Salvation_Vol2-Issue5

Vol. 2 | Issue 5 May / June 2016

Salva ion You OUT! Christ IN! Death first, then life!

What’s Inside?

Devotions : • Will I Ever Find Happiness?

• Who Is A ‘True Man”?

• Die And Live (Part 1) • Die And Live (Part 2) • When You Reach The Dead End • Happy Marriage Still Possible

Gospel Q &A:

Why was Jacob blessed & Esau cursed?

The Heart Intelligence Corner:

In the hands of the owner

— by Nomusa Mhlanga

• From A Life Of Misery To A Life Of Happiness. How? • Never Trade Liberty For Bondage

Counselling:

Nobody Is Receiving Salvation Must I Continue Preaching?

Caterpillar to Butterfly:

The Great Story

Quotable Quote God’s Heart To You Photos:

Mission Work in Kakamega Western Kenya

“From Caterpillar To Butterfly” Salvation is a monthly magazine that seeks to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, the power of God to salvation, and lead all who believe to a purpose-driven life that gives glory to God (Romans 1:16). In response to inquiries about the cost of publication it’s estimated at ZAR10/ USD$1.00/ per copy. We do accept sponsorship given joyfully without compulsion to offset the cost of production.

No Rights Reserved. This publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form with the sole objective of preaching the gospel of Christ.

From Caterpillar to a Butterfly

A Registered NPO

www.thespecialseed.com

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God’s Heart To You

V

ictor’s

message to you

“And he said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it”. (Luke 23-24)

Quotable Quote

“Grace does not equate to lawlessness, Grace does not excuse sin but it empowers us over sin. Grace is the power that fulfils the righteousness that the law demands.

Jesus Christ did not destroy the law but he fulfilled the law in two ways 1. He never violated the law, He kept it perfectly – He had no sin but became the sin for us.

2. He fulfilled the law by paying the full penalty of sin by dying on the Cross.

Therefore we do not receive grace for being righteous but we are made righteous by grace, we become righteous by the obedience of Christ, the same way we became sinners by the disobedience of Adam”

— Romans 5:19

Hi Friends, Generally, religious conviction in Africa has undergone a tremendous transformation in the last two millennia. A lot has been clarified there but something still remains obscure. Of the many phenomena that Africa has seen in the one thousand plus years of Christian history, one is yet to be seen – homegrown missionaries. And this begs the question; “Has the body of Christ lost the Christian mandate to take the Gospel to all the ends of earth?”

A recent missionary assignment to Kakamega; a province in the western part of Kenya, was a real eye-opener to me. It was this – an acknowledgment of the hymn that “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few” – that was for me the real shock. Friends, are we a generation so self-absorbed that we are not prepared to be nothing for the sake of discipleship, especially in the remote rural Africa? Summing it all up, I concluded that it is because of this lack of true servants that the continent is an impression of poverty – not only spiritual lack but also the hunger for daily bread.

I need not remind you brothers and sisters in Christ that we are not saved to be passengers in the body of Christ, but we are saved to serve the body of Christ. Capitalism has no place in the true church “as it destroys the heart” that the true gospel wants to transform. The true gospel shares our miseries equally. It has been a tradition that missionaries come from outside Africa, but my prayer is that in our generation Africa must start giving instead of just receiving.

We must start to see a magnitude of African missionaries, not only preaching in Africa but going to all corners of the world with the message of Jesus Christ. Yes, we cannot all be missionaries but we are all disciples to serve the body of Christ, be it in our businesses, in our careers or even within families, we must serve, diligently. It is with this vision that we have embraced the calling of Shield of Faith Mission

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International on an initiative to train more people, who have the heart (who are called to the purpose), on mission work. Friends, while most of us use work as an excuse not to commit

the Spirit of God for your spiritual journey.

Remember true revelation does not come from flesh and blood but from the Spirit of God. Regardless of where you worship, your

to discipleship, have you ever thought of taking one week off to do mission work in the remote areas of Africa? It is my humble request to you – as per your heart’s desire, not under any compulsion – to kindly support our cause. In

geographical location, let us go back to the foundation of the gospel: our Saviour, our Messiah Jesus Christ. Let’s join our hearts and preach the gospel of Christ that is the power of God unto salvation. Our calling is not to make people members of our earthly o rgani sat i o ns but it is to make disciples, members of the true church, the body of Christ whose head is Jesus Christ. This magazine is also great tool to introduce Jesus Christ to friends in your community and colleagues at your workplace.

The online copy and print files are available, please feel free to share. The Dead Sea is dead because it is receiving all the time and never giving out anything. Christ saved us from sin only by giving away his life. He died for all of us to have life, therefore in the same revelation, as we receive the gospel of Christ in our hearts, let’s give it out as the special seed to many.

God bless you as you receive and accept the Word in your heart in this magazine, by faith.

... but my prayer is that in our generation Africa must start giving instead of just receiving. so doing you also become a labourer for the great commission. An old song by Loretta Lynn contains the line, “Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die”; very apt given man’s natural fear of death. It is also part of this nature to avoid loss but desire to gain.

And yet, throughout Scripture (True Christianly speaking), physical death is a necessary passage from mortality to eternity. In a poignant parable Jesus parallels physical death to a process of germination.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” – John 12:24–25. And in Luke 9:24 He further explains it thus, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it”. To serve the body of Christ we must grasp and embrace this concept in our heart. Friends my message for you in this issue is summed up in this slogan “Your flesh must fall, for you to be fruitful in Christ”. Further, Paul reminds us in Romans 6:11, “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

“Never Be Discouraged, Stay Encouraged In The Lord“ Love of Christ.

We are called to eternal life, but there’s a process of death that comes first. In this issue we have beautiful devotions to guide you in this fundamental revelation that comes from

salvation

Salva ion Compiled by: The Special Seed Designed by: Stratsmith Marketing

Will I Ever Find

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ontemporary life is like an active volcano, continually churning and there is no sign of its wanting to calm down, or lie dormant.

Yet it is, ironically, described in terms of lack of change. “I am tired, nothing is changing in my life, when I will find happiness?”

Technological gizmos, frantic-paced lives, broken families and fear are impacting us personally, professionally, and politically as a malignant misalignment of values pulls us further away from God and deeper into troubled, uncharted waters. We desire and more often demand radical change from our leaders. There are two types of people in this dilemma, the first group acknowledges that their life has been a cycle that does not seem to end and they don’t know what to do. The second is one whose life seems, to a less perceptive observer, perfect.

This group has careers (not their purpose though), big titles, expensive clothes, but mainly on debt and is struggling to service the debts. The common denominator for these two groups is everyday human misery. For what is thought of as privilege for the latter is a relative privilege, existing against the background of penury. Most of us crave peace and often fantasise about, and in futility pursue, prosperity, (better jobs; fatter bank balances) and a less stress-filled life for ourselves, our families (ideal spouses), and our communities, and when we fail we blame anyone from parents to the government of the day without ever taking an introspective look at ourselves. This is how the world thinks and unfortunately the world is lost. The only thing that separates us from the world is the truth – as embodied by the Word of God: “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:16-17). For that reason let’s dwell on the Word and get answers that will transform your life forever.

The Word of God says that people have committed two sins or evils: 1. They have left God 2. They are working for themselves.

“For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water” – Jeremiah 2:13

In self-delusion, mankind continually seeks answers in its own limited abilities – to frightening, grotesque, fruitless and comically absurd outcomes. Friends, the present – pain, fear, worry, affliction, and thirst – is something that binds us; for many have departed from God. But how is it possible that church-going people can depart from God? Because without the guidance of the in-dwelling Spirit of God we create “reality” with our flawed imagination and our traditions from a vast irreparable historical breakdown, become the only known reality.

Hence, Christ’s refusal to be associated with the traditions – heretical scholasticism and secularism – of both the Pharisees and Scribes.

God is looking for those who accept being the lost sheep, those who accept that they can’t defeat sin by their own ability. It is the lost sheep/the prodigal sons that deserve to be on Christ’s shoulders, where there is peace and fruitfulness (Luke 15:1-5).

In John 4 there is a woman who was so thirsty.

She had 6 husbands who never quenched her thirst. All that earthly “husbands”, in this world, can give you is fear and great thirst. They cannot satiate your soul. Jesus came to this woman as the 7th Husband when she was tired miserable worried and helpless. Jesus came to make her realise her true value. That is why Jesus specifically asked her to bring her husband.

Bringing her husband means “can you show that you are happy or contented?’’ Then she said she had no husband even though she had 6. This means that she had nothing that had contented her soul. Nothing had given her true peace; she was tired and no had lost hope. A husband symbolises the figure-head, the heartbeat and the essence of any relationship. And can thus be any of the following: money, wealth, education, pride, beauty, our cars, our wives or earthly husbands but all of them cannot quench our thirst. The more we try to rely on them the more pain we get, and the more confused we become.

Hence, Jesus’ postulation that “… whosoever shall drink of the water from the well shall thirst again because it was dug by men. However we try to dig all the joy of the world we can never quench our thirst. But whosoever shall drink of the water that I give him, shall have in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life” (John 4:13-15).

From Caterpillar to a Butterfly

Devotion: 1

We were all born with a spiritual thirst which cannot be quenched with temporal solutions .

The physical things will never satisfy man but only the words that come from the lips of God can quench the thirst of Man. Matthew 4:4 presents our situation In these terms: “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God”. (see also Psalms 119:105; Psalms 107:19-20 2 Samuel 22:31-34).

1 John 4:8-10 posits that because God is love, God wanted an object where he could pour his love. He created Man so He could love him.

Sometimes it seems like God wants to destroy man which is not true. God Loves man but He hates sin. It is sin that separates us from God. “Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear” – Isaiah 59:1-2: Matthew 25:46 Says sinners will go to everlasting hell fire. Friends, our situation was prophesied by Isaiah in Isaiah 52:3 and also when God spoke to Abram in Genesis 15 about a strange land, the land of Egypt. It says you were sold for nothing and shall be redeemed without? We were sold under sin according to Romans 7:14 because we have been sold under sin we cannot come out of sin ourselves even though we want to. John 8:34 says sin is our master, we are servants of sin. In every society every country and every religion people are fighting with sin. In addition to that people are being taught to live a good life and yet they find themselves living an evil life which they never wanted. This is because they were sold as slaves to sin.

When Pharaoh (Satan) arrived in Egypt all the Israelites in Egypt were in great torment and suffering. They yearned to be freed but there was no way. Here is a great question what can they do to come out of Egypt or such a life?, This is the same question you are asking yourself, since sin has separated me from the ... to page 4 >>>

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>>> from page 3 love of God, what can I do to come out of this misery? If my child catches a cold and I tell him not to cough, they will still cough. If sin is our master and we are told not to obey it, still we will obey because it is our master. That is why David testifies in Psalms 65:3 that iniquity prevails against me. Even though they wanted to come out of Egypt sin was still their master.

Even if you pray, decide or do something you will not be able to free yourself from sin. Paul testified in Romans 7:15-19 he says, “I want to do good but I find myself doing the evil that I don’t want.” Lastly, he realized he possesses a body of death. Romans 7:24 – I am wretched man sold and cast under sin. After the children of Israel realised that they could not come out of Egypt, pain sorrow and bitterness was in their hearts and it was a time for God to work. The battle which we have been defeated now becomes God’s battle. God says He has seen, heard and knows what we are going through. That we are defeated and unable to live good life. He knows that we do not have any hope and are far away from the way of salvation. And because of that God came to save us because we could not save ourselves. The reason why we sanctify ourselves yet are still in sin is because we cannot do it on our own. That is why in Isaiah 1:18, God says, “Come lets reason together even though our sins are as red as scarlet He will make them be as white as snow.” If God washes your sins it is permanent. But if we sanctify ourselves, trying to be good by our power and will, we can only be filthy and confined forever. That is why Jesus came, because we were all defeated in our lives because of sin. By our works and our own way we were defeated. Friends, God himself came as a living sacrifice/ransom to redeem us from Egypt as it is written in Revelation 13:8. The lamb was made a sacrifice before the foundation of the world. He paid for the wages of our sin at the cross. The same way the Israelites came out of Egypt after the blood of the lamb was smeared on the door-posts of their houses, similarly with us today, when the blood of the lamb is smeared on the door-posts of our hearts, we find a way to come out of our slavery of sin. The lamb became our scapegoat. The lamb is Jesus Christ.

To escape from our taskmaster called Mr. Satan, whosoever looks upon Jesus Christ may have everlasting life. Jesus is the Lamb of God who has redeemed us from all our sin, curses and worry. In John 1:29 it says “Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”. Isaiah 45:22 says, ‘look unto me and be you be saved all the ends of the earth.’ Friends, we can find the way to come out of Egypt unto the Promised Land Canaan (heaven) only by the works of Jesus Christ. This is the only way out of this miserable life you have been living. I am a living testimony; from dead situations to a joyful life, from an ugly caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly; from grass to grace. This is how I came out and I can tell you as a satisfied customer of the gospel of Christ, this is the only way. It is my prayer that the door-posts of your heart can be smeared by the blood of Jesus Christ and this way God says “I WILL PASSOVER OVER YOU”

Who is a

“True Man”?

After many years of patriarchy, manhood dominates every sphere of society. Unfortunately, being a “true man” is not a simple and passive biological state of being. Far rather, it is an active stance, a quest for dominance; it is the refusal to accept weakness (and/or defeat); it is its rejection. Each culture, therefore, has its own idea of what a “true man” is – since weakness is by its own definition relative and problematic. In the African context, the concept is very much influenced by religion and material want, thus the universal definition of a true man is characterised by the following virtues: God-fearing, focused, self-sustainable, sound family values and career-orientedness. I am sure that each person has his own opinion of what a true man is. The truth is, however, that what we think doesn’t really matter. John 1:1 tells us that Jesus Christ is the word of God. The Word of God was made flesh and walked this earth as man for two purposes: to show us God and to show us a true man. And it crucial that we see the true man in Jesus as it is that we see God in Him. Many a person can see God in the miracles and words of Jesus, but most do not realize that Jesus is the perfect manifestation of what a true man is like. This is because, in our experience, we see only a fallen man; descendants of Adam; and assume that that is a true man. Jesus refers to Himself as “the Son of man” many more times than as the “Son of God.” Why? Because He is the only true son of man, that is, the man that God created. The rest of us are not the sons of man that God created but sons of fallen men. Jesus was here to show us what a true man (man as God had created him) is so that we would know how far we have fallen. The one who would know what “true man” is the One who designed and formed man in the first place. Before we talk about what the man God made was like, it would be good for us to first see what God’s assessment of that man is.

The one who would know what a “true man” is, ... is the One who designed and formed man in the first place.

In Genesis 1:31, God says, “it was very good.” This is the opinion of a perfect and holy God, not man’s opinion. The first man was very good, and God calls him Adam. So Adam was true man, thus the name, which means “man.” However, we perceive man today; true man is exactly like Adam was when God declared him to be very good. So what was Adam like in the day of his creation when God declared him to be “very good”? He was the image and likeness of God. What more can we say? That tells us what man was like and what he is meant to be. We also know from that scripture that man was created with authority over the rest of the earthly creation, with a spirit and without sin. These things are a given, seeing that man was made in the image of God. Let’s talk about the “image of God.” The purpose of an image is to demonstrate the likeness of something or someone. A photograph is perhaps the best example of an image and its purpose. Man was created to be the image of an invisible God – to display God in a visible way. God’s assessment of fallen man is much different from that of a true man. In Genesis 6: 5-7, He describes the fallen man: “… God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart. And the Lord said, ‘I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth … for it repenteth me that I have made them.” ... to page 5 >>>

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salvation

Devotion: 2

Devotion: 3

That is a far cry from Genesis 1:31. We are not told how Adam portrayed the image and likeness of God before he fell. But we can understand how it is possible for man to fulfill this role by looking at Jesus, the true Son of man. There are many Scriptures that tell us quite plainly that Jesus did in fact fulfill this role perfectly. Colossians 1:15 and Hebrews 1:3 tell us that He is the express image of God’s person. John 14:9 says, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.”

(See also John 1:18; 12:45; 17:26.) Compare God’s assessment of the first man, Adam, with His assessment of Jesus, the second man, in Mark 1:11. For the first time since the fall of Adam, we see a true man through whom God is being perfectly manifested; thus God can say that in Him “I am well pleased.” Understanding how the person of God is made manifest through Jesus is of utmost importance to us because God desires ultimately to do the same thing in and through us. We are being conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).

The life of Jesus is to be made manifest in our bodies (2 Corinthians 4:10). The new man is renewed after, or according to, the image of our Creator (Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10). This, friends, is the purpose of the Christian life. God’s purpose in redeeming my soul is o generalize and simplify, one fundamental difference between to take it and manifest Himself through it. This is the “life abundant the first millennium and the second one (especially the most life.” It is not about church-going, doing the right things and not doing recent years) is the radically different access to information that the wrong things. It is simply Jesus living His life in me. characterizes each of these epochs. The inception of the Internet saw But how is this accomplished in me, you may ask? If we can see how a lot of people begin to express their views to a wider audience. The it was accomplished in Jesus, we will know how it is to be done in body of Christ was no exception and the result was an accelerated us. The key is the life of the cross and denying oneself. Jesus said in transformation in the delivery of the Word. The more palatable, John 5:19, 30, “I can do nothing of myself.” This is essential to living motivational, transactional doctrine assumed dominance. One must as a true man — realizing that I can do nothing of myself. I can’t live wade through torrent of television channels, DVDs, books, magazines, etc, before one arrives at a sentence of value. One must toil to find the Christian life. If I try to do it, whose life will be seen? Mine. If it the one sentence that captures the essence of Christianity — that one is I who is trying to live like a true man, it will be my effort that will has to die to himself and the dictates of the world, in order for God to be seen, not God’s image. In order for God to be seen, God has to live in him and through him, so that he can live eternally. be in-dwelling in our hearts. 2 Corinthians 2:14 says that it is God who maketh manifest the savour of His knowledge by us. Philippians Most of the books are focusing on making you a better person, even 2:13 says that it is God who worketh in us both to will and to do. in church there is an abundance of preaching related to ourselves, our 1Thessalonians 5:24 says, “Faithful is he who calleth you, who also ministry, our success, our experiences, and our personal thoughts. will do it.” Get the picture? Just as Jesus says apart from the Father This kind of preaching is so subjective, interesting and entertaining, “I can do nothing,” He tells us that separated from Him we, too, can which is the case with any motivational speaking but with little or no do nothing. In John 14:10 Jesus says, “the words that I speak unto eternal significance. Paul writes, “The natural man receiveth not the you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can the works.” Throughout the book of John, Jesus says things like this: he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2: “My doctrine is not my own but His that sent me. He that believes on 14). The natural man, of course, is one who has not been born again me does not believe on me but on Him that sent me.” In Galatians 2: of the Spirit. He cannot know the things of the Spirit of God because 20, Paul reiterates the essence of what Jesus says here. The life that they seem contrary to how the flesh observes and understands.

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you see, the words that you hear, the teachings that you receive, the works that you observe do not have their origin in me but in the Father who dwells in me. This is the secret of living the life that God intended for man to live — the “me” out and Christ in. This means ceasing from my own works and efforts (Hebrews 4: 10) so that God can have freedom to do His work in me, whatever that work may be.

In summary: God’s purpose is to express Himself in man. Because man is fallen, He must first redeem, then indwell him. When God is once again in the spirit of man, He seeks to manifest Himself by taking control of the whole being. For Him, God, to achieve this, man must realise that, by himself, he cannot live this new life, but that God can and will. Then he must let God live as God in him. Friends, do we really believe that God is in us? Then let’s be still and let God act through us. If we do this, the Christian life will be lived, by “Christ in us.” This is a matter of the disposition of the heart and mind. The constant awareness of God’s presence in me; the constant realization that “I cannot” in any circumstance, but that “God can” in every circumstance — this disposition is faith. Friends, that is what true manhood is all about — letting “Christ in you” be God. From Caterpillar to a Butterfly

Die to Live (Part 1)

Sometimes even Christians have trouble with concepts that are spiritual because of the constant influence of worldly thought into which they are continually immersed. Their reaction, therefore, to external circumstances is similar to that of the world; we tend to apply logic, our experiences and our thoughts. As people who are part of the body of Christ; the true church, our view of circumstances must be one with the Word of God. For the world, circumstances make up their experience and dictate their hopes and fears. Today’s circumstances are, to them, signal of tomorrow’s fortunes; whereas for the true Christians circumstances are events designed and dictated

by God to conform us to the likeness of Christ in preparation for the unalterable future, which the Lord has already designed and prepared.

Circumstances, whether there be fire or flood, cannot overwhelm or damage us. Friends, this must be our heart, driven by God-given faith onto the Lord, as He has taken residence in our spirit by His Holy Spirit. Friends, the promise God gave Israel in Isaiah 43: 1-3 — “Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou ... to page 6 >>>

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walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the holy One of Israel, thy Saviour.” — has its own special application to God’s redeemed people today. We can rest in the assurance of God’s promise, “There hath no temptation (or trial) taken you, but such is common to man: but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted (or tested) above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10: 13). Because we know that “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose,” (Romans 8:28).

Friends, we are assured that we have good things to look forward to even if we may have bad had difficult things to endure in the process. While the world is preoccupied with external conditions, as a born again and saved person you enjoy an internal calm that is constant, in spite of the turmoil of violent storms. The calm is entwined with eternity while the violent storms are tied to time. We all want peace in our life but it’s important to note that the peace that Paul demonstrated in the face of adversity was not the result of some remarkable human quality that he possessed in greater measure than compared to other men; it was what he realized to be the significance of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Bear in mind that Christ died for us; that means that the death He died was ours.

Two other statements that Paul made are of tremendous importance to us: the first, “If one died for all, then were all dead;” (2 Corinthians 5: 14) and the second, “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6: 11). To reckon means to recognize or realize that this in fact is true. The death, Paul refers to, is applied to the “old” man, the flesh, the earthen vessel, the externals that are most affected by the circumstances that happen or the injustices that occur or the persecutions that are inflicted. Friends, sometimes the reality of God’s truth is difficult to grasp because we equate His reality with the material world, forgetting that the things that are seen are temporary but the things that are not seen are eternal; (2 Corinthians 4:18). Therefore, we equate the external circumstances with reality while the great promises of God and His factual statements about our eternal condition are relegated to myth, or imagination or are considered to be merely illustrative of something temporal or philosophical. But Paul, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote, “Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:3). Friends this principle will never change: no matter how we would like to revise God’s plan and gain the kingdom without the cross, achieve the resurrection life without dying, or the rewards without the suffering, it doesn’t work that way. If we are true to the Word and true to ourselves, we will understand that Christ suffered in order to save you and me. There is a purpose, then, for the trials that we would sometimes prefer to escape; even bad circumstances are designed to produce good results. Paul’s external troubles were unable to incite internal distress: that is the testimony of Christ in you. It is my prayer that you will have the heart to die like the wheat seed in order for Jesus Christ to take His place in your life. Stay with us to explore part 2 of this devotion. God bless you.

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Caterpillar to Butterfly — The Great Story

From Religion to Life: The Testimony of Steve Montgomery

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rowing up in a church-attending family, I was in church from the nursery roll. Our family never questioned attendance to church. It was what decent families did on Sunday. However, the protestant church we attended had no clear message of conversion, and I never understood anything about the Good News of Jesus Christ. I recall sitting in the church service one Sunday. I had become bored with the message being preached—I didn’t really understand what was being said and was looking around the spacious, ornate sanctuary.

My eyes came to rest on a lighted cross in front of the pulpit, and I remember suddenly reflecting, “How strange that Christianity would use as a Christian symbol the cross, considering that Jesus died on a cross! I would think we Christians would hate the cross that killed Jesus!” So little did I understand of the message of the Bible!

In junior high I was leader of the church youth group; but by high school, church had so little to do with my real life that, somehow, without a conscious decision, I drifted away from church attendance. It was the turbulent time of the Sixties with drugs, rock-and-roll and war protests; and my life followed that same turbulent path. Out of high school, I moved into a house with several other hippie friends and immersed myself in a life of parties, music and debauchery.

During this time I had some experiences which caused me to realize that there were spiritual things happening around me and began to take a more serious look at Christianity.

Finally, convinced that the message of Jesus was true, I sought out a group of Christians who could explain to me how to become a follower of Christ. There, a young man explained to the difference between religion and a personal relationship with Christ. He explained the cross, resolving that enigma of my youth, and invited me to put my trust in Christ for salvation. That night, New Year’s Eve 1969, I believed the Gospel; and Jesus Christ, by His Spirit, took up residence in my spirit. I was born all over again. Over the years the Lord has done many wonderful things in my life—restoring my relationship with my parents, giving me a wonderful godly wife, calling us to the work of the Gospel in Mexico, giving six wonderful children, and linking us to the team at SFMI—but none can compare to that one glorious moment in which I was “made nigh by the blood of Christ” and am now once and for all “accepted in the Beloved” (Eph. 2:13, 1:6).

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Die to Live

Devotion: 4

(Part 2)

In part 1 of this devotion, we looked at how much people want to live the life of Christ yet they are not willing to lose their own lives life.

The slogan of salvation is straight forward “lose your own life to gain the life of Christ”. Friends, your flesh must die for Christ to rise in you.

would respond, obviously we fail. We may ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” But even the intention to do likewise does not empower us to do it. Can you keep the law of God? If you can’t keep the law, how can you live like Jesus who kept it perfectly? He was the perfect image of God and you are the any people have been influenced to perfect image of fallen Adam. Though many seek after and expect all the good things want to believe they were born in the image that relate to the life in Christ while rejecting of God, no, you were born in the image of all of the harder things that relate to the a fallen Adam that’s why you are born as a cross. We have been encouraged to embrace sinner: “When Adam had lived 130 years, he His life while rejecting what the apostle Paul had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; calls, “The dying of the Lord Jesus.” But our and he named him Seth” (Genesis 5:3) (also experience should tell us what we may have read Romans 5:12, Psalms 51:5, Romans overlooked in our reading of the Word; that 3:23). Only Jesus Christ alone can live that is, that you cannot have the one without the life. Only Christ in you is the hope of glory. other. Friends, you cannot expect a great We, then, must get out of the way. harvest when the seed has not died on the ground. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus In order for His life to be seen in us, we must followed and was the result of His obedience embrace His death. In order to appropriate all to take up the cross. The same is true for the of the good things we associate with the life body, as was true for the head. Listen to Paul’s we have been promised, we must first accept counsel. After explaining in 2 Corinthians the dying that we have been promised. Jesus 4, how he had experienced trouble on the said, “Except a corn of wheat fall into the outside while being totally without distress ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it dies, within, being perplexed but experiencing no it bringeth forth much fruit.” (John 12:24). He despair, enduring persecution without ever said those words as the time approached for feeling forsaken, and being cast down but Him to be crucified. The anticipated resulting not destroyed, Paul reveals to us the principle joy would lie beyond the cross. Jesus did not that led to this response and made him make any nervous reaction at the prospect fruitful in the lives of others: “Always bearing of the cross except for that brief moment in about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus Gethsemane (Luke 22:44) when he sweats IN ORDER that the life also of Jesus might be great drops of blood while facing the conflict made manifest in our body” (2 Corinthians between His human fleshly will and the divine 4:10). Notice that I have the words “in order” Spirit will of His Father which concluded, for in capital letters (which are understood in our sakes, with the submission of the flesh to Paul’s statement) to emphasize that the first the Spirit. There the victory was won and the part of the sentence is prerequisite to the last transaction sealed. That surrender defines part. In other words, there is no manifestation the cross; although its culmination would of Jesus’ life without the embracing of His be at Calvary, its victory was defined in the dying — no resurrection life apart from the Garden of Gethsemane. Now it is clear what death of the cross.

Jesus meant when He said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up The powerful testimony of the life of Christ his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23). is the victory that is present when trouble Friends, this is the battle of our life even after occurs in our life, when necessities seem more being saved our human fleshly will be versus abundant than provision, when sickness is the Spirit. When our flesh dies permanently, present and solace or comfort is scarce, when we will live a blessed fruitful life. Even trials danger threatens and deliverance is delayed; will become blessings in our life! Paul speaks these are designed in order that the life also about this battle in Galatians 5:16-17 “This of Christ might be made manifest in our I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not mortal flesh. A dead man does not react with fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth fear or by violence; he does not demonstrate against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the anger, animosity or anguish — he is dead. This flesh: and these are contrary the one to the was Paul’s secret in manifesting the life of other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye Christ: he had already embraced the death would.” Friends, in the natural mind — life of Christ as His own. When we try by the comes before death; in God’s eternal plan of power of our will to live the life of Christ, to redemption, death comes before life. react like He would react or respond as He

M

From Caterpillar to a Butterfly

In the Old Testament there are many types and shadows that testify of Christ, which He fulfilled in the New Testament. The feasts of Israel represent the major episodes in the earthly life of the Lord Jesus. It may be expected, logically, that one of them would represent the birth of Jesus: not so; there is no such feast. The first one on the Jewish calendar is the Passover (Exodus 12), which foreshadows His death, the lamb whose blood is shed to redeem the people and deliver them from their bondage to slavery. The next is First Fruits (Leviticus 23:10), which depicts His resurrection; then Pentecost (Leviticus 23:16), which represents the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the inauguration of the visible church; then Trumpets and the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:24-27) foreshadowing Christ’s return; and finally the feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:34), heralding the coming kingdom. The whole sequence begins with the dying of the Lord Jesus Christ then Life follows.

Spiritually, the same process is evident in Paul’s epistle to the Romans as he unfolds to them (and to us) the plan of salvation.

We were crucified with Christ; only if we are dead are we freed from sin: “if we are dead, sin has no more dominion over us. Reckon yourselves therefore to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord”. (Romans 6:11). Friends, perhaps the lack of victory in your life yet you profess to know Christ is because you have been taught to try by faith to achieve the life of the Lord Jesus with all of its benefits without the expectation of bearing about in our bodies His dying. It is a deception for us to believe that there is for us a kingdom without a cross, a resurrection without a crucifixion.

Jesus said, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” (Luke 9:24).

Although many believers make a big thing of the celebration of the supposed birthday of Jesus Christ, the New Testament, while recording its obvious significance, doesn’t even record the date precisely. It is not a biblical celebration, while the death of Jesus is meticulously recorded including the dates and even the times of every incident: as in the Bible so in our lives, first the dying of the Lord Jesus, and then the manifestation of His life with all of the benefits that accrue and victories that are ours only through Him. Friends, it is my prayer that you will meditate on God’s word in this devotion I believe it the special seed that can change our lives forever.

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Devotion: 5

When you reach the

Dead End

Photo: Highway to Nowhere – Cape Town. (Courtesy of www.creativecommons.com)

March, 2016; I am driving south, to Maritzburg (Kwazulu-Natal Province, South Africa), into familiar territory. My son goes to boarding school there. No matter how many times I relive the moment (how and when the accident took place), I cannot tear my heart from the gratitude it has for God – we both came out of the wreckage safe and sound (the car was a write-off). All glory be to God. Amen.

And yet such are the days of our lives. A series of misses, near-misses and collisions. Ours is a world dominated by stormy, powerful and ubiquitous torrents of suffering over all aspects of our everyday lives; losing loved ones, losing our jobs, divorce, unfulfilling careers and unhappy marriages, at some point we find ourselves in dead ends without any clue as to how we got there and/or how to proceed.

Here is precisely the kind of situation in which many people lose themselves, inclined as they are to treat all reality as just as it usually presents itself to them; limpid, legible and logical. Emerging from the wreckage, my first reaction was “let’s hold our hands and give thanks to God” and we prayed. Interestingly the accident happened about 30 minutes after we had stopped at a garage and prayed. I guess some would have easily questioned God: “God we just prayed but you let this accident happen why?” Such reaction is contradictory to logical systems, now and then erroneously called illogicality by those who assume that life is governed by a system of cause and effect logic. Some would have blamed the devil for the accident, some would have blamed this on witchcraft, and some would have condemned themselves and said “maybe God is punishing me”. Friends, the question is how do you react when you reach a dead end? Let’s dwell on the wisdom of God to find answers that will give you peace.

One story that is a model of our life is the story of the Israelites’ journey from slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land – this is my journey and yours too. Friends, we are all born in Egypt as slaves of sin: “For when you were slaves to sin, you were free of obligation to righteousness” (Romans 6:20) How did the Israelites receive salvation from being slaves in Egypt? Remember God had brought plagues on Pharaoh but at the same time God hardened Pharaoh’s heart not to release the children of Israel until the final plague of killing all the first

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born in the land of Egypt (Exodus 12:12). God instructed Moses and Aaron to speak to the children of Israelites to take a blameless lamb kill it, take the blood put it on door posts and on the lintel of their houses (Exodus 12:1-7). In Exodus 12:13 God said the blood shall be a sign on the houses of all the Israelites and where there was the sign God said “I will Passover you and the plague shall not be on the children of Israelites”. Friends, the Israelites were saved by the blood of the blameless lamb. Remember Hebrews 9:22 explicitly states that there is no redemption of sin without the blood. Friends, the blood of blameless lamb was symbolic of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Let’s read John 1:29 “Behold, The lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”, and 1 Peter 1:19 “but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot”. Our sins were taken away by Jesus Christ. This is our salvation, the gift of forgiveness of sin. Not long after the Israelites were saved from slavery, they found themselves facing a dead end – the Red Sea. In a similar way I found myself in an accident, as a saved person from sin, a born-again person, a new creation, worse just 30 minutes after we had prayed to God! The challenge of our generation is that we have Christians who do not want to go through pain. They only want blessings and miracles yet Christ suffered intense pain to save us from sin.

Pain and suffering is also a blessing and miracle for “true Christians”. Actually salvation is the greatest miracle, as the physical body dies and it resurrects as a Spirit. Let’s look at how the Israelites reacted when they reached the dead end. Remember Pharaoh and his soldiers were now in hot pursuit to destroy them, there was no other way to escape: “And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness?

Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness” (Exodus 14:11-12). They complained, they even thought slavery was better, they only saw darkness, they immediately forgot that God had saved them from slavery. Though we are saved, when some face difficulties, our joy of salvation disappears, our faith dissipates. The accident made me realise the value of Christ in my life. He is the internal engine that never

ceases. Our true identity is revealed during our worst moments. Friends, when you stand on your joy of salvation that means standing on Christ. God upholds you with His righteous hand (Isaiah 41:10) and you find yourself pressing forward. Yes, your legs will be heavy but God provides the strength. In a dead end many blame it on Satan, the question is did Satan lead the Israelites to the Red Sea? The answer is NO, it was God who led them there. Remember there was the fire at night and the cloud in the afternoon that directed the Israelites, that was the Holy Spirit. When we receive salvation the Holy Spirit comes and abides in us (Ezekiel 36:27, 1 Corinthians 3:16). Did Satan cause my accident? No; God allowed it! Why? Because all things work together for good (Romans 8:28). Did Satan lead Joseph to prison? No. It was God (Genesis 45:5 – But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives). And where did Joseph’s promotion come from? From the same prison.

Friends, God wants us to live a life of FAITH. This is our second fundamental weapon of our spiritual life; the first being REPENTANCE. The moment I realised these truths, I had so much joy in my heart, I took the words of Moses in Exodus 14: 13-14 by faith “And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever.14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace”. I pressed forward, by the rod of Moses, the Rod is Jesus Christ (Psalms 110:2, Isaiah 11:1). We hired another car and proceeded to drop my son at school.

Friends, God led the Israelites to the Red Sea, to the dead end. Why? So that they would find themselves without an option and look up to Jesus Christ. Remember John 14:6 states that “Jesus Christ is the way”. If you have your own ways Christ never becomes the way, but when you have no way, He becomes the way. I don’t know what you are going through right now, but I want to tell you this, “Throw away all your ways and let Jesus Christ become the way”. And the Egyptians you see today; the problems around you today, you will never see them again. The Israelites could not save themselves from the Egyptians, the very same way you can’t save yourself from sin, no matter how much you can try. Salvation is simple, all that you need is the blood of Jesus Christ on the door-posts of your heart, and God says “I will pass over you”. The Egyptians were destroyed in the Red Sea indeed the Israelites never saw them again. It’s not over yet, press forward with Christ. God helps those that can’t help themselves those that are helpless not those that can help themselves. All along you have been trying to help yourself, today throw away your abilities, your plans and receive the power and the strength of God. The Red Sea in front of you will indeed be dry and you will pass with joy heading towards the promised land that God has prepared for you. I would like to end with the words of my favourite song

by Hillsong - Oceans: “Your grace abounds in deepest waters, Your sovereign hand, Will be my guide, Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me, You’ve never failed and You won’t start now”.

salvation

The Heart Intelligence Corner

“When the heart changes, everything changes”

In the hands of

the owner

By Nomusa Mhlanga

“O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; you understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.”

— Psalm 139 v 1-6 (NKJV) One day when we were relaxing at home on a Sunday afternoon, my then youngest son Anele asked an interesting question. “Mom how come when you clean the house you take so long, yet sisi does it so much faster?” Sisi means ‘Big Sister’ and that was how they referred to the lady who helped me with my domestic chores. Being a working mother I spent most of the day at the office and did not have time to clean the house that often. Whenever I did clean, it was on Sundays or holidays.

want. My husband has a way of communicating with me that reminds me that I need not be on top of the situation all the time and that somehow causes me to be calm. One of my closest friends was a pillar of strength in prayer when my marriage was going through a particularly rough patch. I appreciate all these people who help put a semblance of order into my life and I know they are there by God’s design. However, they, like the helper in my house have one weakness; they do not know me as intimately as my Maker.

That is why it is important for me to have daily devotions, where I sit with God and tell him what pleases me and what annoys me. He is the only One who can go into all the corners of my heart and mind and clean, dust and polish behind the furniture. Family and friends are there to do their part just like my helper gives what she considers her best in keeping order in my house. There is only one who knows what is supposed to be kept in and what is supposed to be thrown out. Just like my helper cannot make such decisions as rearranging the My son was right, when I was the one doing the cleaning; it was like furniture or throwing out obsolete items without consulting me, the spring cleaning all the time. I would wake up way before dawn, put people in my life can only do so much in keeping me emotionally and on my house coat and start with the kitchen. Of all the rooms in my spiritually balanced. house I have always loved the kitchen the most. Cupboards would be shaken out and reorganised, floors would be scrubbed and movable I am sure that must apply to you too. When was the last time you furniture would be moved. Sometimes I would even take down the were still long enough to allow the Master to look into your heart and curtains and replace them with fresh ones or wash and hang them mind in order for Him to do what He does best? Life dumps a lot of afresh. In most cases the work would go on for so long that we would stuff onto us, stuff that affects our feelings, emotions and our spiritual only have breakfast about 10:00am when the members of my family and physical well being. God is the only One who truly understands were almost starving. You see, weekends and holidays were one of the why and how we are the way we are and He is the only One who can few occasions we had the privilege of sitting down to eat breakfast reorganise and reprioritise for us for our optimal performance. When together as a family.

I have personally done the house, things become more efficient and my husband and children show their appreciation. Take the time to A closer look at how I cleaned the house. I left no section untouched. have regular appointments where you sit at Jesus’ feet and allow Him There were pieces of furniture that my helper was too lazy to move as your Creator to put order and balance into your life and thus make or that were just not convenient to move on a daily basis. It appears it more pleasant for the people in your life to love and live with you.

I was the only one who was ever motivated enough to move those.

Without fail, each time I cleaned the house myself, a lot of missing Let’s Pray items were found; lost pencils, books, toys and even items of clothing Lord, help me as your child to set aside time where I can commune with at times. Cob webs would be removed, piles of dust taken out from you as my Creator and Supplier of all my needs. Most times I become so under fridges and stoves. It was the same all the time. I know exactly busy fulfilling my societal obligations that I neglect the most important how I want my house to be organized. There is a certain logical way thing, that of spending time with you. Many times when things become in which I want things put in my kitchen so that when I go in to cook, too difficult, I rush to my friends and family for solutions and place I find things without thinking about where to find them. That is just unrealistic expectations on them for my well-being. I thank you for the way it is. placing these people in my life. They are a real and tangible support In my journey as a child of God, there are special people that God has system that I need; yet above all, I need your constant touch for me to allowed into my life who are his helpers. They interact with me on a function properly. It is such a great comfort to know that you are always daily basis. My friends and family are there to help me with some of there to listen to me and to counsel whenever I turn to you. Thank you for my needs. When I am having difficulties with balancing home and Your promise that You will instruct me and teach me in the way I should career, my girlfriends are there to give me tips and ideas on how I can go; You will guide me with Your eye (Psalm 32 v 8). be more organised. When the boss is coming heavy on me due to AMEN deadlines to be met, my husband is a strong shoulder for me to lean on and his embrace comforts me and assures me that I am still loved Nomusa Mhlanga is a water treatment professional who holds a and appreciated. When life has drained from me all that it can and I Masters in Water Resources Engineering and Management. She is also am almost giving up, one of my children does or says something that a mother of four sons who loves sharing the inspirational messages brings a smile to my heart and I realise there is so much to live for. that God communicates to her during her personal devotions. If you want to know and follow what she shares on relationships, personal Obviously there are certain character traits which are evident to those development, business and spiritual growth connect with her via closest to me. Because they love me, they point out these character email: nomusamadlala@gmail.com or by subscribing to her website: weaknesses to me and they help me to clean up my act. Sometimes http://www.nomusaathome.com I become very impatient when things do not move at the pace that I

From Caterpillar to a Butterfly

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Devotion: 6

Happy Marriage F

still possible!

or me, marriage will always be the combination of two great processes to which a husband and wife should be subjected:

• Knowledge that while your loyalties are to each other, the real conductor of the marital symphony is God. • A purification of the heart that allow Jesus Christ to take residence and for the heart of Christ in you to love unconditionally.

Someone who hasn’t lived in an atmosphere of general, haunting, shame of failing as a husband, in a world of heart break and questioning of one’s worth, will have difficulty understanding what this is all about. You cannot preach about war if you have never been to war, those that bear scars of war may be in better position to shed some light for us on what happens in war. Those who know my life might think I am not qualified to teach or preach about marriages, but that is fleshly reasoning. True revelation is not from flesh and blood but from God through His Holy Spirit. In this devotion I will challenge you on this one, not from a fleshly point of view but from a spirit point of view, because we cannot worship God in the flesh, as God is a Spirit. I bear scars of marriage, scars of failure and I believe it is through these scars that changed my heart; from trusting myself to one that attracted the compassion of Jesus Christ leading to my salvation. At some point in our lives, our hearts must crumble in order to have faith to believe in God alone. It dawned on me the day I was now feeding the swine in the fields and sleeping with pigs, the day that I was no longer worthy to be called the son of God (Luke 15:19-20). However, from that pain and suffering, the Lord had compassion and that pain led me to the true gospel of Christ, the power of God to salvation and the Lord saved me. I became a new creation, from a caterpillar to a butterfly.

Marriage – in the Scriptures – is a spiritual touch, a light unto our paths, a taste of heaven, a whiff of holiness and music to the soul. It ought to appeal to all of our senses. Nowhere in the scripture is this more evident than in the Songs of Solomon. Today’s marriages are characterised by a lack of longevity and unity. A perceptive observer will notice a somewhat comparable pattern in most modern marriages; some get married, then divorce, some get into relationships before marriage have kids, move to another relationship have another child , some have no kids but they are tired of being played or playing men, many have lost faith in ever getting married one day. The fruit of the branch is directly traceable to the root.

Break that connection, the branch dies; and no fruit is produced, this is reason why many have such dead situations in their marriages. By virtue of our union with Jesus Christ we bring forth fruit. In trying to get answers about marriage or how to have a happy joyous marriage, it is worth it to look at the first couple in the Bible Adam and Eve. Many people today are searching for marriage partners. I have heard many saying “I am human, I need a partner, life is miserable alone, I have feelings too”. Due to this emptiness some have even resorted to be in relationships with married men. At the center of it all, is the sin that dwells in us. Our hearts desire to be happy, to do good but we fail, why? Romans 7:14,17 “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin” “As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me”. We were born with our flesh already cursed by sin of Adam, already separated from God. It is only Jesus than can take us out of this mess, not our efforts or good deeds. In Genesis 2:18, God said “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

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Now, did Adam look or search for a wife? The answer is no. Verse 21 says God caused a deep sleep to fall to Adam and he slept, and when he woke up the bones of his bones Eve was next to him. A deep sleep means Adam’s thoughts and the flesh were non-functional at that point.

All good things of God come to us when we have forsaken our thoughts, when our flesh has been crucified, dead and Christ has taken over our life (John 12:24). The first step to a happy marriage is that God must give you a heart to sleep, a heart not to search, because your standard of good and bad is wrong and bring false results always; That is why God never wanted man to have a standard of knowing good and bad. That is why He commanded Adam not to eat tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Friends, God does not work when we are still working. I can tell you today, if you are still looking or searching for a wife or husband in your own effort from the flesh, you will continue moving from one relationship to another, fornicating and all ending in pain. I always tell my brothers that when you meet a woman in the flesh, you are not marrying a wife but a knife, be prepared for pain and frustrations. Genesis 2:25 says “And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed”, why were they not ashamed? They had not ate the fruit of good and bad. They were sinless, they had no standard of good and evil. Their standard was God – through His Word, that’s why being naked was not an embarrassing thing. When they looked at each other they could only see the image of God (Genesis 1:27). At that point when Adam was looking at Eve he could only see the image of God, and so did Eve, looking at Adam. We can then conclude that God must save us or free us from sin before we even think of marriage. We must be truly born again first; that means we must first enter into our first marriage with Christ before our physical marriage.

Friends, when you have not truly received forgiveness of sin, true salvation, allowed God to purify you, and you meet another individual who is unsaved or impure, the pull from the enemy overcomes you. The joining of those two people becomes a stronghold in the spirit realm, just as it would be if you joined yourself to God. It’s not the will of God for your life, but it becomes a soul tie. Galatians 5:16 “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh”.

Many say that we just “clicked”, we have “chemistry”. What you have there is unclean same nature, and spirits attract their own kind. This is how you end up with someone you think is the right person, but is it just the lust due to the fact that both of you are walking in the flesh and that is contrary to God who is a Spirit. Therefore, if you have entered in your marriage this way, your relationship will be characterised by what we find in Galatians 5:19 — “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God”. This is our true image before we are saved. Therefore our number one goal must never be pursuit of marriage but assurance of salvation that is forgiveness of sin, being truly born again.

We must have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ who died for our iniquities. Those that are in marriage and they are about to give up, only redemption of both parties can repair the damage — Ephesians 1:7 “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace”. For those that are not married, once you receive true forgiveness of sin, like the man hit by robbers in Luke 10:30-37 who received salvation, Jesus Christ takes you to the inn, which is your true spiritual home. This is the true church, the body of Christ. He leaves you under the care of an inn-keeper who is a true servant of God who preaches the true gospel of Christ, and this is the well of God where you will meet your bone of your bones. Friends, happy marriage is indeed possible. It is found in your relationship with Jesus Christ. As you live with your eyes focused on the Cross without any pursuit of marriage, you will soon receive wedding bells. Importantly remember your true husband in your maker Jesus Christ (Isaiah 54;5 — “For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called”). Your true marriage is found in your true husband Jesus Christ. I pray that this Word can be established in your heart by faith, keep your eyes on the Cross. “Fear not, for you will not be put to shame; and do not feel humiliated, for you will not be disgraced; But you will forget the shame of your youth, And the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more. 5 For your husband is your Maker, Whose name is the LORD of hosts; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, Who is called the God of all the earth. 6 For the LORD has called you, like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even like a wife of one’s youth when she is rejected,” Says your God. (Isaiah 54:4-6). salvation

Quench Your Spiritual Thirst!

Four Rivers of

Transformational Talks with Victor Nkomo

1. PISHON Topic: The Secret Of Forgiveness Of Sin And Being Truly Born Again Target Groups: Everyone • From an Ugly Caterpillar to a Beautiful Butterfly – Victor shares his big story of Salvation.

• Wandering in darkness, suffering from guilt, pain, and fear?

The Secret is the greatest gift of God, forgiveness of sin!

It is this secret that gives true satisfaction, happiness, and blessings of God.

2. GIHON Topic: Validation Of Your Purpose & Financial Wellness From Within Your Heart Target Groups: Everyone • How to stop being a wanderer and discover God’s purpose for your life.

• What on earth am I here for? Roadmap to discovery of your Purpose.

In the engaging style and heartfelt personal approach that separates him from other speakers; join Victor Nkomo as he examines the 6 Levels of the World of the Heart.

• Reasons why you are in financial distress and in need of a roadmap towards financial well-being.

• Get incisive solutions and clear analysis on your heart, discover things that even you dont know about yourself.

• Victor provides mind navigation that shows how the heart breaks free from thoughts that lead to financial distress and births a new heart that leads to financial well-being.

3. HIDDEKEL Topic: From Caterpillar To Butterfly: Your BIG Story Target Group: High School & College Students Victor uses Heart Intelligence to transform young people’s lives towards their purpose.

Victor’s believes his personal story is a song to change the lives of young people.

In this program Victor also examines 6 Levels of the World of the Heart: Reasons why many young people have failed and find themselves as slaves of drugs, sex and some eventually end in prison. Victor brings the blue print of true success and happiness.

Further he prescribes incisive solutions and clear analysis on your heart that is unknown even to you. He provides mind navigation that shows how the heart breaks free from thoughts that lead to pain and failure and births a new heart that leads to success and happiness. Change of heart changes everything!

4. PERAT Topic: Roadmap To Your Marriage Partner: Letting God Guide Your Choices Target Group: Singles Victor uses the Word of God to give singles a blue-print of keeping themselves pure until they meet their marriage partners.

• Many desire to do good, not to indulge in sex but they continuously fail.

• Many youths are in a dilemma of moving from one relationship to another, having kids out of wedlock – leading to distress to many young women, and social instability.

Victor goes to the source of the problem, not the symptoms – helping many young people through the program. Victor will move your life from the material fake world to a true spiritual World. Victor helps singles to embrace their true spiritual identity versus a cursed fleshly identity. Your heart is precious – you must know it!

This program will reveal your heart that you have never known.

The Special Seed Mission Work:

Kakamega Western Kenya In the month of March, with the promise in Isaiah 55:5: “Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee”, we visited Kakamega county western part of Kenya with only one mission – to preach the gospel of Christ. Though many may see poverty in the rural villages of Africa, our eyes see something different. We see hearts that are poor in spirit and ready to receive the gospel.

The presence of Christ in our hearts becomes the foundation to solve our social problems in Africa. It was a humbling experience to see the people of Kakamega experiencing joy and happiness after receiving the gospel. In the month of May, we will be going back to Kakamega to train and fellowship with pastors , preparing them to go out and make disciples as our Boss Jesus Christ commanded us in Matthew 28:19. We are grateful to God for the open door set before us to share the love story of Jesus Christ in Kakamega. Please pray with us for more missionaries that are prepared to be nothing to serve the body of Christ: “…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding[c] being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:17-18)

komo Victor N to teach is availableyour church t & preach a our event y t or a

The power of God to Salvation

Invite Victor to speak to your heart: RSA: +27 11 655 7225 / +27 71 714 6830 Kenya: +254 70 627 7704 E-mail: info@thespecialseed.com | www.specialseed.com

From Caterpillar to a Butterfly

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Devotion: 7 From a life of misery to a life of happiness ...

How?

R

eflecting on my past life, the one thing that is clear is that I lived a miserable unhappy life even though from the outside it looked as if I was happy, but I was not. I was deceived to think that my education and the material things that I had accumulated were going to give me happiness. There are many people who live a miserable life. People misunderstand each other, have fights, and at some point go through issues such as divorce.

Countries in the world start wars with and against other countries. Just as I thought in the past, people think when the time comes; they will go to school, graduate, get jobs, marry, have children and accumulate wealth.

being lifted away from him and transferred over to David, who is the image of Jesus Christ. Abigail lived a life of misery due to her mind not being connected with Nabal.

She could not even think to escape from him because he was her husband. However, the appearance of David brought a beginning of new life to Abigail. Even today, there are many people who live in misery bound by the desires of the flesh and of the mind, (Ephesians 2:3-“Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others”) without even having a need to break away from that, or knowing However, as I discovered in the centre of all how to be relieved from it. Through the life of this, one thing that always follow human of Abigail, God felt mercy for mankind and beings is desire. This is the major source wants to show us the way to be transferred of unhappiness among many people in the over to a new life. Nabal was the wealthiest world. Excessive desire for money, pleasure, man in Maon. He had a few thousand sheep, sex and material things dominates the heart and when these sheep ate the grass in the of man from birth and follows him all through wilderness, David’s men looked after the his life. “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and sheep, while fleeing from Saul and dwelling in sin did my mother conceive me”. (Psalm in that forest. This made Nabal wealthier than 51:5). Nevertheless, having said this there ever. One day, Nabal was shearing his sheep. are not many people who actually think about At that time, David did not eat well, he was the need to be freed from that desire. The facing hardships. Therefore, when he heard ordinary person thinks that by being admitted that Nabal was having a feast he sent a few into a good college, having a good job, finding of his men and asked to receive some food. a good spouse, and having successful children However, Nabal got angry and sent David’s could make them happy. That is the reason men back empty-handed. After hearing his why they plan the future and work hard to servants’ tale, David got really angry to arm achieve those goals. Yet, they end up living himself and his four hundred men with their a miserable and distressful life due to desire. swords and came to slay Nabal and his men.

Whilst someone may succeed in obtaining Knowing this fact Nabal’s servant came to authority, power and wealth, they will still be his wife Abigail, because their master Nabal unhappy. I invite you to look closely at your would not hear of it. As soon as Abigail own life; you will see what I am talking about. heard the news of the servant, she promptly One of the programs I run in my series is prepared food and went to meet David. called Financial Wellness From Within When Abigail met David, she fell before him Your Heart. In this program I demonstrate and said these words: to my audience that the number one cause “David, I did not see the young men you have of financial debt and poverty is the fact that sent. Please forgive my disrespect. You are people have desires that are higher than their going to be the next king of this country. God ability. The gap between desire and ability is with you and your time of hardship will be leads to debt, corruption, crime which leads over soon. My husband is an ignorant fool. He to misery. Friends, the source of our desire is stubborn and wicked and he cannot be talked is our flesh which is Satan’s farmland where to. Today, I did not see the young men you he plants his seeds of sin every day. How do sent. Now eat this food we have prepared and we then break from this desire that gives us kindly forgive us.” After hearing Abigail, David such unhappiness? How do we move from left in a good mood. When Abigail returned a life of misery to a life of success and true home, she told all this to Nabal. After hearing happiness? One story which prescribes the Abigail, Nabal became distraught and his solution for you is the story of Abigail and body became hard as a stone and he died Nabal in 1 Samuel 25. It is about Abigail who 10 days later. When David heard about was living with Nabal spiritually, he being the the death of Nabal, he brought Abigail and image of the flesh of mankind, and then this made her his wife. Nabal was greatly skilled

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at doing fleshly works; therefore he had lots of dishonesty in multiplying his wealth and what was profitable for the flesh. However, he was ignorant and foolish about knowing God. He was a stubborn, wicked, and egotistical man who could not be talked to.

Yet, on the contrary, Abigail was a wise and sensible woman, who was humble and loved God. How miserable and tormented would it be for a woman of this stature to live with a man as Nabal? Abigail’s heart probably may have been sore due to not being able to communicate with him and have her heart connected to him.

Many people don’t know the reason why they have to break away from desire. Why, because they have not once seen themselves being caught up in it. Friends, the wisdom of God is in the Bible, so when one accepts the Word in the Bible, then the eyes of God are sprouted in one’s heart. At that time, one can finally see one’s self tied up in desire. The Bible states this desire as sin. Moreover, the force that holds on to that desire is called Satan or the devil. Therefore, “You need to break away from the devil” means the same as “You need to break away from desire,” or “You need to break away from sin.” Then, from what point did misery of mankind begin? That was from the time humans ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. As soon as they rejected the Word of God and accepted the voice of Satan in their heart, and ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, the spiritual eyes which God had given to mankind were shut down and the eyes of the flesh and desire opened up. As a result, they saw what they should not have seen, themselves. They saw their nakedness and the nakedness of others. From then on, they made clothes to cover themselves. Thereafter, distrust and unhappiness came, and the heart became diseased in all mankind. They lost the original image which God had made of humans, and instead became egotistical and selfish beings. Thus, mankind lives the life of not knowing why they are unhappy.

Is it because I am sick, that I am unhappy?

Or is it because I am poor? Or is it because my husband is having an affair? All this is not correct. These problems do not cause unhappiness in our life; we are unhappy due to sin and the desire dominating our life.

Friends, we cannot be freed on Our Own. Abigail points to our spirit, and Nabal, our flesh. Just as Abigail had to spend the rest of her life under the dominance of Nabal, her husband, we have to live in agony for the rest of our lives, due to our spirit becoming one with the desires of the flesh. Who is the master of that desire? He is Satan. Satan incarcerates us into the desires of the flesh and leads our life. This is in fact explains our first husband Satan before we meet Christ.

We were first married to the devil. Humans ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil due to accepting the heart of Satan.

For that reason, the Bible documents that human beings became subjected to Satan. ... to page 13 >>>

salvation

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This Satan is also called the “god of this world” and “the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” People live their lives being dragged by the desires which Satan feeds. Just as Abigail lived with Nabal, the wicked and stubborn husband; the lives of all human beings are subjected to Satan, under the desires he inserts, due to having him as a husband. Then, how can we break away from the bondage of Satan, our first husband? The important fact is that there is no way which we can break away from the power of Satan on our own. Not with determination, will power, good deeds, sincerity, or honesty can we be freed. Some people think “If they go to church diligently, if they do lots of good deeds, if they help out many poor people, if they pray fervently,” then they could possibly be lifted from Satan’s yoke. On the contrary, though they may do all these things, they will not be freed from the bondage of Satan. The only way to be freed from Satan is when Jesus Christ comes and delivers us. Friends, the Old Man Has to Die — Abigail had to live with Nabal no matter how miserable and tormenting it was. There was no escape from it unless Nabal died.

While Nabal was alive, Abigail could not go to David and say, “Please accept me,” and have David take her. That would be like committing adultery, so it would be an impossible thing for David to accept her when he believed in God. Abigail could only go to David when Nabal died, and then David could accept her.

Romans 6:6 states these words: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. So many people know that Jesus was crucified for our sin. But then there is one pertinent thing which we should know. That is when Jesus was crucified we also were crucified with Him. The old husband, the flesh, in other words the desires of the flesh had also died. The Bible documents about the “old man” and the “new man.” Being a sinner and under the dominion of Satan, and being a slave to him was the “old man.” On the other hand, having met Jesus and getting married to Him and having Him as a husband is the “new man.” The life which Abigail lived with Nabal was the life of “old man,” and the life with David was the life of “new man.”

In order to meet Jesus, we as “old man,” being subjected to Satan have to die on the cross. Abigail could meet David only when Nabal died, and she could not possibly go to David as long as Nabal lived.

Accordingly, unless our “old man” dies, we cannot meet Jesus. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we, being dead to sins [Nabal], should live unto righteousness [David]: BY WHOSE STRIPES YE WERE HEALED. (1 Peter 2:24). Friends, Jesus Christ is our groom, our true husband.

Jesus Christ came to this earth to save us. Furthermore, Jesus is our Creator and friend. More importantly, Jesus is our husband. Jesus, who is our husband, wants to live with us blissfully. Now our life can change. The life of darkness, misery, and suffering is over. Illness is healed, difficulty in the family is solved, and sorrow will change into hope. How much the suffering life of Abigail would be changed after living with David? Just as Abigail became a queen and lived a happy life with King David, we also live a blessed life as the bride of Jesus, who is the King of all Kings. When Jesus was crucified for our sin, our “old man” also was crucified and died. In order to accept this fact with faith, we as a slave to desire under the dominance of Satan have to end the flesh, and be separated from Satan. By faith, we have to die with Jesus along with sin and desire, and live the new life being resurrected with Jesus. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it dies, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12; 24), Friends, now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: ... Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. (Romans 6:8-10) A person who lives his life with Jesus as Him being the husband and master is a happy man. A person who entrusts his future to Jesus is hopeful. A person who delegates his problems to Jesus will see how Jesus solves that problem. Now let us die with Jesus by faith, and accept the fact of being a “new man” having been resurrected with Jesus. Accordingly, let us now live in hope with Jesus Christ. Nabal (FLESH) must fall and Abigail (SPIRIT) must rise!!

From Caterpillar to a Butterfly

Counselling Nobody is receiving salvation, ... must I continue preaching?

Hi Special Seed My Name is Shelton Owens, I am born again. After receiving Salvation, God gave me the heart to preach the gospel at my workplace. I received the promise in Matthew 28:19-20, but I find a lot of resistance. Some even curse at me saying, “our company is not a church”. However, God and the gospel have held on to my heart and have protected my faith and hope. So many days have passed, yet no one has received salvation and it’s making me lose hope and think that maybe God has not called me to preach the gospel. It’s too hard and frustrating! Please counsel and guide me.

From the Special Seed Desk Dear Shelton, Thank you for sharing your heart with us. I am so thankful that God has given you the heart to preach the gospel. This is one commandment that is clear from our Lord Jesus Christ – Matthew 28:19. I am also glad that you have assurance of salvation in your heart. If our sins no longer remain in our heart and we have the faith that Jesus Christ took away all of them (John 1:29), and we have thrown away our thoughts and we are now depending on the Word of God alone, that becomes our license to witness the good news. If one can ask me one secret that has changed my life after salvation, I would say preaching the gospel, as I preached the gospel I have seen God working in my life in ways I had not imagined. My friend, this is the mission of every true Christian. You having the heart to preach the gospel gives me so much joy. The Gospel does not belong to anyone but it belongs to God, so no one has the right to stop you from preaching. This magazine that you are reading came about after I received a promise in Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,[a] for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek”. In our life, every platform that we find ourselves in, every situation must be an opportunity to introduce people to Jesus Christ. What I would like to say to you is that God is the beginning and the end, He is Alpha and Omega (Revelation 22:13). What He has begun in your life, He will finish it. Don’t look at the opposition force, don’t look on the situation. Have your heart on the promise of God that made you preach the gospel. When it gets tough go back to Matthew 28:19-20 meditate on it “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

I like the second part, Jesus said “Shelton I am with you always”. Therefore, do not fear our Lord is with you, even when your colleagues curse you, just preach the gospel. After receiving salvation we are all called to offer service to the body of Christ, so do not doubt yourself. Remember Christ is in you, have assurance of this truth, surrender all to Him, Jesus’ strength is in our nothingness. Let Him preach for you.

“Be confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6). Actually, the work of preaching the gospel cannot easily be done with Satan’s persistent resistance. However, not only is there the work of Satan, but also the Lord who is with us, therefore, we are surely able obtain a soul. This is just like how Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt. With his own power, Moses could never defeat Pharaoh to save the Israelites. In the end, through the help of God he was able to save every single person. Likewise, although we may be weak, through God’s grace we will be able to gain souls.

Don’t despair, just trust in the Lord. Satan will give you disappointment and will try to make you quickly give up, don’t believe in his lie, believe in the Word of God that gave you the heart to preach the gospel. A missionary in China was not able to lead even one person to salvation for 13 years.

However, through just one person he received on the 13th year he was able to receive a countless number of souls. I also hope that you are able to bear precious fruits by trusting in the Lord. Shelton, let’s preach the gospel my brother. I would like to leave you with this promise in Isaiah 43:1-2 “But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you”. Also Isaiah 43; 18-19 “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old.

Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert”. You are not alone brother, Jesus Christ is with you always and He is about to do a new thing in your preaching mission!

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Devotion: 8

Never Trade

Liberty for Bondage

“Long walk to freedom”, “Economic Freedom Fighters”, these are some of the slogans of certain movements in our time and this proves that since man’s creation it has been his nature to seek what he perceives to be freedom.

Eve, thinking she and Adam were in bondage by not having a “knowledge of good and evil,” exercised their “choice” and ate of the forbidden tree (Genesis 3:16). The Serpent represented the tree as the source of freedom from their restraints but in fact it was the source of their ultimate bondage.

By exercising their freewill, but in the process disobeying God, they became joined to sin and death (Romans 5:12) and placed themselves under the subjection of the Serpent. Therefore, just having a freewill and the ability to choose is not the same as being free. Adam’s choices became greatly restricted once he disobeyed.

To be truly free one must have a source of liberty (God) and exercise their freewill within the parameters of that liberty (God’s word and will). It has often been said, “With freedom comes responsibility.” Since the fall of Adam, however, an ugly side has been manifested in man’s quest for freedom. In pursuing their own liberty many attempt (and often succeed) to steal it from others. When Nelson Mandela’s quest for freedom was a thorn in the flesh for the Afrikaners, they stole freedom from him by putting him behind bars for 27 years. However, stolen freedom is temporary and not sustainable.

Cain took his brother Abel’s life thinking that would free him from the reproach of Abel’s righteous life, but he was mistaken. Cain was cursed for seeking his freedom at the expense of another or seeking it from the wrong source. Joseph’s brethren, wanting to free themselves from his presence and influence, stole Joseph’s freedom by selling him into slavery. However, while in bondage and even in prison, Joseph was more free in his heart than his brethren who were bound by the guilt of selling him. Friends, true liberty is more of an attitude than a physical reality. The bible is filled with accounts of individuals and groups of people stealing liberty from others.

From physical bondage such as slavery to “intellectual bondage”, many feel it is their “duty” to suppress for their “best interest,” of course, the freedom of others. That is why God led Paul to say “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Galatians. 5:1).

Paul wrote the book of Galatians to explain to the Galatians the preciousness of the liberty they have in Christ. There was a group of Jews (“well meaning,” of course) who were insisting the Galatians must keep the law to become and remain as Christians. Paul spent six chapters explaining to them how they are free in Christ and cannot be perfected by the bondage of the Mosaic Law. He told them they were “foolish” for so readily giving up the liberty they have in Christ and “not obeying the truth” — “You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? (Galatians. 3:1-2). Their “well meaning” Jewish “friends” were in fact false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. 5But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.…” (Galatians. 2:4). The Pharisees are the most notorious advocates of bondage found in the Bible. Christ said of them, “For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers” (Matthew 23:4). They developed legalistic, man-made traditions such as meticulous hand washing and tithing of flower seeds which placed great burdens on the gullible and the impressionable public. Christ held these self-righteous hypocrites in the utmost contempt. He directed towards them some of the most scathing words in the Scriptures. Friends, many of the traits of the Pharisees can be found among many professing believers today. The Pharisee syndrome is the source of pain for many people today, they have the right “Bible,” they believe the Bible as the very word of God and they take it literally, spend countless hours reading and studying it, they believe the promise of the coming Messiah Jesus Christ, the spirit world, and hold onto every other fundamental doctrine found in their Scriptures.

To the Jewish public they were devout, dedicated, godly, and “orthodox,” each a model or example for the common believer. Ironically, but when the God they claimed to serve came to them in person they didn’t recognize Him, and in less than four years they were so opposed to Him they directly caused His death! Their “godly” and “devout” appearance did not reflect the

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truth. Even though they had a reputation of being extremely consecrated and devout, Christ reserved for them His most remarks and criticism. He sternly and publicly rebuked them for their pious attitude and hypocritical behaviour while He exercised kindness, grace, and compassion towards those who were publicly branded as “sinners.”

Where did the Pharisees go wrong? They had the right God, Bible, heritage, and “doctrines,” but what power or influence lead them astray? What caused them to be so harshly castigated by their Creator? The answer, of course, can only be found in the Scriptures. Friends, knowledge of the bible without the heart of God is foolishness. The Pharisee’s besetting sin was a vice that originated long before man came on the scene, that is, PRIDE. Pride and envy (Proverbs 27:4) are probably the most consuming and destructive vices one can entertain. Their first victim was not even a man but no less than the anointed cherub Lucifer, “son of the morning” (Isaiah 14:12)! Lucifer’s new-found pride blinded him to the point that he thought he could be like “the most high” (Isaiah 14:14). His five “I will[s]” found in Isaiah chapter 14 expose Lucifer’s pride and arrogance for all creation to see. Apparently, the Lord revealed these heavenly events in his word so man could read and learn of pride’s destructive power (Proverbs 16:18).

From cherub to human, all who allow pride to thrive ultimately suffer.

Friends, today many are in the yoke of bondage to traditions and doctrines of their family denominations which they were born into that never bring liberty but only bondage. Every person is likely to be influenced by pride.

Since the fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden there is an inherent desire in man to exalt himself or make himself appear better than he really is.

That pride is always present, however, does not mean a believer must let it have its way. All true Christians have a new nature (actually Christ’s own righteous nature - 2 Corinthians 5:17) that is NOT susceptible to pride. And when they follow the new nature pride is not in the picture. But believers also still have the old Adamic nature they were born with and pride is very much at home with this “old man,” and whenever this nature is followed, pride is always manifested in some form. Nearly every sin a person can commit has its roots in pride. If one lies it’s because pride is afraid of the truth; if one steals it’s because pride wants something; if one curses it’s because pride says “I can say what I want”; if one exalts himself it’s because pride loves the attention; if one is a religious hypocrite it’s because pride wants to appear “godly.” For all practical purposes the terms “pride” and “self” are interchangeable. It has often been said “self-preservation” is the strongest human trait and man will resort to nearly any means to protect himself. Likewise, when one is protecting his reputation or “image” before others, pride will resort to desperate measures to keep his bloated ego from embarrassment. Friends one important aspect of salvation that seems little emphasized today is the fact that a born again Christian is free from the bondage of sin and the “yoke” of the law. “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law...,” (Galatians 3:13) purchasing our freedom with His blood, but as it was in Galatia in Paul’s day, so it is today; there are still those who wish to take a Christian’s liberty from him. Liberty must be jealously protected. If not, someone will invariably try to take it from him.

The Galatians were considering attempting to keep the Old Testament law along with receiving the work of Christ on the cross. Their “friends” were convincing them, God would be more pleased and they would be more “acceptable” if they kept His “holy eternal law.” Paul, however, rebukes them for such thinking and tells them only a “fool” would willingly trade liberty for bondage (Galatians 3:1-5). The old ways of man die hard. Even though a Christian is free from the law, the law is to be abandoned (Galatians 3:24), but importantly grace is not lawlessness. Grace does not equate to lawlessness. Grace does not excuse sin but it empowers us over sin. Grace is the power that fulfills the righteousness that the law demands. Jesus Christ did not destroy the law but he fulfilled the law in two ways 1. He never violated the law, He kept it perfectly — He had no sin but became the sin for us.

2. Secondly He fulfilled the law by paying the full penalty of sin by dying on the Cross.

Therefore we do not receive grace for being righteous but we are made righteous by grace. We become righteous by the obedience of Christ same way we became sinners by the disobedience of Adam (Romans 5:19)”.

Friends, true spiritual life can never be lived through legalism (trying to keep the law on your efforts), Legalists love to be an “authority” or judge over others due to their self-righteousness- this only brings bondage but true freedom is found in Jesus Christ. Religion (Legalism- laboring to keep the laws of God by own efforts-self-righteousness) leads to bondage yet True Christianity (relationship with God through Jesus Christ) leads to freedom.

“Do not present the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and present the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness.

14For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. 15What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law, but under grace? By no means!…” (Romans 6:13-15).

GOSPEL

2-Hour

Life-Changing

Question and Answer Question: While reading the Bible I found something hard to understand. Genesis 27 talks about Esau and Jacob. How could Jacob receive the blessings of God although he presented himself as his elder brother Esau? Also, why was Esau cursed although he obeyed his father? I have attended church for many years and don’t understand how such a liar and deceiver could receive the precious blessings of God. Answer: Most of the stories in the 66 books of the Old and New Testament don’t represent simple events or facts, we need to understand the spiritual meaning hidden in the content.

In Genesis 27, Isaac was old and didn’t know the day of his death. One day, he called his eldest son, Esau and said, “Go out to the field, and take me some venison. And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.” However, Rebekah, Esau’s mother heard this, called her son Jacob, and said “Obey my voice and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth. And thou shalt bring it to thy father that he may eat, that he may bless before his death.” [Read full story] Jacob, with the help of his mother, made the savoury meat that Isaac (his father) loved and managed to get the blessing. On the other hand, Esau returned from hunting, quickly made his father’s favourite dish but only received a curse. Did God want to teach us that it is alright to cheat or trick others for His blessings?

This story is not about human morals; but depicts the heart of God toward us.

Because men don’t know how to please Him, God recorded this story to let us know the path of faith. If God tells us the story of how one was blessed and the other cursed between two people who came to be blessed, He knew that we would realize through the story and exclaim, “Ah, this is how God wants us to come forth to Him.” Isaac depicts the image of God and Rebekah Jesus Christ.

Esau and Jacob represent two types of people.

Esau: Esau went out to do as he was told. He perspired, hunted, cooked and brought food to his father. But the result was a curse, not a blessing. This shows that men cannot satisfy God by one’s own sincerity, power or efforts.

Many people think of as faith praying well, reading the Bible a lot, and keeping the law. They are deceived to think that manifestation of God is in religious activities but it’s not. They struggle and make an effort to live according to the laws of God. The result is a curse. Because we are born in sin after Adam sinned, we can only do evil deeds, we are not in a position to defeat sin by our own power and efforts.

Jacob: He received a blessing. Since he had never done anything right, it was impossible for him to stand before his father and be blessed. However, his mother Rebekah did everything for him. He was afraid he would be cursed rather than blessed. He was worried Isaac would discover his true identity by feeling his smooth skin. But Rebekah said, “Don’t worry. I’ll take responsibility for all the curses you receive. Don’t worry about a thing, just bring the goats.” Who takes all of the curses we are to receive? There’s none but Jesus Christ who takes our iniquities and curses. Rebekah in Genesis 27 is the image of Jesus. Rebekah prepared the dish for Jacob’s father, put Esau’s clothes on him, and covered him with goat skin so that he could stand in front of his father. Owing Rebekah’s help, Jacob could receive blessings from his father without doing anything.

Jacob symbolises those who receive blessings by the help of Jesus, without doing anything themselves. “Grace” is free. Many people want to receive blessing from God through their deeds. They say, “I prayed this much, so bless me. I witnessed like this, so bestow a favour on me. I deserve going to heaven as I’m faithful to you.” Even if 1% of my deeds count, it is no longer grace, but wages. The end result of those who try to obtain blessings at a wage is curse.

The same principle applies to salvation; our sins are washed through the blood of Jesus Christ. We should not struggle nor make an effort to receive grace and blessings from God. There are two ways we can we stand boldly before God being faultless, holy and righteous: 1. keep all the laws and commandments and go before God. This is impossible, however, because humans heart is originally stained with sin. 2. accept into our hearts the righteousness of Jesus Christ, who being the “Lamb of God, has taken away the sins of the world.”

(John 1:29). We can only stand boldly without fault and righteous before God if we go forward with what Jesus has prepared for us.

God created us weak for a reason. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: (Romans 5:20) and For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. (Romans 11:32). God bound us all in sin because He wanted to bestow us mercy and grace through Jesus Christ who bore all of our iniquities and curses. We can only sin and fail, so He sent His Son Jesus to forgive all our sins. Importantly is to understand that we became sinners not by our deeds but by the disobedience of Adam, therefore also we can only become righteous by the obedience of Jesus Christ: “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Romans 5:19). All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

(Isaiah 53:6). “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1-2).

Seminar

Financial Wellness & Incisive Solutions from Within Your Heart Did you know? Employees with good

financial well-being are more productive — translating to more PROFIT for your business!

Transformational Conversations with Victor Nkomo

What is dragging you to financial distress?

Who is guiding you back into financial wellness?

A 2-hour seminar that deals with your employees’ heart and mind. We provide ‘mind navigation’ that shows how the heart flows towards financial distress and financial well-being. Great journey towards removing the walls of debt and achieving great results in improving productivity of employees in the workplace.

In the 2-hour life-changing talk, Victor covers: Your Financial Wellness, Personal Finance knowledge and level of your mind assessment.

Your Mind & Heart in Personal Finances – “First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside of it may become clean also”.

6 Levels of the World of the Heart: Reasons why you are in financial distress and in need of a roadmap towards financial well-being.

Incisive solutions and clear analysis on your heart that is unknown even to you.

Mind navigation that shows how the heart breaks free from thoughts that lead to financial distress and births a new heart that leads to financial well-being.

Fundamentals of managing your personal finances – simple tools for crafting a vision for one’s finances and management style that is energizing and inspiring.

The audience will receive a winning blue print for their financial life, have their hearts and mind changed leading to a more productive joyful lifestyle, profitable personal income statement, positive net worth, how to serve others and pay yourself first, Mandatory Savings, Investments and Retirement, and Financial Well-being habits.

Benefits to the Employer:

Benefits to the Employees: • • • • • • •

• Enhances productivity and employees get more engaged.

• Gives employees a ‘raise’ … without increasing their salaries.

• Reduces team liability – everyone ‘pulls their weight’.

• Boosts Employee Retention.

• Increases participation in retirement schemes.

Ease family conflicts over money.

Reduce financially-related stress.

“Find” more money to save & invest.

Stretch employees’ salaries.

Plug employees’ financial “leaks”.

Eliminate their debts – forever!

Become productive and engaged in the workplace.

Book Victor for a session at your Company: Contact us for available dates & more information.

Tel: +27 11 655 7225 / +27 71 714 6830

e-mail: info@connect2succeed.com

ABOUT VICTOR: Victor is passionate about mind and personal finance education, he believes mind education & financial literacy is the foundation of the prosperity of Africa. He is a Treasury & Finance Expert, Executive Partner and Founder of Corporate Treasury Solutions; a John Maxwell-certified speaker and performance coach. He horned his financial acumen working for top institutions like Rand Merchant Bank and Deutshe Bank.

Victor‘s purpose is to empower, motivate and inspire people to live their purpose. He seeks to empower people to be successful, happy, ‘CEOs’ of their lives while serving humanity.

His Personal Finance Employees Economic Program (PFEEP) is helping many employees in improving their financial wellbeing and productivity. His philosophy and motto in life is: “be blessed to be a blessing”.

connect2succeed

Helping you ACHIEVE your maximum potential

Financial Wellness & Incisive Solutions from Within Your Heart

2-Hour

Life-Changing

Drug addicts need to go to a drug rehabilitation centre, likewise attending our seminar means coming to the best spending addiction rehabilitation centre available. It is your heart that must change first!

Seminar

Transformational Conversations with Victor Nkomo What is dragging you to financial distress?

Who is pulling you back into financial wellness?

Book Victor for a Power-Packed 2-hr Session at your church, club, company or group meeting

Contact us for available dates & more information: Tel: +27 11 655 7225 / +27 71 714 6830

Helping you ACHIEVE your maximum potential

The Special Seed Profile • The Special Seed is a Christian spiritual movement that seeks to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes and lead all who believe to a purposeful life that gives glory to God. • The Special Seed ideal posits that the Christian “family” should be inseparably bound by the need to unashamedly proclaim the Gospel of Christ, and derive inspiration from that wonderful affirmation of the Holy Spirit of sacred revelation, brimming with truth and comfort that “The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:16-17).

• The Special Seed is part of the body of Christ and only Jesus Christ is the head not any man or any organization. It is a fellowship-based platform which consists of empty vessels that God is able to use to accomplish His will. Our objective is not to build membership but to make disciples who are prepared to go out and preach the gospel of Christ and lead people to salvation prepared by God.

Our Programs Connect2Fellowship • • • • • • • • • • • •

Making Disciples Salvation Magazine Free Daily Devotion Caterpillar to Butterfly – The Big Story: TV Talk Show Individual and Group Bible Study Schools and Colleges Fellowship Prisons Fellowship Gospel in the Farm The Special Seed Villages The Special Seed Eden: Retreat Boot Camps Forgiveness of Sin / Born-Again Boot Camps Braai & Fellowship (Salvation of Townships / Kasi)

Call To

Connect2Give

• Spiritual and Physical sustenance to Orphans and Widows • The Special Seed Community Centres (Organic Gardens)

Connect2Succeed

• Financial Wellness from within your heart – inspired by Luke 15:11-32 • Heart Intelligence-“A change of heart changes everything”.

• Your Big Story Day: for High School and College Students • Online Network

SERVE

About Victor Nkomo Victor Nkomo is a human being who preaches the gospel of Christ, the power of God to salvation leading people to a purpose driven life focused on eternal legacy. Victor believes he is just a transmission cable, an empty vessel of God’s Word of Salvation which frees people from sin and Jesus Christ is the true founder of His body which is the true “church”.

The greatest gift in his life was receiving forgiveness of sin through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, being truly born again. Victor received a promise from Romans 1:16-17, to preach the gospel of Christ. Victor is not a believer of denominations, he believes “church” is the body of Christ and the head is Jesus Christ alone. Church is not something physical, or earthly but SPIRITUAL! He believes it is critical for people to understand that the standard of true Christianity is Jesus Christ not a denomination or organization. People become more attached to individuals, institutions and organisations more than they are attached to the heart of our ONLY Master Jesus Christ. Victor believes true Salvation is key to true satisfaction, joy and happiness and passport to eternal life. His philosophy and motto in life is “The greatest tragedy in life is not death, but a life without Jesus Christ. It is in Jesus Christ that we find our purpose in life, every true purpose involves serving the Body of Christ and the only best way to be blessed is to be a blessing to others”.

If your heart is free to offer a gift, please be kind to partner with us. We only accept sponsorship given joyfully, without compulsion. If supporting the preaching of the gospel is on your heart, feel free to contact us – but ONLY if your heart is so moved. Thank you in advance for your support, together we can take the gospel to all the corners of the World.

Be kind to use the magazine to introduce Jesus Christ to one more person:

“One more soul for Christ”.

Contact us at: info@thespecialseed.com Tel: +27 71 714 6830

Contact us to advertise in this publication.

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Email: info@thespecialseed.com | www.specialseed.com Johannesburg Tel: +27 71 714 6830 | Kenya Tel: +254 70 6277704

The power of God to Salvation

salvation

Design & layout: Stratsmith | www.stratsmith.co.za

connect2succeed

e-mail: info@connect2succeed.com