grow!

S SU JE

ADAM & EVE

quickly plucked a ripe fruit from the tree and bit into it, sharing it with Adam. Suddenly, as though they were seeing for the very first time, Adam and Eve realised that they were naked! They quickly sewed fig leaves together to cover their naked bodies. That evening, God came to see Adam and Eve but when Adam and Eve heard the sound of God walking in the Garden of Eden, they quickly hid. “Where are you?” God asked. Adam was afraid and called out to God, “I heard You in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.” God asked Adam how he knew that he was naked and Adam confessed sadly that was because Eve tempted him into eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God asked Eve why she had done this and Eve explained sadly that the snake had deceived her into eating from the tree. God was disappointed in Adam and Eve and angry at the serpent. God punished the serpent and made Adam and Eve leave His marvelous garden. From that day onward, Adam and Eve had to work hard to grow food and eat. Even though they had deliberately disobeyed God, God still loved them and watched over them.

EC YC LI NG R

Easier said than done? I don’t think so!

REDUCE

Reducing does not only pertain to waste , reducing extends to saving our precious resources. Water, electricity and the like are things that do not have to be in continuous use. When you leave a room it is imperative that you get into the habit of switching off the light, once everyone has had a shower, remember to switch off the geyser. Repair your leaking taps and do not leave your sprinklers on overnight. This will help save our precious resources like water and coal. Always remember: You might be blessed with clean drinking water but there are millions of people who have to travel great distances just to get to a water supply- many of which are not clean and are hazardous to their health and well being. show your gratitude to God for blessing you with electricity and clean water by not exploiting our resources.

Did you know? People in Durban generate approximately 1.5 million tons of waste each year. This means that each person in Durban generates half a ton of waste in a year.

How exactly can I reuse? Reusing is simple. Every time you are about to throw something into the bin, get into the habit of asking yourself: “Can I use this again?” The most common one of all is packets. Get into the habit of keeping one or two packets in your handbag. Next time you’re at the store, use this instead of purchasing a new one. This saves you money and also allows you to play an active role in saving the environment. Think outside the box when you are focusing on reusing things. Example- egg cartons. These can be used to store your Christmas decor (the Christmas glitter balls) or for everyday use, you could use it as a storage box in your child’s sock drawer, rolling pairs of socks into sock-balls and keeping them in the carton.

REUSE

There are unlimited ways to recycle many household items that we consider to be junk. Like aluminium cans that are used for soft drinks. Recycling just one can will save enough energy to run a TV for 3 hours. Cardboard and paper are used by millions of South Africans daily. Keep old pieces of paper for household use, rather than wasting new sheets of paper for irrelevant things, like shopping lists can easily be made on the back of old bills rather than using a whole new sheet of paper for it and then throwing it away. It’s important to follow through with recycling by dropping off old papers, ink cartridges, plastics, etc at Recycling Centres at your local stores.

Play your role in saving the environment!

Did you know? Recycling 1 glass container saves enough energy to light a 100W bulb for an hour, run a washing machine for 10 minutes, power a TV for 20 minutes and a computer for 25 minutes.

RECYCLE

T EN EM

Disciples

Following the ministry of Jesus as in the Bible

O M J-

The Jesus Movement

What does it mean to be a disciple? A disciple is a follower of someone or something. This can refer to religion, sport, celebrities and the like. It is important to understand that there is a great difference between a disciple and an apostle. A disciple learns from a teacher whilst an apostle is sent to deliver teachings or a message. “As Jesus was walking beside the Sea Of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people” Matthew 4:18-19. Fishers of men: Being Christians who believe that Jesus paid the price for sin on the cross automatically makes us disciples of Christ. Yet, one must ask themselves, “what is the requirement to being a disciple of Jesus?”Does it mean you should sell all of your belongings and give everything to a church or a pastor? Or should you stand on the street corner preaching the coming of the Lord? Yes, these radical moves can be done and are greatly rewarded as seen in Matthew 19:21, but this is not what discipleship is about. The beginning of discipleship is dependance and submission. Depending on God for your every need, depending on Him to make you a better person and submitting your life to Him- this is what being a disciple is about. Its important for young believers to understand that being a disciple is not always easy, the road that follows often holds persecution and loneliness but when God is for you, who can be against you (Romans 8:31)? Being a disciple means your primary responsibility is to follow the words of the Lord. Aim to live a righteous life and every time you are about to

do something always ask yourself, “what would Jesus do?” In Luke 14:25-33, Jesus outlines the requirements for discipleship: Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them He said: “if anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters- yes, even their own life- such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won;t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.” When Jesus talks about giving up your things to be His disciple, He does not only mean our material things. Jesus means you should give up your bad habits, give up your hatred, give up your sinful ways and follow Him.

What are the rewards of discipleship? “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” Matthew 11:28-30. We must all have someone to submit to. Very much as the world is, children submit to parents, employees submit to employers, wives submit to husbands... Spiritually we must submit to God, and who better to submit to than kind and gentle Jesus? God will never give us anything that we cannot handle. Sometimes we are faced with harsh situations that can instantly reduce you to tears, it is in this time that God is your strength. As disciples, God takes care of us in this way. He will constantly groom His disciples to be better and do better. “Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink” Luke 5:5-7. God wants to give you, His righteous child, everything your heart desires in absolute abundance, just like Simon, Jesus will always leave you in awe at His remarkable grace and glory.

AUTOMOTIVE

BEAUTY

Essence Of Beauty And Hair Explore your inner DIVA Contact Sheron Tel: 031 566 5436 Cell: 083 638 1324 BBM: 2A3DE7F6 Email: essenceb01@gmail.com 154 Ridgeton Towers, Aurora Drive- Behind Gateway

JOYS DRIVING SCHOOL DURBAN For code 8 and code 10 learners and drivers license. Automatic and manual. Contact Joy: 083 301 4601 joys.driving@mweb.co.za

BLESSED OCCASIONS Driven by Passion, Perfection & Persistence

Functions & Events Co-Ordinator Fozie 081 468 9822 fozie1112@8ta.blackberry.com

We cater for all occasions... Food, designer cakes, table decor, draping, MC/sound, filming and photography...

ADVERTISE WITH US *Freely distributed in KZN and Gauteng. *10 000 magazines and 7000 pamphlets per an edition. *Adverts are in circulation for 2 months. For further information email info@redemptionmag.co.za or call 079 655 8405.

HOME REPAIRS AVAILABLE IN: GAUTENG KZN HOME IMPROVEMENTS A to Z

PLUMBING CAR PORTS PAINTING ELECTRICAL GEYSERS PARTITIONS LEAKING BATHROOM ROOFS RENOVATIONS PAVING

AlLÂ ReNoVaTiOnS Ray: 076 368 3128 Email: rayshomerepairs@lantic.net

RaYs

HOME REPAIRS

eCOMMERCE

FLORIST

Sunshine Flowers cc

SECURITY

Shama Rambally Cell: 083 331 0945 Tel: 031 7027131/ 031 7017228 Email: crowhurst@icyt.net Website: www.sunshineflowers.co.za

Mobile Microdotting And Homologation

SOMNA HARIPERSAD Buying or selling your house? List with

GOLDEN HOMES

and your house will get the exposure it deserves

Tel: 031 201 9323 Cell: 084 958 1670 somna@goldenhomes.za.net www.goldenhomes.co.za

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Anand Haripersad: 076 5252 940 Email: anand.haripersad@gmail.com

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*Adverts appear in both our online and printed media. *Freely distributed in KZN and parts of Gauteng. *Advertise your business in the Redemption Business Directory and pay only R550 for standard size and R950 for the large size! *10 000 magazines and 7000 pamphlets per an edition. *Adverts are in circulation for 2 months. For further information email info@redemptionmag.co.za or call 079 655 8405.

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IT Y R A CH

The Association For The Aged

The Association for the Aged, TA F TA , i s a h i g h p e r fo r m i n g organisation promoting and enabling older persons to meet their own needs. Through the facilitation of care and services we aim to promote a good quality of life whilst alleviating distress amongst the older people.

our services which include; Social Services, Accommodation (fit, frail and those who need assisted living), Meals on Wheels, Home Based Care, Transport to state hospitals and clinics and outreach through our service centres and clubs.

services, we realise that it does, sometimes, become essential for a person to move into a “protective environment.” In some cases the need is simply for friendly support, in other cases 24 hour care is necessary. TAFTA owns several retirement complexes, homes, residential complexes, and blocks of flats.

Although TAFTA aims to assist the elderly to remain independent by offering both practical and social

We reach approximately 5,500 older people on a monthly basis through

LaKeHaVeN ChIlD AnD YoUtH CaRe cEnTrE Take a trip into Newlands, Durban, and you will find Lakehaven Children’s Home. A home to many children in need of basic necessities... Both financial and emotional. It’s

always beautiful to donate something to the home because you are guaranteed to make a difference to at least one of the children in the home. But for those who cannot afford to give

financially then make a difference to someone’s life by going over and spending a day with the kids and sharing the love of Christ.

St Thomas’ Homes for Children St Thomas’s Homes for Children is a precious place in the heart of Durban. It is home to approximately 60 children, some of which are HIV+. They have a fantastic group of staff, doing their best to take care of the

children. However, it is always devastating when your best is not good enough and you are forced to see those that you love and care about go to bed hungry. This is what the staff at St Thomas’ Homes go through very often.

Redemption magazine urges you to get involved and help this awesome organisation, even if you just donate R10, you will make a difference to at least one child.

YOUR DONATION IS SPECIAL! Account Name: St Thomas Home for Children Bank: Standard Bank Branch Code: 043826 Account Number: 0525 9898 5 Swift Code: SBZAZAJJ (International Code) NPO: 020-961 Email: children@stthomas.org.za

36 Tel: 031 207 3223/031 209 8871

Donate online: www.tafta.org.za Call 031 332 3721 or email info@tafta.org.za

Account name: Tafta Account number: 50860020889 Bank: FNB Branch code: 221 426 NPO: 002 093

Account Name: Child Welfare Durban and District Bank: Standard Bank Branch Code: 04 27 26 Account Number: 251139042 Current Account NPO: 002-259

R TE ET SL W NE

Introducing the Redemption Good News-Letter

Please tell me about the monthly Good News-Letter? We have just introduced our monthly â&#x20AC;&#x153;Good News-Letterâ&#x20AC;? which is also freely distributed and has space for businesses to place adverts. The newsletter sends a single encouraging message out every month and is a marketing tool for the magazine and companies that advertise in the magazine, providing maximum exposure for all of our advertisers. The newsletter is left at shops, coffee shops, waiting rooms and many businesses for people to read while they wait. It has fun Biblical facts and stories while keeping up with our message of hope to all. We print 3000 of these every month and distribute it accordingly. The Good News-Letter is printed in full colour on 128gsm glossy paper. Advertisers can specify 2 areas* that they would like to have the Good News-Letter distributed (within reason*).