“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:18
What is most interesting for me in this passage is Jesus’ choice of words to describe Peter, the man who is chosen to be the first great leader of the church – the rock.
One of the most distinguishable characteristics about a rock is that it is the same irrespective of the environment in which it finds itself.
If you find a rock in the mountains, it is a rock.
If you then put it in your pocket, it is a rock.
If you take it home and place it on your windowsill, it is a rock.
If you then take that rock and throw it in your swimming pool, it is still a rock.
The point I am trying to make here is that a rock is a rock no matter where it finds itself. And for this very reason Jesus was able to use Peter on which to build His church on earth. Because Peter was to be the rock, he was to be courageous and stable, unfaltering and consistent in his ways.
Jesus didn’t say, “on this chameleon I will build my church”, because the job of building His Kingdom is not something that can be done by one who is planning to spend his life on earth blending in to his surroundings.
What can we take out of this for our own lives?
Often in life we find ourselves in situations where we don’t necessarily want to be – it could be working a boring job or living in a city we don’t like or just being somewhere we don’t want to be. What we need to practice in these times is that the place where we are should not determine how we live our lives. If we live in a corrupt country, we should not become corrupt, if we are in the company of gossipers, we should not take on their behaviour in order to fit in. If we work with people who are bitter and angry, or resentful, we should not become like them.
Instead we should be the rocks, unwavering in our behaviour and attitude toward life, irrespective of the place in which we find ourselves. In these times we should seek God’s Word and apply it, no matter how difficult that may be, because that is what it means to be a rock.
We must expect God to allow us to be in these testing situations, so that our qualities of being a rock can be galvanised and strengthened through us practising what His Word teaches us. Remember this when you find yourself somewhere you don’t want to be – instead of complaining about it, use the opportunity to re-enforce your rock qualities.
On a final note, chameleons will fit in on earth, but rocks will fit in in heaven – we might as well start practising for eternity.
Be blessed, make music, live with passion for Christ
NS
Monday, December 10, 2007
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Of rocks and sand clods - part 1
One day a man was sitting on a muddy river bank. He was enjoying being out in nature, allowing his thoughts to wander.
He picked up a smooth, black pebble, played with it in his hands and then tossed it into the flowing stream. Through the clear water, he saw the pebble sink quickly to rest on the sandy riverbed.
He then scooped up a small handful of wet soil and tightly squeezed his hand shut. He opened his hand, re-positioned the sand with his thumb and forefinger and squeezed his hand shut again. He repeated the process until he was satisfied that he had formed a solid ball of soil. This too he tossed into the water, but unlike the pebble, it broke up into the thousands of little individual sand particles it was before. The particles drifted and scattered in all different directions.
I think the contrast between the pebble and the sand clod is a great analogy for us to test what it is in life that holds us together.
The sand clod is where many of us find ourselves – we are held together by external things; things of this world. We rely heavily on the things of the world to keep it all together, to be happy; to be stable, functional human beings. A comfortable job, a safe car, companionship with friends, a love relationship. Some or all of these things become our number one and we rely on them for our emotional wellbeing. They are like the man’s hand that holds us together. The problem comes in when we leave that man’s hand, when we get thrown into the river or we are dropped on the floor. We break up into a thousand little pieces. We realise the hard way that the things in which we placed our trust to live a great and fulfilled life are uncertain and unable to really bind and galvanise our lives into something that is sustainably unbreakable. And then we spend months and sometimes years picking up the pieces of our life that lie scattered all over the riverbed.
I am not disputing the fact that these things are important, because they are important. I am questioning how important they are to us in relation to how important they should be according to God’s Word. A pretty good test is to write down in order of importance what you could least afford to lose, or what you could not bear to think about losing. Your job? Your wife or girlfriend? Your social group? Your car or house? Your physical appearance? If anything on your list is above your relationship with Jesus, then that is a pretty good indicator that you place more of your wellbeing in that than in Jesus.
The question many may ask at this stage is, “but how can I enjoy these blessings and good things if I don’t value them or don’t look to them to be my strength?” and “wont I lose them if I don’t make them number one?”
The answer to this question is firstly, that these things are all blessings from God and we are to enjoy them, but if they become more important to us than Him - if these things take preference over Him in the way we live our lives - then we are idolising them, which is sinful.
Secondly, all these things are going to fade away, be destroyed or lost. And when we do lose them (because it is but a matter of when, and not if, we lose them) then how will we deal with losing the thing that we feel we cannot afford to lose?
In contrast, if we look at a pebble, when the man picks it up it is already in a solid, unbreakable state. It does not require his hand (anything in this world) to make it whole or complete because it is so already. It is a rock because it is held together by a mixture of chemical bonds and particles on the inside. It’s strength comes from being held together by the layers that form around its core. For us, this core translates to our hearts and spirits. If our hearts are firmly rooted in our relationship with Jesus, if it is Him from whom we draw strength, if He is what we rely on to hold us together from the inside, then no matter whether we are in the hands of the world or we are tossed into the water, we are held firm by what is inside - something that can never be taken from us. The Holy Spirit within us.
Be blessed, make music, live with passion for Christ
NS
He picked up a smooth, black pebble, played with it in his hands and then tossed it into the flowing stream. Through the clear water, he saw the pebble sink quickly to rest on the sandy riverbed.
He then scooped up a small handful of wet soil and tightly squeezed his hand shut. He opened his hand, re-positioned the sand with his thumb and forefinger and squeezed his hand shut again. He repeated the process until he was satisfied that he had formed a solid ball of soil. This too he tossed into the water, but unlike the pebble, it broke up into the thousands of little individual sand particles it was before. The particles drifted and scattered in all different directions.
I think the contrast between the pebble and the sand clod is a great analogy for us to test what it is in life that holds us together.
The sand clod is where many of us find ourselves – we are held together by external things; things of this world. We rely heavily on the things of the world to keep it all together, to be happy; to be stable, functional human beings. A comfortable job, a safe car, companionship with friends, a love relationship. Some or all of these things become our number one and we rely on them for our emotional wellbeing. They are like the man’s hand that holds us together. The problem comes in when we leave that man’s hand, when we get thrown into the river or we are dropped on the floor. We break up into a thousand little pieces. We realise the hard way that the things in which we placed our trust to live a great and fulfilled life are uncertain and unable to really bind and galvanise our lives into something that is sustainably unbreakable. And then we spend months and sometimes years picking up the pieces of our life that lie scattered all over the riverbed.
I am not disputing the fact that these things are important, because they are important. I am questioning how important they are to us in relation to how important they should be according to God’s Word. A pretty good test is to write down in order of importance what you could least afford to lose, or what you could not bear to think about losing. Your job? Your wife or girlfriend? Your social group? Your car or house? Your physical appearance? If anything on your list is above your relationship with Jesus, then that is a pretty good indicator that you place more of your wellbeing in that than in Jesus.
The question many may ask at this stage is, “but how can I enjoy these blessings and good things if I don’t value them or don’t look to them to be my strength?” and “wont I lose them if I don’t make them number one?”
The answer to this question is firstly, that these things are all blessings from God and we are to enjoy them, but if they become more important to us than Him - if these things take preference over Him in the way we live our lives - then we are idolising them, which is sinful.
Secondly, all these things are going to fade away, be destroyed or lost. And when we do lose them (because it is but a matter of when, and not if, we lose them) then how will we deal with losing the thing that we feel we cannot afford to lose?
In contrast, if we look at a pebble, when the man picks it up it is already in a solid, unbreakable state. It does not require his hand (anything in this world) to make it whole or complete because it is so already. It is a rock because it is held together by a mixture of chemical bonds and particles on the inside. It’s strength comes from being held together by the layers that form around its core. For us, this core translates to our hearts and spirits. If our hearts are firmly rooted in our relationship with Jesus, if it is Him from whom we draw strength, if He is what we rely on to hold us together from the inside, then no matter whether we are in the hands of the world or we are tossed into the water, we are held firm by what is inside - something that can never be taken from us. The Holy Spirit within us.
Be blessed, make music, live with passion for Christ
NS
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Global Warming
How does the threat of global warming apply to our lives as Christians?
We are called to be the salt of the earth, and that means we are also responsible to look after the planet that we have been given.
I recently watched the movie “An Inconvenient Truth” and it awakened me to the fact that if our generation does not do something about global warming, and do it now, we will not have a world to show our children.
I seriously suggest you watch the movie: a brilliant documentary, free of bias and very informative.
The truth of the matter is that we are in a dire situation; this is true and global warming is happening. But we can make difference. Please do not think that you cannot make a difference, because you can. All it requires is for you to be aware of the issue, to change a few little things in your life, and to tell your friends to do the same.
The movie shows how we can actually reverse the process of global warming if we all pool together and become energy-saving conscious.
Even more reason to get conscious about this is that SA is in an energy crisis which is not going to be resolved for another 5 years. Therefore, unless we make the change, the frequency and extent of power cuts is going to continue rising. It is poor form that Eskom cannot supply our energy needs, but unfortunately the earliest this issue can be rectified is post 2010. So instead of complaining, let’s try and cut our energy consumption down to limit the number of power cuts we will have to face in the future.
Here is a list of things you can do to make a difference:
• Watch the movie and tell others to do the same
• Replace the lights in your house with compact fluorescent lights (CFL’s) which use 60% less energy than normal bulbs
• General electricity saving tips – turn off lights in rooms you are not in, only boil the amount of water you need for tea/coffee, turn your geyser down slightly, use electricity sparingly.
• Plant trees everywhere. Trees absorb CO2, and a tree is a cheap and aesthetically pleasing way to curb global warming. A tree costs only a few rand and can radically reduce CO2 in the atmosphere. See www.arborday.org for more ideas
• Use a clothes-line instead of a tumble dryer
• Recycle!!! (Paper, plastics, glass)
• Eat less meat, thereby reducing the demand to hold livestock, which have very high CO2 emission levels
• These and more tips are available at http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/whatyoucando/index.html
If we all just do a little more and encourage others to do the same, we can make a difference. If you don’t believe your small contribution makes a difference, watch the movie – your mind will be changed!
Be blessed, make music, live with passion
NS
We are called to be the salt of the earth, and that means we are also responsible to look after the planet that we have been given.
I recently watched the movie “An Inconvenient Truth” and it awakened me to the fact that if our generation does not do something about global warming, and do it now, we will not have a world to show our children.
I seriously suggest you watch the movie: a brilliant documentary, free of bias and very informative.
The truth of the matter is that we are in a dire situation; this is true and global warming is happening. But we can make difference. Please do not think that you cannot make a difference, because you can. All it requires is for you to be aware of the issue, to change a few little things in your life, and to tell your friends to do the same.
The movie shows how we can actually reverse the process of global warming if we all pool together and become energy-saving conscious.
Even more reason to get conscious about this is that SA is in an energy crisis which is not going to be resolved for another 5 years. Therefore, unless we make the change, the frequency and extent of power cuts is going to continue rising. It is poor form that Eskom cannot supply our energy needs, but unfortunately the earliest this issue can be rectified is post 2010. So instead of complaining, let’s try and cut our energy consumption down to limit the number of power cuts we will have to face in the future.
Here is a list of things you can do to make a difference:
• Watch the movie and tell others to do the same
• Replace the lights in your house with compact fluorescent lights (CFL’s) which use 60% less energy than normal bulbs
• General electricity saving tips – turn off lights in rooms you are not in, only boil the amount of water you need for tea/coffee, turn your geyser down slightly, use electricity sparingly.
• Plant trees everywhere. Trees absorb CO2, and a tree is a cheap and aesthetically pleasing way to curb global warming. A tree costs only a few rand and can radically reduce CO2 in the atmosphere. See www.arborday.org for more ideas
• Use a clothes-line instead of a tumble dryer
• Recycle!!! (Paper, plastics, glass)
• Eat less meat, thereby reducing the demand to hold livestock, which have very high CO2 emission levels
• These and more tips are available at http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/whatyoucando/index.html
If we all just do a little more and encourage others to do the same, we can make a difference. If you don’t believe your small contribution makes a difference, watch the movie – your mind will be changed!
Be blessed, make music, live with passion
NS
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
The Sunset
One summer’s evening, ten friends sat watching the sun set over the calm blue ocean. For six of the friends the sunset was the most beautiful thing they had seen – they just enjoyed the fading of the yellows into reds, oranges and finally into the purples, pinks and blues of dusk. They marvelled at the incomparable magnitude of the vast expanse of water, and the seagulls that hung above it, unshaken by the ocean’s devouring stature. They sat for hours just enjoying it.
The other four people were not that impressed by the sunset. They didn’t find anything particularly beautiful or enticing about it.
Has the sunset failed the other four people?
I think in this simplified scenario it is easy to see that we cannot say that the sunset is in any way ‘guilty’ of not delivering on its responsibility to provide that good feeling one expects when watching the sunset. The sunset is what it is; it is absolute and does not show itself differently to individual persons. Rather the reason some people see its beauty and others don’t, is because of the way those people perceive the sunset. In other words what eyes do they see it through? It is the state of mind and spirit of each person that allows them to have either a positive or negative experience of the sunset.
If the sunset does not hold any power over the people to find enjoyment in it, then surely the same should apply to everything in life.
We all complain – about our jobs, about our friends, our financial situation, but have we ever stopped to think that the magnitude of our problems could be due to our perception of those problems and not necessarily the problems themselves? If it is due to our perception, then surely we have the power to choose how we see those problems.
We can either see them as challenges that God will use to the good of those who love Him, or we can see them as afflictions that bring pain to our lives.
So how do I look at the proverbial sunset and see its beauty? How can I change my perception so that I can enjoy what I see? The answer begins and ends in Jesus taking first place in your life. When Jesus is number one, we see the world through His eyes and realise that the power lies in His presence in us and not in the things of the world.
The challenge is to look at our own lives and see if there are things that we don’t appreciate and enjoy, things that frustrate us and things in which we cannot see the good. We need to stop blaming the other person and the situation, look into ourselves and see how God wants us to change our perspective of what is happening.
You can’t see the good in a situation, until you see the God in it.
Be blessed, make music, live with passion
NS
The other four people were not that impressed by the sunset. They didn’t find anything particularly beautiful or enticing about it.
Has the sunset failed the other four people?
I think in this simplified scenario it is easy to see that we cannot say that the sunset is in any way ‘guilty’ of not delivering on its responsibility to provide that good feeling one expects when watching the sunset. The sunset is what it is; it is absolute and does not show itself differently to individual persons. Rather the reason some people see its beauty and others don’t, is because of the way those people perceive the sunset. In other words what eyes do they see it through? It is the state of mind and spirit of each person that allows them to have either a positive or negative experience of the sunset.
If the sunset does not hold any power over the people to find enjoyment in it, then surely the same should apply to everything in life.
We all complain – about our jobs, about our friends, our financial situation, but have we ever stopped to think that the magnitude of our problems could be due to our perception of those problems and not necessarily the problems themselves? If it is due to our perception, then surely we have the power to choose how we see those problems.
We can either see them as challenges that God will use to the good of those who love Him, or we can see them as afflictions that bring pain to our lives.
So how do I look at the proverbial sunset and see its beauty? How can I change my perception so that I can enjoy what I see? The answer begins and ends in Jesus taking first place in your life. When Jesus is number one, we see the world through His eyes and realise that the power lies in His presence in us and not in the things of the world.
The challenge is to look at our own lives and see if there are things that we don’t appreciate and enjoy, things that frustrate us and things in which we cannot see the good. We need to stop blaming the other person and the situation, look into ourselves and see how God wants us to change our perspective of what is happening.
You can’t see the good in a situation, until you see the God in it.
Be blessed, make music, live with passion
NS
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Interview with Rick Warren
In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said:
People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell,
life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever, and God
wants us to be with Him in Heaven.
One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body--
but not the end of me.
I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of
years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God
wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity.
We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't
going to make sense.
Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just
coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.
The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than
your comfort.
God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your
life happy.
We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life.
The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.
This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the
toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.
I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark
time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that
anymore.
Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like
two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good
and something bad in your life.
No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad
that needs to be worked on.
And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something
good you can thank God for.
You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems.
If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness,"which
is my problem, my issues, my pain." But one of the easiest ways to get rid
of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.
We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of
thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for
her.
It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her
character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a
testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.
You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.
Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For
instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million
copies, it made me instantly very wealthy.
It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with
before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or
for you to live a life of ease.
So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety
and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide
what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72
First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our
lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.
Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the
church.
Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan
to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor , care for the sick, and
educate the next generation.
Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I
started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able
to serve God for free.
We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity?
Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or
am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?
When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if
I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You
better. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more
interested in what I am than what I do.
That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.
People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell,
life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever, and God
wants us to be with Him in Heaven.
One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body--
but not the end of me.
I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of
years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God
wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity.
We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't
going to make sense.
Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just
coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.
The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than
your comfort.
God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your
life happy.
We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life.
The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.
This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the
toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.
I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark
time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that
anymore.
Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like
two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good
and something bad in your life.
No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad
that needs to be worked on.
And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something
good you can thank God for.
You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems.
If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness,"which
is my problem, my issues, my pain." But one of the easiest ways to get rid
of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.
We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of
thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for
her.
It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her
character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a
testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.
You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.
Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For
instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million
copies, it made me instantly very wealthy.
It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with
before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or
for you to live a life of ease.
So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety
and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide
what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72
First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our
lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.
Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the
church.
Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan
to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor , care for the sick, and
educate the next generation.
Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I
started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able
to serve God for free.
We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity?
Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or
am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?
When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if
I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You
better. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more
interested in what I am than what I do.
That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Time with God - Part 2
Before the days of chainsaws and modern technology, men would cut down trees with either an axe or a manual saw. The work of cutting down trees was manual and very physical. Hence lumberjacks were usually extremely well built with strong bodies, strengthened by the physical nature of their work.
Do you think lumberjacks go to gym, to work out after a day’s work? No, because they don’t need to – they get so strong and keep so fit because they are doing gym all day.
Last week I wrote about how vital it is to take some time out of every day to spend with God, reading the word, praying etc.
But the 30 minutes or hour you spend with God in the morning or evening is not enough. If we want to be strong and continue growing in faith and hope and love, we need to be like lumberjacks. We need to be working out throughout our day, being in constant communion with God.
This is something much easier said than done – it is common to hear people say, “I go through the entire day not thinking about God once, but I just don’t know how to bring Him into my day.”
I wish there was a standard formula, but I don’t believe there is. However, here are some ideas of things we can do to keep us close to God and ensure that He is involved in the ‘whole of life’:
• Share your thoughts with God – God wants to know us, and He wants us to share our lives with Him, no matter how insignificant we may think our thoughts are. We all think throughout our day and these are great opportunities to share with God. For example: If you are thinking about how happy you are, tell God how happy you are and thank Him for that; if you are worried, share that with Him and ask for His protection.
• Pray – prayer does not need to always be in a quiet place with your hands together and eyes closed. Pray while driving to work, while walking to the shops, while remembering a friend – say a quick 10 second prayer whenever you have something to pray about.
• Fellowship with other Christians – hang out with other Christians. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” Proverbs 27:16
• Love your neighbour – Our mission on earth is to spread the gospel, but also the love of God. Be sure to notice situations where someone needs help, and then act – situations like this help us grow in love and help us to better understand the love with which Jesus loves us.
• Tell people about Jesus – The power of the Holy Spirit is released through us when we tell people about Jesus in His power. Personally this is one area that I find most intimate with God when it happens.
Be blessed, make music, live with passion
NS
Do you think lumberjacks go to gym, to work out after a day’s work? No, because they don’t need to – they get so strong and keep so fit because they are doing gym all day.
Last week I wrote about how vital it is to take some time out of every day to spend with God, reading the word, praying etc.
But the 30 minutes or hour you spend with God in the morning or evening is not enough. If we want to be strong and continue growing in faith and hope and love, we need to be like lumberjacks. We need to be working out throughout our day, being in constant communion with God.
This is something much easier said than done – it is common to hear people say, “I go through the entire day not thinking about God once, but I just don’t know how to bring Him into my day.”
I wish there was a standard formula, but I don’t believe there is. However, here are some ideas of things we can do to keep us close to God and ensure that He is involved in the ‘whole of life’:
• Share your thoughts with God – God wants to know us, and He wants us to share our lives with Him, no matter how insignificant we may think our thoughts are. We all think throughout our day and these are great opportunities to share with God. For example: If you are thinking about how happy you are, tell God how happy you are and thank Him for that; if you are worried, share that with Him and ask for His protection.
• Pray – prayer does not need to always be in a quiet place with your hands together and eyes closed. Pray while driving to work, while walking to the shops, while remembering a friend – say a quick 10 second prayer whenever you have something to pray about.
• Fellowship with other Christians – hang out with other Christians. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” Proverbs 27:16
• Love your neighbour – Our mission on earth is to spread the gospel, but also the love of God. Be sure to notice situations where someone needs help, and then act – situations like this help us grow in love and help us to better understand the love with which Jesus loves us.
• Tell people about Jesus – The power of the Holy Spirit is released through us when we tell people about Jesus in His power. Personally this is one area that I find most intimate with God when it happens.
Be blessed, make music, live with passion
NS
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Time with God - Part 1
Mark 1:29
“That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases…Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”
Jesus Himself showed that no matter how busy He was or how late He had worked the previous night, time with the Father is the most important part of our day.
I have never been great at fasting but recently I decided to fast for three days; from sunrise to sunset and drinking only water. Interestingly enough, I didn’t receive any special wisdom, knowledge or spiritual revelation. But what I did realise was how utterly useless I am if I don’t eat. The first day was not too bad, because I had made sure I ate well the day before, but by the time I got to day 2 and 3 I was struggling. I battled to perform at anywhere close to my optimum while exercising and even small everyday tasks required a monumental effort. But the area where I suffered most was in my relationships – I just did not have the energy to make an effort to love people, to be kind and to make conversation. I quickly became irritable and just wanted to be left alone.
I thought to myself if not eating food had such a big impact on my life, especially my relationships, how much more do I suffer when I don’t receive my spiritual food? I would never think of missing breakfast, whether it’s a bland piece of toast or a delectable English breakfast, and if I did I would have a big brunch or lunch. To go a whole day voluntarily without eating is just too crippling.
Now we need to see that if we are not getting our spiritual food, we are even more incapable of functioning in the loving way God wants us to than if we just skip a day of meals.
The problem is that we get used to being spiritually hungry and therefore don’t know what it feels like to be full. So we just stay hungry. The only way to be filled is to be in constant communion with God. And constant communion starts with a daily quiet time. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that by going to church on a Sunday and cell group on Wednesday that that is enough of God for the week. You wouldn’t choose to eat a meal only on Sundays and Wednesdays, so why do it with your spiritual food?
Take time to spend time with God every single day – pray, chat to Him; listen to music, read your Bible or another Christian book. Do it for an extended period of time and really see how your view on your life begins to change, and how your relationship with Him grows.
Be blessed, make music, live with passion
NS
“That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases…Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”
Jesus Himself showed that no matter how busy He was or how late He had worked the previous night, time with the Father is the most important part of our day.
I have never been great at fasting but recently I decided to fast for three days; from sunrise to sunset and drinking only water. Interestingly enough, I didn’t receive any special wisdom, knowledge or spiritual revelation. But what I did realise was how utterly useless I am if I don’t eat. The first day was not too bad, because I had made sure I ate well the day before, but by the time I got to day 2 and 3 I was struggling. I battled to perform at anywhere close to my optimum while exercising and even small everyday tasks required a monumental effort. But the area where I suffered most was in my relationships – I just did not have the energy to make an effort to love people, to be kind and to make conversation. I quickly became irritable and just wanted to be left alone.
I thought to myself if not eating food had such a big impact on my life, especially my relationships, how much more do I suffer when I don’t receive my spiritual food? I would never think of missing breakfast, whether it’s a bland piece of toast or a delectable English breakfast, and if I did I would have a big brunch or lunch. To go a whole day voluntarily without eating is just too crippling.
Now we need to see that if we are not getting our spiritual food, we are even more incapable of functioning in the loving way God wants us to than if we just skip a day of meals.
The problem is that we get used to being spiritually hungry and therefore don’t know what it feels like to be full. So we just stay hungry. The only way to be filled is to be in constant communion with God. And constant communion starts with a daily quiet time. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that by going to church on a Sunday and cell group on Wednesday that that is enough of God for the week. You wouldn’t choose to eat a meal only on Sundays and Wednesdays, so why do it with your spiritual food?
Take time to spend time with God every single day – pray, chat to Him; listen to music, read your Bible or another Christian book. Do it for an extended period of time and really see how your view on your life begins to change, and how your relationship with Him grows.
Be blessed, make music, live with passion
NS
Thursday, September 20, 2007
The Farm
A successful and very wealthy farmer had twin sons, Michael and Steven, and they all lived together on the most incredible farm. Their farmhouse stood up on a hill in the centre of the farm, with a big wraparound porch that allowed one to look out over the land for as far as the eye could see. To the west the farm was bordered by a ridge of mountains and one could climb the ridge and look out over the thousands of acres of farmland. Looking down from the ridge, the crop squares below alternated in colour – dark and light greens, soft orange and pale brown – like a giant homemade quilt, broken only by the solitary farmhouse standing like a sentinel in the middle of the lands. Far in the distance one could see the grasslands dotted with brown and white cows, majestic horses and chickens pecking in the sand. The farm was everything one could ever imagine.
The farmer absolutely loved the farm and farming. Every day he would wake up before sunrise and head out for the day. When his two sons were old enough he would take them out with him. Even though both boys hated getting up while it was still cold, Michael loved being out on the farm with his dad, but Stephen could not muster up the strength to wake up. Every day the farmer would try get Stephen out of bed, but he would just roll over and tell him to go away.
Without much more the farmer could do, him and Michael would set off before sunrise and climb to the top of the ridge and drink coffee from a flask as the sun rose. Then they would go down into the fields and get to work ploughing or harvesting or irrigating, depending on the season. They would fix fences and build new barns. They would inspect the health of the cows, collect the eggs from the chicken pens and groom the horses. They would drive in the farm vehicle listening to music, laughing and joking, talking and sharing. Sometimes they would head over to the neighbours where, over a hearty farm lunch, they would talk about all kinds of things from farming to sport to weather and news around town. In the evenings they would climb the ridge again and just sit quietly and watch the sun dip below the other side, saying nothing but hearing everything. Michael and the farmer loved their days together.
At night they would come home and sit around the table for dinner, the dinner they had worked hard for all day. While they had been out on the farm, Stephen would only get up late in the day and then lie on the couch watching TV. Despite Stephen’s laziness and lack of passion, the farmer would sit at the table and invite both boys to come and sit with him for dinner. There they would talk about their respective days. He would ask Stephen what he did and how he was and what he was planning to do tomorrow. “I don’t know, same as today, I guess.” When dinner was done they would all play a board game or play some music on the piano, and when it was time for bed, he would tuck them both in, say goodnight and tell them both he loved them more than anything else in the whole world.
I believe this story illustrates God’s love for us. It has been given and there is nothing more that we can do to gain any more love, or lose it, because we have it all already. Whether we spend our lives lying on the couch or being out there living it, He does not love one of His children more or less for that – His love is not dependent on our actions. He still allows us to live in His house and share in His Kingdom. Rather it is that we are missing out on the joy of living an exciting beautiful life on earth with our Dad.
So the moral of the story is that we need not be killing ourselves trying to work for our Father’s love – we have it already through the sacrifice Jesus made for us. But if you do choose to spend your life lying on the couch – by not enjoying the world He has blessed us with, knowing Him and our brothers and sisters and being involved in ministry – know that you are missing out on the life on earth that He wants us to have.
Let’s go out there and live life with our Dad, not because we have to, but because we want to.
The farmer absolutely loved the farm and farming. Every day he would wake up before sunrise and head out for the day. When his two sons were old enough he would take them out with him. Even though both boys hated getting up while it was still cold, Michael loved being out on the farm with his dad, but Stephen could not muster up the strength to wake up. Every day the farmer would try get Stephen out of bed, but he would just roll over and tell him to go away.
Without much more the farmer could do, him and Michael would set off before sunrise and climb to the top of the ridge and drink coffee from a flask as the sun rose. Then they would go down into the fields and get to work ploughing or harvesting or irrigating, depending on the season. They would fix fences and build new barns. They would inspect the health of the cows, collect the eggs from the chicken pens and groom the horses. They would drive in the farm vehicle listening to music, laughing and joking, talking and sharing. Sometimes they would head over to the neighbours where, over a hearty farm lunch, they would talk about all kinds of things from farming to sport to weather and news around town. In the evenings they would climb the ridge again and just sit quietly and watch the sun dip below the other side, saying nothing but hearing everything. Michael and the farmer loved their days together.
At night they would come home and sit around the table for dinner, the dinner they had worked hard for all day. While they had been out on the farm, Stephen would only get up late in the day and then lie on the couch watching TV. Despite Stephen’s laziness and lack of passion, the farmer would sit at the table and invite both boys to come and sit with him for dinner. There they would talk about their respective days. He would ask Stephen what he did and how he was and what he was planning to do tomorrow. “I don’t know, same as today, I guess.” When dinner was done they would all play a board game or play some music on the piano, and when it was time for bed, he would tuck them both in, say goodnight and tell them both he loved them more than anything else in the whole world.
I believe this story illustrates God’s love for us. It has been given and there is nothing more that we can do to gain any more love, or lose it, because we have it all already. Whether we spend our lives lying on the couch or being out there living it, He does not love one of His children more or less for that – His love is not dependent on our actions. He still allows us to live in His house and share in His Kingdom. Rather it is that we are missing out on the joy of living an exciting beautiful life on earth with our Dad.
So the moral of the story is that we need not be killing ourselves trying to work for our Father’s love – we have it already through the sacrifice Jesus made for us. But if you do choose to spend your life lying on the couch – by not enjoying the world He has blessed us with, knowing Him and our brothers and sisters and being involved in ministry – know that you are missing out on the life on earth that He wants us to have.
Let’s go out there and live life with our Dad, not because we have to, but because we want to.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Falling
White knuckles and the beads of sweat
Are not because of the heat
But rather of the need to hold on
To that which I can only get from the Son
The sun that the back of my neck burns
Is not the friendly one for which on summer days I yearned
Rather it spikes me with searing needles
Wearing me down and calling my fate sealed
The sun welcomes the cumulonimbus
That brings rain which further reveals my weakness
The drops at first are cool
But soon my body shivers to the cold of the broken scattered pool
No longer have I energy to hold my fingers in their curl
On the rock crevices that I grasp like an expensive pearl
Slowly I allow gravity to pry open my grip
With it my heels drop below my toes and I slip
Now that I’m in the air falling
I wonder if it’s too late to be calling
I open my mouth and try as I can
But fear delivers a silent scream
Again I try but still there’s no sound
If only I’d called for help but I was too proud
Now death is only a second away
And all I can do is silently pray
Whether it will make a difference I cannot say
But with no audible voice it is my very last grace
I pray for the Son to save me
Before I hit the ground and die silently
The Son He comes but doesn’t catch me
Rather brings before me and makes me see
My refusals to ropes that were offered
All along though pride and arrogance is what I preferred
He tells me that the help was Himself
Trying to save me from myself
But I was too good and too great
To accept help from any other state
Before I hit the floor
He tells me the decision to end it all
Was mine by not choosing His hand
And now as I fall He can’t reverse my choice to make this the end
Darkness falls and the colour black is in my sight
Then I’m standing looking into a bright light
It’s the Son and He’s calling
Now that I’m no longer falling
He says that although I chose to die
He heard the call to be saved that I cried
And He answered by saving me
With Him, to eternal life, blissfully.
Be blessed, make music, live with passion
NS
Are not because of the heat
But rather of the need to hold on
To that which I can only get from the Son
The sun that the back of my neck burns
Is not the friendly one for which on summer days I yearned
Rather it spikes me with searing needles
Wearing me down and calling my fate sealed
The sun welcomes the cumulonimbus
That brings rain which further reveals my weakness
The drops at first are cool
But soon my body shivers to the cold of the broken scattered pool
No longer have I energy to hold my fingers in their curl
On the rock crevices that I grasp like an expensive pearl
Slowly I allow gravity to pry open my grip
With it my heels drop below my toes and I slip
Now that I’m in the air falling
I wonder if it’s too late to be calling
I open my mouth and try as I can
But fear delivers a silent scream
Again I try but still there’s no sound
If only I’d called for help but I was too proud
Now death is only a second away
And all I can do is silently pray
Whether it will make a difference I cannot say
But with no audible voice it is my very last grace
I pray for the Son to save me
Before I hit the ground and die silently
The Son He comes but doesn’t catch me
Rather brings before me and makes me see
My refusals to ropes that were offered
All along though pride and arrogance is what I preferred
He tells me that the help was Himself
Trying to save me from myself
But I was too good and too great
To accept help from any other state
Before I hit the floor
He tells me the decision to end it all
Was mine by not choosing His hand
And now as I fall He can’t reverse my choice to make this the end
Darkness falls and the colour black is in my sight
Then I’m standing looking into a bright light
It’s the Son and He’s calling
Now that I’m no longer falling
He says that although I chose to die
He heard the call to be saved that I cried
And He answered by saving me
With Him, to eternal life, blissfully.
Be blessed, make music, live with passion
NS
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Am I good?
All my life I was gripped by the fear that I was not good. Having been an over achiever from very young, I never knew what it was like to lose. I excelled at everything that I attempted. Even though this was a good thing in many respects, I believed my achievements earned me the love of others (even though they loved me unconditionally).
I then carried this belief into my relationship with God, feeling that even though I had been saved by Jesus’ sacrifice, I still had to ‘be good’ to receive that gift. But also it brought me pride, because generally I felt I was good enough in comparison to other Christians to earn my love from God, so I was safe. But as I moved from school and university and the complexities and challenges in life compounded, I realised that I couldn’t be the best at everything anymore – work, relationships, friendships, family, exercise, God, sport, hobbies – it just became too much. My whole world began to crumble, for the thing in which I had placed my self confidence – my goodness – was in fact proving to be impossible to sustain. So I worked harder and harder to be better, but I couldn’t keep up.
I had to do the only thing that was left to do – realise that I was not in fact loved for my achievements, that the only reason I am loved is because Jesus is love and therefore He loves. It is all about Him and His love. No matter how good I am, He cannot love me more, because He loves me completely already, and no matter how bad I am, He doesn’t love me less.
To do this I had to acknowledge that it was not me that was good. I was always terrified of doing this because if I could not say that I was good, then where would all my confidence go? But therein lies the point – my self confidence was placed in something that was not everlasting, and fast approaching its sell by date. And so I had to say I am not good. But Jesus is. He is perfect in place of me, so I need not be perfect. And the contrary happened to what I worried about – that I would lose all my confidence – I gained all my confidence. Now I was living out of love, living to enjoy him and the people around me and the world he has given us instead of constantly working to keep my love. And suddenly I wanted to do good, not because I needed to be good, but because I was just so stoked to be alive and to be looked at as a perfect human being, because God looks through Jesus when he looks at me.
This poem portrays that change:
Goodness
NS
Do good, they say
And good I do
You are good they say
And good I am by what I do
I walk in pride
With goodness on my shoulder
With my head held high
I see not to people I am colder
The wall shows cracks
I choose not to see
I ignore these signs
Of the faltering goodness in me
My weakness it shows
More each day
No longer can I believe
That being good is my forte
With my wall gone now
Truth looks me in the eye
And I agree for the first time
My own goodness is but a lie
To failure’s onslaught I wait
Ready to quit
But along comes goodness
The real one, or is it?
Jesus He tells me
That goodness is He
And the goodness in me
Is His gift for free
Goodness I receive
By the grace of the Giver
And I see for the first time
I am good in my Saviour
The freedom that comes
Is due to the reason
That goodness no longer
Is mine only for a season
And I look to the heavens
I give thanks and I sing
For with His free gift
No longer a failure,
but the child of the King
Do good He says
And good I do
I am good He says
And Him good, I believe is true
Be blessed, make music, live with passion
NS
I then carried this belief into my relationship with God, feeling that even though I had been saved by Jesus’ sacrifice, I still had to ‘be good’ to receive that gift. But also it brought me pride, because generally I felt I was good enough in comparison to other Christians to earn my love from God, so I was safe. But as I moved from school and university and the complexities and challenges in life compounded, I realised that I couldn’t be the best at everything anymore – work, relationships, friendships, family, exercise, God, sport, hobbies – it just became too much. My whole world began to crumble, for the thing in which I had placed my self confidence – my goodness – was in fact proving to be impossible to sustain. So I worked harder and harder to be better, but I couldn’t keep up.
I had to do the only thing that was left to do – realise that I was not in fact loved for my achievements, that the only reason I am loved is because Jesus is love and therefore He loves. It is all about Him and His love. No matter how good I am, He cannot love me more, because He loves me completely already, and no matter how bad I am, He doesn’t love me less.
To do this I had to acknowledge that it was not me that was good. I was always terrified of doing this because if I could not say that I was good, then where would all my confidence go? But therein lies the point – my self confidence was placed in something that was not everlasting, and fast approaching its sell by date. And so I had to say I am not good. But Jesus is. He is perfect in place of me, so I need not be perfect. And the contrary happened to what I worried about – that I would lose all my confidence – I gained all my confidence. Now I was living out of love, living to enjoy him and the people around me and the world he has given us instead of constantly working to keep my love. And suddenly I wanted to do good, not because I needed to be good, but because I was just so stoked to be alive and to be looked at as a perfect human being, because God looks through Jesus when he looks at me.
This poem portrays that change:
Goodness
NS
Do good, they say
And good I do
You are good they say
And good I am by what I do
I walk in pride
With goodness on my shoulder
With my head held high
I see not to people I am colder
The wall shows cracks
I choose not to see
I ignore these signs
Of the faltering goodness in me
My weakness it shows
More each day
No longer can I believe
That being good is my forte
With my wall gone now
Truth looks me in the eye
And I agree for the first time
My own goodness is but a lie
To failure’s onslaught I wait
Ready to quit
But along comes goodness
The real one, or is it?
Jesus He tells me
That goodness is He
And the goodness in me
Is His gift for free
Goodness I receive
By the grace of the Giver
And I see for the first time
I am good in my Saviour
The freedom that comes
Is due to the reason
That goodness no longer
Is mine only for a season
And I look to the heavens
I give thanks and I sing
For with His free gift
No longer a failure,
but the child of the King
Do good He says
And good I do
I am good He says
And Him good, I believe is true
Be blessed, make music, live with passion
NS
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Claiming the victory
On the cold winter’s night when Ricardo arrived at the camp below Mount Visamunes, he knew that this was his last hope of healing. As a teenager, he had developed a rare bone disease that caused his bones to deteriorate day by day; and which would eventually leave his skeleton so fragile and brittle, that even small bumps would result in breakages. He had seen the world’s best doctors and specialists, begging that one of them could cure him.
They all told him the same thing; there was no cure and he would be lucky if he celebrated his 25th birthday.
Now 22 years old and desperate for anything that could save him, he found himself at the only place that still offered a glimmer of hope. Mount Visamunes was believed to be graced with a lake on the summit that was filled with water rumoured to have medicinal properties, which could heal the sickness that threatened to prematurely end Ricardo’s life.
The next morning when he awoke he stepped outside and looked up at the mountain that towered above him. As he gazed up at the snow capped summit, he realised that he had travelled half way around the world to be here and now he was only a few hours trek from healing. He bubbled with excitement at the prospect of once again running around with his friends, riding a bicycle, or just dealing with a punch on the shoulder without being admitted to hospital.
By now most of the camp was beginning to wake, and all around him Ricardo saw people with the same condition as his, although they lacked his enthusiasm and excitement. He walked over to a man who was sitting on a rock under a tree, with drooped shoulders and his eyes downcast to the patterns he was scratching in the sand. “Hi there. Are you also here to climb to the lake and be healed by the magical water? Is it true that there is healing up there?” he asked.
The man gave a wry smile and replied, “You’re obviously new here. Yes there is healing to be found in the lake; instant healing. All one has to do is make it to the top and drink the water. But getting to the top is unlikely, if not impossible. I have been here for 2 years and still I haven’t made it to the top. It is just too difficult.”
Ricardo could not believe what he was hearing. “But we are so close. Just a few hours walking and we can be cured of this terrible disease, ready to start living!”
The man was now becoming irate at his naïve enthusiasm, “You don’t understand boy. The path is difficult to follow; there are wild animals that can eat you, snakes and scorpions that sting and bite you, thick thorn bush and strong winds that can blow you off the mountain entirely. You would be risking your life by climbing.”
Ricardo thought his final comment somewhat ironic, but decided his efforts were futile. He continued making his way through the camp where everyone he met echoed the sentiments of the first man; there was healing at the top of the mountain, it was just too difficult to get there. After a few hours, with his enthusiasm and hopes of life destroyed, he too went to sit on a rock and scratch in the dirt.
Shortly thereafter a man walked up to him and asked him if he was new here, a man that didn’t have the same look of defeatism in him. Ricardo replied that he had arrived yesterday but that he knew now that there was no way he was going to make it to the top. The man pulled Ricardo to his feet and looked him in the eye, “Listen to me boy, don’t believe what these people have told you. Everyone here sits around feeling sorry for themselves because they believe they haven’t the strength the climb to the top and get their healing. I was just like them. Then one day someone told me about the guide that waits at the foot of the mountain. He knows the way, he carries weapons to fight off dangerous animals, a machete to cut through the bush and is strong enough to hold you up when the winds come. I went to him and followed him to the top. Make no mistake, it was tough and without his help I would never have made it, but I continued walking and eventually made it. Come I’ll take you to him”. The sparkle returned to Ricardo’s eye.
They arrived at the foot of the mountain where he met the guide who was overjoyed that he wanted to make it to the top. They began to walk, and as the walked they talked and joked. The going got tougher and Ricardo’s legs began to ache and his lungs began to burn. The guide let him rest and then encouraged him to continue going, helping him along all the way. They came to a place where the bush was thick and dark, and there were hundreds of evil looking eyes. He could hear hissing and growling. A ferocious looking dog leapt out and snapped at him and that was as much as he could handle. He turned to run back. “Don’t go yet, I’ll protect you,” yelled the guide, “you can go back now but there is no cure down at camp. We can make it to the top, together. Just trust me; I’ve done this many times before.” Ricardo slowed, stopped and then returned. The guide walked beside him, chopping away the bush and fighting off the animals and killing the poisonous snakes lying in the path. Ricardo was terrified, but he continued to walk. When they came out of the bush they were hit by gusting winds, the guide grabbed Ricardo around the waist and held him firmly, and they continued together. They came to a rocky section where Ricardo tripped and broke his ankle and was so tired that he fell down to the ground and began sobbing. “I’ll never make it. It is too difficult. You brought me up here to die. I was safe at camp where there was none of this horrible stuff and now I’m going to die.” The guide told him that he could go down at any time, but there was only a few hundred metres to go. Once again, to his credit, Ricardo got up, threw one arm over the guide’s shoulder and hobbled up to the top.
There his eyes feasted on the most beautiful place he had ever seen. Lush green vegetation alongside the banks of a crystal clear lake that reflected the brilliant blue of the sky. He just flopped into the water, clothes and all. He drank and drank until he thought his stomach would burst. And then he walked out, he stood on the banks and saw his ankle was no longer swollen. The guide gave him a punch on the shoulder and congratulated him for making it and nothing broke. Ricardo was healed! He jumped in the air, he ran into trees and threw stones into the water and jumped off rocks. He was alive again! He looked at the guide and said, “If it wasn’t for you I would never have made it. Thank you. I have to go down and tell the others about this place and tell them that you can get anyone to the top.” Together they ran down the mountain, to tell the others the good news.
Verse: 1 John 5:4,5
“…for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."
What we can learn from this story:
• No matter what struggles we have in life – An addiction, tumultuous relationships, past hurts, financial problems or any sin – God promises us that the battle has already been won. We don’t get to the top of the mountain and then have to fight a dragon; Jesus has already slayed the dragon. Healing awaits us at the top of the mountain; we just have to go get it
• The Holy Spirit is our guide in getting to the top and we don’t have to do it on our own. He shows us where to go; he protects us from all evils and threats. We just have to trust in Him and His supreme power.
• The journey is not easy, and we need to work hard and endure some difficult and testing times to get to the top.
• Believe in the victory that Jesus has won in your life and begin the journey with Him to go and claim your prize!
Be blessed, make music, live with passion
NS
They all told him the same thing; there was no cure and he would be lucky if he celebrated his 25th birthday.
Now 22 years old and desperate for anything that could save him, he found himself at the only place that still offered a glimmer of hope. Mount Visamunes was believed to be graced with a lake on the summit that was filled with water rumoured to have medicinal properties, which could heal the sickness that threatened to prematurely end Ricardo’s life.
The next morning when he awoke he stepped outside and looked up at the mountain that towered above him. As he gazed up at the snow capped summit, he realised that he had travelled half way around the world to be here and now he was only a few hours trek from healing. He bubbled with excitement at the prospect of once again running around with his friends, riding a bicycle, or just dealing with a punch on the shoulder without being admitted to hospital.
By now most of the camp was beginning to wake, and all around him Ricardo saw people with the same condition as his, although they lacked his enthusiasm and excitement. He walked over to a man who was sitting on a rock under a tree, with drooped shoulders and his eyes downcast to the patterns he was scratching in the sand. “Hi there. Are you also here to climb to the lake and be healed by the magical water? Is it true that there is healing up there?” he asked.
The man gave a wry smile and replied, “You’re obviously new here. Yes there is healing to be found in the lake; instant healing. All one has to do is make it to the top and drink the water. But getting to the top is unlikely, if not impossible. I have been here for 2 years and still I haven’t made it to the top. It is just too difficult.”
Ricardo could not believe what he was hearing. “But we are so close. Just a few hours walking and we can be cured of this terrible disease, ready to start living!”
The man was now becoming irate at his naïve enthusiasm, “You don’t understand boy. The path is difficult to follow; there are wild animals that can eat you, snakes and scorpions that sting and bite you, thick thorn bush and strong winds that can blow you off the mountain entirely. You would be risking your life by climbing.”
Ricardo thought his final comment somewhat ironic, but decided his efforts were futile. He continued making his way through the camp where everyone he met echoed the sentiments of the first man; there was healing at the top of the mountain, it was just too difficult to get there. After a few hours, with his enthusiasm and hopes of life destroyed, he too went to sit on a rock and scratch in the dirt.
Shortly thereafter a man walked up to him and asked him if he was new here, a man that didn’t have the same look of defeatism in him. Ricardo replied that he had arrived yesterday but that he knew now that there was no way he was going to make it to the top. The man pulled Ricardo to his feet and looked him in the eye, “Listen to me boy, don’t believe what these people have told you. Everyone here sits around feeling sorry for themselves because they believe they haven’t the strength the climb to the top and get their healing. I was just like them. Then one day someone told me about the guide that waits at the foot of the mountain. He knows the way, he carries weapons to fight off dangerous animals, a machete to cut through the bush and is strong enough to hold you up when the winds come. I went to him and followed him to the top. Make no mistake, it was tough and without his help I would never have made it, but I continued walking and eventually made it. Come I’ll take you to him”. The sparkle returned to Ricardo’s eye.
They arrived at the foot of the mountain where he met the guide who was overjoyed that he wanted to make it to the top. They began to walk, and as the walked they talked and joked. The going got tougher and Ricardo’s legs began to ache and his lungs began to burn. The guide let him rest and then encouraged him to continue going, helping him along all the way. They came to a place where the bush was thick and dark, and there were hundreds of evil looking eyes. He could hear hissing and growling. A ferocious looking dog leapt out and snapped at him and that was as much as he could handle. He turned to run back. “Don’t go yet, I’ll protect you,” yelled the guide, “you can go back now but there is no cure down at camp. We can make it to the top, together. Just trust me; I’ve done this many times before.” Ricardo slowed, stopped and then returned. The guide walked beside him, chopping away the bush and fighting off the animals and killing the poisonous snakes lying in the path. Ricardo was terrified, but he continued to walk. When they came out of the bush they were hit by gusting winds, the guide grabbed Ricardo around the waist and held him firmly, and they continued together. They came to a rocky section where Ricardo tripped and broke his ankle and was so tired that he fell down to the ground and began sobbing. “I’ll never make it. It is too difficult. You brought me up here to die. I was safe at camp where there was none of this horrible stuff and now I’m going to die.” The guide told him that he could go down at any time, but there was only a few hundred metres to go. Once again, to his credit, Ricardo got up, threw one arm over the guide’s shoulder and hobbled up to the top.
There his eyes feasted on the most beautiful place he had ever seen. Lush green vegetation alongside the banks of a crystal clear lake that reflected the brilliant blue of the sky. He just flopped into the water, clothes and all. He drank and drank until he thought his stomach would burst. And then he walked out, he stood on the banks and saw his ankle was no longer swollen. The guide gave him a punch on the shoulder and congratulated him for making it and nothing broke. Ricardo was healed! He jumped in the air, he ran into trees and threw stones into the water and jumped off rocks. He was alive again! He looked at the guide and said, “If it wasn’t for you I would never have made it. Thank you. I have to go down and tell the others about this place and tell them that you can get anyone to the top.” Together they ran down the mountain, to tell the others the good news.
Verse: 1 John 5:4,5
“…for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."
What we can learn from this story:
• No matter what struggles we have in life – An addiction, tumultuous relationships, past hurts, financial problems or any sin – God promises us that the battle has already been won. We don’t get to the top of the mountain and then have to fight a dragon; Jesus has already slayed the dragon. Healing awaits us at the top of the mountain; we just have to go get it
• The Holy Spirit is our guide in getting to the top and we don’t have to do it on our own. He shows us where to go; he protects us from all evils and threats. We just have to trust in Him and His supreme power.
• The journey is not easy, and we need to work hard and endure some difficult and testing times to get to the top.
• Believe in the victory that Jesus has won in your life and begin the journey with Him to go and claim your prize!
Be blessed, make music, live with passion
NS
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
The best is yet to come
This weekend one of my good mates got married. It was the most incredible wedding I’ve ever been to – God was everywhere. During the service, while sitting in the broken shade of a willow tree under the warm African sun, I got the most incredible sense of God’s power in the place. Everything just felt so right; it felt like this is how things were meant to be. This is what He intended marriage to be when He created it: the union of two of His children, deeply in love with Him firstly and then in love with one another; making a commitment to walk, together, with Him, for eternity. It is really hard to imagine that anything between two people can be more perfect than a marriage centred on Christ. There was something unexplainable about the love and raw Godly power that permeated through the place – God was pleased, I have no doubt.
But besides that I want to share with you what the pastor spoke about – that the best is yet to come.
Have you ever wondered why a relationship to which you've committed doesn’t have the same kind of future excitement as the memories of the past?
Or do you dream about past experiences and people, wishing for it because you will never have that again?
Do you worry about getting older, looking in the mirror wishing for your youth?
He told the story of Jesus at the wedding.
In short: The wine at the wedding runs out, Jesus is asked to help a brother out, so He tells them to fill some jars with water and He turns the water to wine. Easy as pie.
A servant takes a glass of the wine to the master of the banquet who, heartily impressed, says to the bridegroom, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” (John 2:10)
The most awesome thing about this is that the best is still to come when we are walking with Jesus. If things are bad, they can only get better and if things are good, then they can also only get better.
Paul confirms this when he writes, “Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” (2 Cor 4:16)
Bottom line: as earthly humans we are wasting away. We are fading flowers, there is nothing we can do to stop our aging or that our heyday on earth comes and goes before we know it. But if what we care about most is our relationship with Christ, then the fading of our minds and bodies is nothing in comparison with the renewal that takes place inside our hearts and spirit, every day, through the power of the Holy Spirit. And the best part of it is that we are going forward…toward the best times of our lives…always…when we place Jesus number one.
Every now and then you hear a couple who has been married for 40 or 50 years and when asked how they did it, they say that they love their spouse more today than they did 40 or 50 years ago. I never could quite understand that, how can you love this person more – all old and wrinkled and unable to do cool stuff – than the person he/she was when they were young.
But now it all makes sense; love is something that grows over time, it’s something that is inside. And Jesus fills us with the ability to love. As we walk with Him, we are renewed daily – it's like every day the old skin is peeled off to reveal a new fresh skin below – more able and stronger to love and enjoy the good times ahead.
Be blessed, make music, live with passion
NS
But besides that I want to share with you what the pastor spoke about – that the best is yet to come.
Have you ever wondered why a relationship to which you've committed doesn’t have the same kind of future excitement as the memories of the past?
Or do you dream about past experiences and people, wishing for it because you will never have that again?
Do you worry about getting older, looking in the mirror wishing for your youth?
He told the story of Jesus at the wedding.
In short: The wine at the wedding runs out, Jesus is asked to help a brother out, so He tells them to fill some jars with water and He turns the water to wine. Easy as pie.
A servant takes a glass of the wine to the master of the banquet who, heartily impressed, says to the bridegroom, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” (John 2:10)
The most awesome thing about this is that the best is still to come when we are walking with Jesus. If things are bad, they can only get better and if things are good, then they can also only get better.
Paul confirms this when he writes, “Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” (2 Cor 4:16)
Bottom line: as earthly humans we are wasting away. We are fading flowers, there is nothing we can do to stop our aging or that our heyday on earth comes and goes before we know it. But if what we care about most is our relationship with Christ, then the fading of our minds and bodies is nothing in comparison with the renewal that takes place inside our hearts and spirit, every day, through the power of the Holy Spirit. And the best part of it is that we are going forward…toward the best times of our lives…always…when we place Jesus number one.
Every now and then you hear a couple who has been married for 40 or 50 years and when asked how they did it, they say that they love their spouse more today than they did 40 or 50 years ago. I never could quite understand that, how can you love this person more – all old and wrinkled and unable to do cool stuff – than the person he/she was when they were young.
But now it all makes sense; love is something that grows over time, it’s something that is inside. And Jesus fills us with the ability to love. As we walk with Him, we are renewed daily – it's like every day the old skin is peeled off to reveal a new fresh skin below – more able and stronger to love and enjoy the good times ahead.
Be blessed, make music, live with passion
NS
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
The Serenity Prayer
Recently a friend gave me this: The Serenity Prayer. Most people know the first verse, but there are a couple more to it, and this is in fact where the meat of it lies. Enjoy!
The Serenity Prayer
Reinhold Niebhur 1926
God, grant me the serenity to
accept the things I cannot change
Courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference
Living one day at a time
Enjoying one moment at a time
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace
Taking this sinful world as it is and not as I would have it
Trusting that You will make all things right as I surrender to Your will
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
And supremely happy with You in the next
The Serenity Prayer
Reinhold Niebhur 1926
God, grant me the serenity to
accept the things I cannot change
Courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference
Living one day at a time
Enjoying one moment at a time
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace
Taking this sinful world as it is and not as I would have it
Trusting that You will make all things right as I surrender to Your will
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
And supremely happy with You in the next
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