1500 Bibles to Malawi - Supporting the Secret Children

I have been spending some time focussing on the secret children of the persecuted church. More then praying, rather trying to comprehend their struggles. Nothing can illustrate that which they go through.

Something dawned on me regarding their freedom. Even though paradoxical, I believe they experience an unknown freedom of faith. Many, with limited knowledge, proclaim their faith that God is who He says He is, and will do what He says He will do.

These children and persecuted brothers and sisters are the ones who should be praying for us who so easily become comfortable in the pursuit to live out the Good News against all worldly odds. They do not bicker about useless thoughts, they rather hold on to and live the truth they know.

The Bible as Word of God is our main source to knowing God, one we easily forget the value of. Many of the persecuted may not even own one, while others go to great lengths to share the tattered and torn pieces of the one's they as community group have.

This December there will be a group of South Africans going to Malawi to deliver Bibles to families and communities, in their own languages. This group is in need of our support. Other then joining the group in visiting our brothers and sisters there, the need for financial support to purchase the Bibles is great.

From 8 - 20 December 2011, a group of 6 will be setting out to deliver Bibles to the worth of R82 500 throughout Malawi. Now R30 000 is still needed. Please pray for the group as they prepare and set out on their mission.

For more information or if you wish to join the group, please contact Peter at petjhattin@gmail.com.
If you wish to help with the payment of the Bibles, please find the banking details below.

Account name: GK Cachet
ABSA, Tom street 335 138
Number: 067 034 0023
Ref. Malawi Bibles

May these persecuted brothers and sister keep us in their prayers as they continue to fight the good fight for the Good News that we may need to hear. May our eyes be opened to what faith looks like.

To find the Afrikaans letter, follow this link

Divine blessing through PUK-choir devotion

Caught up in the hustle and bustle of the sounds of everyday living, I easily forget the melodic sounds and harmonic vibrations of one of God’s most divine creations - the choir.

The PUK-choir granted me the privilege of observing their joyful worship. As former student and lover of music, my being resounded as the harmonious melodies engulfed my senses. Drowning in tears, I watched and listened as their humble instructor conducted them. Swayed by the choir and overwhelmed by the music, I vulnerably gave way to have my eyes opened to this intimate relationship with God.

Many may not even know how much insight they communicate by simply being part of that choir. Although flawed, as all of us are, these individuals have come to pour themselves out to practising who they are in a unique, yet similar way. Blessed with voices to glorify God, they spend many hours in training to use these voices for the made purpose. One in goal, they communicate a basic Kingdom principle. Submitting to the conductor, patiently practising together in unity, and enduring with a hope of success, these individuals lovingly build the choir body to fulfil its purpose.

I found there something ever more profound than the basic workings of a choir. More then separate voices, signs and percussion sounds, or soothing backing instruments, was the family. Each fulfilling their parts in contributing to the music, they revealed how beauty aught to be made and shared by and for more then just a few. Completely devoting their lives to the cause of this beauty they lovingly yet unknowingly care for the needs of their fellow choir members.

I found something of the Kingdom in more then the breath-taking music. I was challenged and transformed by the devotion and natural effect of loving care flowing from their desperate search to practise Kingdom living in their own lives with the tools and talents they were granted. Indeed blessing us with music and with prayer, the glimpse into the true reality of God’s reign made the PUK-choir experience divine.

In grace being swayed by the Spirit

O, what grace to find yourself moved,
granted the heavenly wisdom.

Swayed, uprooted, completely displaced

evident proof of the Kingdom.

Astounded by His revealing presence,

everything to fulfilment.

Sense, logic, reason, peace.

Overwhelmingly, yes, luminescent.

Adopting God's agenda -

Surrender. Submit.
Random looses meaning

always a define fit.

His provision never lacking,

in abundance we rejoice!

Called to love, in faith and trust,

our neighbour as ourselves.

Our desperate yet proud stands

proclaim the anxious longing,

Stirring of and through the spirit

hearts that need fulfilling

Eyes that want and need to see

Faith distilled, tested true

Living hope, enduring odds
Infectious love, proclaiming You!

Inspired by John 3

Allowing rubbing off for the benefit of maturing

It is time to be honest and vulnerable with you regarding the places and views in my life where I am being showed how unsorted I truly am.

One of the most influential and valuable people in my life is a friend who sets out to challenge others on what they believe and how their faith gets hands and feet.  This friend has been rubbing off on me to.

One of the things he pointed out regarding community and fellowship is the difference between together and next to.  When looking at toddlers playing, you will notice the difference between playing next to each other in relation to playing together.  I can definitely relate to this as I tend to life next to others.  I live my life detached from others.  This in effect leaves me lonely, and in truth nullifies what I call relationship with others, and what it truly is.   

Setting out at the beginning of this year to try to live and understand the meaning of relationship, my worldly logic had to change to see what it means.  Only the logic of Christ can show the true meaning when put to practice.  To not only be changed by His truth, but also by the people He sets up in our lives to influence us.  The brutality of my honesty in a gathering a while back revealed my own faulty views. I confessed that I do not like others rubbing off on me.  You can imagine my surprise then I found this view horribly skewed.  In my ignorant selfish practises, I robbed myself and others of much needed community.

If the best thing for me is God, and the best thing for you is God, and He askes us to love others as we loves ourselves, then our faith becomes priority to be shared and sculpted by others.  I find stories of faith and life extremely interesting, and I value the sharing of these stories greatly.  Therefor, the question puzzling me is the true value of these stories if it does not change us, bring us closer in relationship and build unity in love to become the faithfully mature bride.  

Jaloers oor ander se liefde vir my geliefde

Ek voel vandag soos die Hooglied vrou wat soekend hunker na haar geliefde. 

’n Kring gelowiges, wat ek verkeerdelik op uiterlike oorweging beoordeel het, het my hart in verlange laat uitroep “Sê vir Hom dat die liefde my verteer”.

Hoe eienaardig wanneer die hart begin bons en spring wanneer ek Sy Naam op ander se lippe hoor.  Die opgewondenheid wanneer sy Naam verheerlik word oor hoe Hy, my Geliefde, ander se lewens aanraak en hul uit die duisternis lei. 

Asemrowend om in daardie oomblik ook te kon weet langsaan my, binne my en omarmende rondom my is Sy teenwoordigheid, net soos vir elk van daardie gelowiges in die gebedskring. 

Laat ons Hom aanroep, want die Een wat ons gemaak het, die Een wat ons steeds onderhou en ons siele innig liefhet is juis opgewonde oor ons liefde vir Hom.  My geliefde het nie van my weg gegaan nie, Hy is altyd hier.  Miskien is ek net die hardkoppige bakleierige dwase vrou wat onenigheid saai in my liefdes verhouding met Hom.  Genadiglik is Hy nie soos ons mense nie, maar juis die Een wat ons kom wys hoe om mens te wees.

Finding the enemy within me

Dashed and disillusioned, shattered and broken.

O, the horror of knowing the enemy…

Acting out of ignorance and stupidity,

sincerely wrong good intentions.

eyes opened,  seeing the Pain caused to the wounded Body.

Knowing the hands, and seeing the heart

of the enemy of the Kingdom.

Sickening

silenced…

The war inside persists, the Holy One winning.

Revealing the ignorant rebelliousness of an unwilling heart

numbing, even wounding young and old parts.

Let Your Kingdom come! Let it come now!

May the scars remind of ignorant rebellion,

for the healing has started with eyes being opened.

In complete submission healthy maturity may develop.

A joyful place as the Kingdom dawns.

A wordless teaching through trauma

After having a long effective but lonely day, I was blessed with a brother having time to talk.  This friend works at the Engen garage in Erasmuskloof.  After having a long and encouraging chat, I was heading in for some coffee at the Coco when a woman came walking by looking traumatized.   Asking to make a call from my phone, she realized her phone was gone.  Contributing to her trauma, she just kept on walking, and crying.  John and I did not even hesitate to go after her, and eventually she was convinced to join me inside the Bistro.  

After her repeated inquiry on who I am, and why I would at this particular place, I realised that the trauma the is experiencing, the pain and suffering cannot be put into words.  Letting go of wanting to inquire on the reason for her distress, I quickly used the tools available.  With great appreciation for the skills I came to practice, we used the social media to get in contact with her family.  A mere 20 minutes from first contact to pickup, we became sisters. 

The love that we need to live out comes in incomprehensible packages.   Her continual denial of being free to ask God why stuck with me.  One of my street brothers once prayed for the people in prisons.  Here I found a sister who is being imprisoned by some lie that our Father shuns His children away, denying them the comfort that only He can provide. 

In this double blessing, I not only came to understand something about the lies we dare not challenge, due to the possible live changing effect. I also came to see that just being comforted in presence we are the provision to others for which we ourselves long.  We may just be the provision God sends to others.  It just comes to show that within the Body, we are set apart to fulfil certain roles. If not acting when occasion calls, and led in the spirit, we may just be disrespecting and abandoning our fellow brothers and sisters in not carrying the Good news we live by.  

Sweet growth amongst street brothers

Throughout the past few weeks, family has been a great challenge for me.  Finding everyone to be a brother and sister, everywhere to be home and One Father and Lord of all, it automatically causes focus on the role I play in the lives of others.  I joined the OMNIchurch #lovedrive this week as we set out to find brothers and if possible sisters sleeping or staying on the streets of Church Square Pretoria. 

As Storyteller for the Kingdom, I believe in using communication as an intentional method of faith formation.  Challenged with this calling, I set out to do a bit of intentional living.  What a surprise!  Treating these brothers just the same as any other, and expecting them to share, contribute and become part of the Omnichurch mission of sharing the challenge of living church, and coming together to share the challenges faced, these brothers impressed me with a desperate longing for true relationship.  Letting go of expectation, and letting the Spirit bind us together, these brothers started asking questions exposing the longing for the body of love. 

There men expressed the thirst for real relationship with God.  Knowing that I in no way can fulfil this, the only support I could give was in living and sharing the relationship I have.  The need for community for these brothers are is more than I can comprehend.  It desperately calls to the body.  The light that was shining in their eyes leaved me astounded as I realised that I may have extended them some of the grace that I have received.   What gets me is the fact that neither they, nor God needs me to build and proclaim His kingdom.  However, to be part of the story of the Kingdom, to be in this loving relationship with God, this is undeserved love, undeserved life!

I long to go back and join these brothers as they start the wonderful journey of getting to know God, being in true relationship with Him, and falling in love with the Son.  

If I hope to live without failure - a poem

A poem from the book "When enough is enough" by David Augsburger

Then no errors are tolerated, no faults dare to be accepted,
no weaknesses are to be appreciated, no immaturity is allowed.
Perfection is obviously a minimum requirement.
Anything beyond perfection is proof of your worth
and evidence of your gratitude to parents, mentors,
ideal self, or God.
Anything less than perfection is the sign of being a bad person.
Since (to fail is to be a failure) -
FAILURE IS FINAL.
(Let's press toward/beyond perfection)

Let the hope die.

Freedom to chose is freedom to fail.
An act of failing does not make one a failure.
The risk of living fully includes the right to fail boldly.
Since (although it is painful) -

FREEDOM TO FAIL IS FREEDOM TO GROW

Tears of astonishment in finding holy change on platform faith

Daring to step upon the platform of facing that which I used to call who I am, and how I serve, I did not expect nor were I prepared to meet Jesus there waiting for me.

With great joy, excitement and anticipation I picked up my mother at the bus station yesterday.  We are so much alike it is sometimes scary.  This I say with great love in my heart for this special woman.  With a deep need do really get to know her I have been blessed to have time truly away from the hold my parents had on me.  I loved them to the extent that they became my idols.  After some time, growth and perspective apart and looking to the Truth for truth, I can truly get to know them.  This short two days have already been filled with grace and love as I came to see her as the darling daughter of our Father, in her own right being loved for who she is. 

My burning subjecting experience of detachment was only in truth my misunderstanding of who she is, and who I am.  Seeing her strengths and gifts that she has to offer to the body, I come to see that we are indeed not the same.  We are separately special for God, and indispensible for the functioning of the church.  Yet which is unmistakably true is the need that we both harbour for our loving Leader, Husband and Friend directing us towards our loving, faithful Father. 

No amount of words can undo the loss of these past years of misunderstanding, and no amount of tears can communicate the anguish felt for misguided detached families.  This may be my own display of the deep change and movement God works within me to understand something of His love for the church.  But staying in this unfulfilling lie is not just a denial of who Jesus is and what He has done for us, but it is also a denial of what is to be seen in the church as family.  How willing are we to experience holy discontent with what is undeniably in contrast with what true family should be, what the church truly should be. 

Intimiteit as afbeelding van verhouding met God.

Ek glo die hartseerste sonde van die kerk is die houding teenoor ander van “Don’t know, don’t care”.   As liefde omgee en sorg is, dan is om nie om te gee of daaroor om te gee nie die mees liefdeloosste daad.  As sonde optrede buite die verhouding met God is, impliseer verhouding met Hom omgee, sorg, belangstelling en dus liefde. 

My ouma het altyd gesê: “Love begets love”.  God is liefde en sy opdrag aan ons is om ander so lief te hê soos wat ons onsself het. Ek ervaar dat God vir my die allerbeste keuse en diepste verlange is.  As Hy dan vir my die allerbeste is en sy hart is dat almal dit kan ken en ervaar, dan moet ons omgee of ander dit ook ken en ervaar.  Ons word dus opgeroep om in verhouding met ander om te gee of hulle ook in verhouding met God staan.

Verhoudings het ‘’n wedersydse dinamika.  God gee, maar ons moet genoeg in verhouding omgee om te ontvang wat ons nie by magte is om self terug te gee nie.  God ken ons goed genoeg om te weet ons kan nie terug gee in dieselfde mate nie.  Hy vra wel dat die hart in dankbaarheid ontvang en van daar leef na ander.  In oop verhouding kan ons vrymoedig tot God nader om die liefde ontvang wat ons bring tot bekering van die ou mens na die nuwe lewende mens.  Omdat God deur mense werk, ongeag waar, wie en wanneer, moet ons dus genoeg liefde in verhouding hê om Jesus in ander te soek.  Wat meer is, ons moet omgee of hulle ook na Hom soek en smag.

Oop verhouding deur ander lief te hê, skep geleentheid om intimiteit te ontdek.  Dit bowenal met broer en susters.  In intimiteit lê die sleutel tot dissipelskap, want daar is liefde deur die Gees se bindende werking die afbeelding van verhouding met Jesus. Inderdaad verhouding met God.

Host and guest of honour at the same time

Growing in intentional personal relationship with God got new meaning in a quest of evaluation of my intentions for spending time with God and studying the Scriptures.  In Rev 3:20 God reveals something mysterious and wonderful about the joy of intentionally spending time with Him.  There is something about the Kingdom to be found in being the host of God when searching for His life-giving light in our lives.  The metaphor of sharing in a festive meal with Jesus where you get to converse and have fellowship with God becomes a life changing event. 

Eating together is never only about being filled, but also exchanging words and sharing lives. In any conversation or time spent with anyone there comes a point when the relationship deepens as the parties present open their hearts to be shaped by each other.  In Matthews Jesus calls to open our ears. In John the call emphasizes putting the taken Word into action. 1 Peter reminds us that this hunger to come to the festival with God can have no compromises and should fill our lives with a desperate searching therefor.  

Reminded by the refuge we have in Him, we have the privilege to not only pour out our hearts before Him, but to truly trust in Him.  This points us to an address for our hearts, whatever the burden.  It seems that God yearns for us to want to have fellowship with Him.  As though He waits for the time when we open our hearts to be hosts in the festival with Him, where He becomes the Host in treating us like His guests of honour when He opens His heart to us. 

As relationship forms with openness, intimacy develops.  In studying the Bible for informational purposes we may just be missing the intimate relationship derived from knowing God.  Time spent with God is much more important than what you do while you are with Him. Getting to know Him is much more important than getting to know about Him.

Koninkryk gevind in woorde van eenvoud

Donovan
A photo by I AM Pretoria

“Jy kan nie vir jouself bid nie”. 

Donovan, ‘’n boemelaar broer, het vandag Koninkryk woorde gespreek met hierdie stelling.  Soos gebruiklikerwys op ‘’n Sondag oggend het ons vandag na Cafe Riché op Kerkplein gegaan om as OMNI groep bymekaar te kom.  Hier kom ons saam om te deel oor wat God in ons lewens bewerk, hoe ons kerk uitleef en waar ons vir Jesus raakgeloop het.  Die groep het wel vandag net bestaan uit myself en ‘’n kosbare man na aan God se hart. Later het ons boemelaar broer, Donovan, ook met ons kom deel.

In ons gesprek oor hoe God aan die gang is in die wêreld en hoe ons meer diensbaar vir Hom kan wees, resoneer die liefde van gemeenskap en lewe in ons broer soos hy ons dophou nie vêr weg nie.  Soos ons ‘’n gedeelte lees uit die Woord en stop om Rom 1:14 te bepeins, kom hy met eenvoudige woorde van waarheid en roep ons op tot gebede wat nie onderskeid tref tussen mense nie.  Vanuit sy geskiedenis is daar min wat die lewe moeiliker as hy beleef.  Tog is sy onselfsugtige gebede gerig op die wat in tronke, hospitale en op straat is.  Miskien is dit omdat hy self sulke omstandighede beleef het en daarom weet hoe moeilik dit is. Ongeag die rede, sy hart brand warm van omgee vir mense en veral broers en susters in sulke omstandighede.

Hoe baie vorme van gevangenis, siekte en verwerping is daar nie in die lewe buite die realiteit van die Koninkryk van Christus nie.  Donovan leef in afhanklikheid van God en soos Paulus dra hy en ons die verantwoordelikheid om teenoor almal, ongeag agtergrond of opvoeding, die Goeie Nuus van Christus se verlossing en Koningsheerskappy nou reeds in hierdie lewe te ken en daarvoor te leef!

Longing to go home interrupted by life – a change of heart

My life seems to be filled with constant interruptions with my time spent longing to be with Christ.  Like Paul in his letter to the Philippines, I too long to depart. Yet, it is also he who calls me to the challenge of evaluating my heart on its motives for my chosen lifestyle.  He also gives the answer in his letter to the Ephesians when he calls to set up our lives in accordance to the calling that God gave us and this within the relationship with Christ. 

For the past week I have been privileged to join a precious group of brothers and sisters in going out to Swaziland and just serve and support a mission there.  Laying down my own selfish desires of self-righteousness God softly opened my eyes to the misdirection my life was in by revealing my heart. He did this the moment I decided to actually be transformed by His presence in and through me.  I so often avoided the chances to be changed by Him as I thought I may be losing out by letting go of the illusion of wealth in life.  A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush is a common misconception in our lives when it comes to what we believe are important and of worth.  Just as the transition from worm to moth, we too need to be transformed to become what He intended us to be.  Dying as a worm seems to be a loss to the worm, but gaining a new identity as a butterfly, the butterfly would never look back on that which it left behind. 

Because of Christ, and Him in our lives we are graciously unable to go back to being worms. In revealing our new identities, He calls us to fly higher, live deeper, and long harder for proclaiming His glorious Kingdom. Whilst still on earth, we have the joyful calling to help others to grow and experience the joy of their faith (Phil 1:20 NLT).  Let this be the direction your heart takes when being interrupted by life while you long to go home.  

Challenge: Enthusiastic love and grace because of His divine love and grace

It has been a tough time walking with Jesus the past few months, especially in the willingness to be taught by Jesus as He taught throughout His life.  The accumulating messages of the Kingdom challenged not just some of my perceptions, but harshly shown to be in contrast with my willingness in follow Him.  The hardship I have found I would like to share with you tonight, the question of our enthusiasm to practice love and grace to the unworthy.

Throughout His life He called out to those who were given to follow Him, to prepare and live in the glorious knowledge and reality of His Kingdom.  Maybe in this final act of confirmation, He lovingly and willingly displays the unfathomable act of grace as He demonstrates the truth about it – acting unfairly in taking upon Himself the punishment that rightly should have been poured out upon us. 

This is the example to follow, to show those who rightly do not deserve love and grace we should indeed deny ourselves and be true in showing grace.  It seems easy to show grace to the needy and poor, but what about those we find who are close and indeed stubborn and, in our eyes unworthy of love through their deeds and everyday walk?  How easily closeness blinds us.  We are blessed when invited to join Jesus in the prayer He shares with us in John 17.  How lovingly He prays for us, His beloved and close ones, still blinded by our own stubbornness and ignorance, for our Father to teach us the truth while still in the world.  The pinnacle of Jesus’s teachings in this staggering act of grace in offering His life on the cross challenges human reference and reach.  

How eager are we to be taught by God in practicing this perfect example of love and grace? 

Astoundingly true to His Word

Broken and weak I write this log tonight, for some old forgotten wounds have been and are being opened.  My life has been going through constant change recently, and to my amazement it seems to still be changing.  The amount of things and places of change within a person are already one of the areas of astonishment.  What takes my breath away lies in the mysterious ways God causes things to change within us, and keeps the process going on.  When He starts working, He doesn’t stop.  We never arrive, we stay in process with Him, for the purpose of His work is to be changing us to become like Jesus Christ.  I have asked God to reveal and heal my heart, helping me understand why some things seem to be turned upside-down or inside-out.  True as one would always find Him, He is causing that which is weak and lame to become strong.  Never doubting that the process He takes us through is done with a higher cause, it gives me great pleasure to keep in mind that He is willing to compromise our temporal happiness in order to increase the Chrislikeness that He is working within us.  Tired to the point of exhaustion, I realize that we so badly fight against letting go of our own dreams and desires even with the knowledge that within God the untold treasure to be found is life and that in abundance. 

Graciously broken, the astonishing peace flowing from the deep place of knowledge and communion with God, my expectation now lies in finding Him and the illumination of the mysteries of His Kingdom.  How awesome is our God! 

Die Bistro op Kerkplein

Maandag het ek begin werk by 'n pikante  Bistro op Kerkplein in Pretoria, Café Riche.  Wanneer jy die oerwoud van verkeer en onplesierig norse mense aanpak  sal jy hier vind ‘n juweel in die hartjie van die stad.  Hier, met Oom Paul se standbeeld net agter die bome weggesteek, is een van die ou geboue omskep in ‘’n restourantjie.  Wel, die plekkie is nou al 17 jaar hier, so imagine die atmosfeer!  Teen sesuur die oggend word die deure geopen. Die geur van varsgebakte brood en opregte koffie verwarm en omskep die stil grou oggend in ‘n teater soos die plein wakker word.  Soos in My Fair Lady, deur Frederick Loewe, waar die plein stuk vir stuk wakker word, so kan jy hier ook die stad sien wakker word.  Die verskil is net die lieflike koffie en die aangename personeel wat jou begroet en bedien. 

So hou elke stukkie van die dag ‘n verrassing in.  Van die blommestalletjie se spotgoedkoop blomme, tot die solder wat vol water is.  Daar is nie ‘n plekkie om te kyk of gaatjie om in te krap waar daar nie ietsie moois te vinde is nie.  Die pragtige argitektuur, die interessante stories van die gaste, die samesyn agter in die kombuis; die lys is nimmereindigend.

In die hele proses van aanpas en inpas in ‘n nuwe sisteem het ek ‘n paar goedjies agtergekom. 

• Nuwe uitdagings is slegs so vreesaanjaend soos jy sit self maak. 
• ‘n Breë glimlag breek klaar die ys, maar die ’n koue hart kan jy nie warm maak nie.
• Die beste manier om deel te word, is om deel te wees.  Gee van jouself weg sonder om te verwag dat jy terug sal ontvang.
• Jy het nie baie tyd nodig om ‘n inpak te maak op iemand nie, so gebruik die tyd verstandig met die groter prentjie ingedagte

Ek is wel alreeds weer op pad weg.  Ek het ‘n fantastiese geleentheid en is baie opgewonde oor die uitdaging.  Tog is my hart swaar om hierdie plekkie te moet agterlaat.  Daar is so baie wat ek gaan herroep in die vervolg, soveel mooi en aangename dingetjies.  Dis nie so lekker om die vriendinne en familie wat ek in die afgelope 3 dae gemaak het te moet agterlaat nie.  Kort, maar so kragtig die invloed wat gelowiges op mekaar het.  Die versterking is onskatbaar in waarde en ek is bly om te weet ek kan altyd hier kan inloer, my hart oopmaak, en geestelike en vleeslike verfrissing ontvang. Broers en susters in Christus het nie velkleur, taal, sosiale status of enige sulke snert aan nie.  

Kerk is wanneer Christus werklik vir jou is oral en in almal!  Hier het ek iets van daardie verhoudinge leer verstaan.

'n Nuwe Verwysing op Verhoudinge

Ek beskou myself as verhoudings gestremd.  Lag maar lekker, dis my persepsie daarvan.  Ek het groot geword om nie goeie mense verhoudinge te ontwikkel nie, nie dat dit werklik sleg uitgedraai het nie, dis net onder ontwikkeld.  Genadiglik is ek nie onveranderbaar nie, want gelukkig behoort ek nie aan myself of my eie lot nie...

Na baie trane in eensaamheid het ek hierdie tekort reguit in die oë gekyk, en hardop verklaar dat ek totaal onvermoënd is om daaraan enige iets te kan verander, omgedraai en dit gelos om te vergaan.  Met die verklaring het my hart en my fondasie gebreek, ek het deur my verwysingsraamwerk geval en die mure van my eie koninkrykie het neer getuimel.  Jip, ek was 'n gemors.  My woorde was swaarde, en my houding het gestink.

Moet nie te jammer voel nie, want die issues wat ek tot op daardie stadium gedra het het al veroorsaak dat baie mense met my kon vereenselwig...  Dis mense wat met mense kan bemoeienis hê.  

Nie soveel dag en datum as keerpunt nie, maar om in verhouding te kom met alles wat ek is, dis keerpunt.  In totale oorgawe met die wete dat my persepsie, paradigmas en verwysings nie ooreenstem met die genadige liefde van ons Vader nie, is ek gebring om 'n hele paar lesse te leer oor verhoudings.

Hou bietjie 'n ogie oop vir wat ek met julle gaan deel.  Dit is interresant hoe God Homself as verhoudings Skepper die voorbeeld kom stel.

Hartsake

Om alles van water te weet het min betekenis as dit nie gedrink word nie. Blote boeke kennis is koud en dood.  Kennis van ons Koning en God, Jesus, is net so van min waarde as ons nie drink en eet van Hom nie, dis nog nie verhouding nie.  Die bose geeste weet ook van Jesus. Hul is baie intens bewus van sy Koningskap en heerskappy en sidder van vrees oor die vernietigende impak wat Hy op hulle wese het.  In verhouding met Hom is daar in ons ook ‘n vrees, wel een van heerlike en heilige vrees vir Hom. 

Om in verhouding met Hom te kom, en dan deur Hom gebring te word om in intensiteit te vorder om vanuit hierdie diepte plek te lewe en te groei is vanself ‘n openbaring.  Buiten dat dit sy genade en liefde openbaar, kom toon Hy daarin ook Homself, en meer nog, kom toon Hy sy hart aan ons.  Omdat sy Gees nie net die Godheid ken en ons aan Christus bind wat ons tot die Vader bring nie, ken Hy ook ons leegheid, ons mensheid.  Hy is die een wat die hart ken en toets. 

My krete het saam met die Psalm digter opgegaan, dat die kenner van die harte my hart ook sal deurgrond, deursoek.  Hoe kosbaar om op Hom te wag, in sy beloftes getroos.  Laat jou weg aan die Here oor en vertrou op Hom, en Hy sal dit uitvoer (Ps37:5 OAV).  Hy het aan my kom toon die temperatuur en ywer van my hart.  Die soeke en trane en smeek gebede was nie tevergeefs nie.  Dit was ook nie uit myself nie.  Net soos Hy my gebring het om dit tot die hemele op te stuur, toon Hy nou ook dat die blou warm louterende vuur van my goudklomp lewende hart van Hom af brand.  Hy het die aan gesteek, en Hy hou dit aan die brand.

Om in kontak te kon met hierdie openbaring van sy hart oor wat Hy in my hart werk is grond tot verheerliking.  Ek voel om te jubel en juig.  Ek wil op die berg toppe gaan staan en aan almal verkondig dat Hy alles wonderbaarlik in sy eie hand vashou, bewerk en so innig liefhet.  Hy ken die hart, verander dit, plant die Gees van heiliging, van afsondering in ons harte.  Aan Hom behoort elke hart. 

Die regte ding op die regte tyd

'n Kosbare vriend het eenmaal 'n kommentaar oor die wonderlike ervaring van God se voorsienigheid gemaak wat my weer bietjie dieper verwonderd gelaat het.  Kort nadat ons ontmoet het, het hy gesê dat God die regte mense op die regte tye op die regte plekke plaas, sodat Hy daardeur verheerlik kan word.

Ons almal het in die lewe al stampe en skrape opgedoen.  Baie het uit onkunde of soms ontkenning volhard in verkeerde weë.  Ander is weer slagoffers gewees van ongeregtigheid.  Ongeag die oorsaak, die vorm wat jy nou aanneem is hoe jy jou bevind.  Die genade en troos is dat ons nie "so-gemaak-en-so-gelaatstaan" is nie.  God is altyd aan die werskaf en werk met ons om ons te vorm en te verander om meer en meer na Jesus se beeld verander te word.  


Faktore wat jou kan hinner of ondersteun om hierdie ontvorming van die self, en vervorming tot die beeld van Jesus, die heiligheidslewe, neem baie vorme aan.  Party sal dit relevante faktore noem.  Omdat God as Maker IS, is alles in sy hand en vermoë.  By Hom kan enigeiets en alles relevant wees vir die doel wat Hy bepaal het.  Hoe Hy besluit om jou te verander is in sy Almagtige hande.  Hoe Hy bepaal die proses gaan verloop is nie vir ons om te bevraagteken, voorskryf of beoordeel nie.  


Hy sê wag, vertrou en weet - Ek IS wie Ek sê Ek is.

Ek IS God.

I am in love!

Ever been in love?
Jumping when your love's name is mentioned. Getting goosebumps when someone talks about what him?When every thought, plan, and hopeful event is planned around the fact that you may just be able to spend time in his presence?

I am there!  Who can it be?

My constant companion, lover, friend, and Saviour is Jesus Christ.

In this ever changing world full of disillusion and disenchantment I have found a true constant, caring and eternal love.  In love and in life He presents no surprises except the breathtaking interventions proclaiming His Kingship, wonder and majesty.

Instead of having those flutters that takes my focus away from the given calling of my life, I found this calling and life in Him!  Nothing in this life could ever compare to the love that I have found.  In truth, if He chooses to keep me bound to Him alone, I would deem it a privileged to be called only His love, and find it not a loss.

Some may call me a fool, overbearing or even illusional.  I would answer that if you never fall in love with Him, you may just be found to be the fool one day.

In faith I find a life worth living for, and a Love worth breathing for.  He graciously payed the prise that I may receive faith.  Even more radical is that He is the One my faith is for and about.  If "faith is what makes real the things we hope for. It is proof of what we cannot see (Heb 11:1 ERV)" then I have been granted the privilege that I may be in love with Him.

If He is who He says He is, (and by and by, He IS), then I am more then just HIS lover and friend.  I am part of His bride, and so are you!!!

"You shall see My wonders!"

How did your day start?  If anything as beautiful as this I dearly hope a night the same as mine preceded it.  My ability with a camera is not what it ought to be, but having my brother's camera at hand does make the job easier.  

For the past 10 days I have woken up to a view with the potential of this picture, but neither the weather not my spirit were playing along to see the astounding wonder of God's omnipresent love.  Thankfully, on the second to last morning here, I was woken at around quarter past one after a vision that shook me to my bones.  Shortly after trying to fight against the chill it left me with, I grabbed a nightlight and glancing at the stars mysteriously showing up and some even deciding to be shot just to show their delight, I pulled a few blank papers closer.  Without taking the time to find my own words I just started scribbling…

Three hours later and after finishing the first chapter of my book, I ran out of words, and saw the first light of dawn coming over the horizon.  The waves became more distinguished, and soon after my prayers caught fire the horizon and sea were joining in the same song.  Mesmerized I just sat and watched, listening to the songs rising up from the earth, proclaiming God’s love. 

For the ones searching to find God, He shall always let Himself be found.  Blessed be you when you are searching, for you shall see His wonders!

Van God: 'n boodskap van Geloof

'n Boek resensie

Skrywers: Retha an Aldo McPherson
ISBN: 978-0-620-43581-9

"Luister asb wat Jesus sê, Hy sê jy moet jou lewe hier op aarde los. Hy sê Hy wil jou alles wees".

Aldo en sy familie veg nou al die afgelope 6 jaar teen die effekte van 'n ongeluk wat hulle vleeslike wêreld geruk het.  Gedeeltelike verlamming en epilepsie is van die effekte waarteen hul steeds veg.  Tog het hierdie ongeluk hul gebring op 'n pad van ongekende hemelse intimiteit met God in die geestelike dimensie.  Aldo, as 'n kragtige profeet, wandel met Jesus en verkondig die opdrag aan die bruid om gereed te wees.  Tussen die epileptiese aanvalle hou die wandeling in die gees nie net vir hom staande nie, maar ook vir Retha, sy kosbare ma.

Die profesieë, briewe en gesprekke word deur Aldo neergepen in 'n kinderlike handskrif.  Hierdie boodskappe wissel van persoonlike vertroostings, tot aspekte wat van internasionale belang is.  Dit weerspieël 'n opregte verhouding met God.  Hierdie boek roep tot geloof, en hierdie kosbare gesin toon die resultate van volgehoue vertroue in God.  Soos Retha herhalend verklaar: "Geloof is dit, om te weet dat ek weet dat ek weet dat God is wie Hy sê Hy is". 

Hierdie boek laat jou honger na 'n persoonlike verhouding met Jesus.  Die ryk interaktiewe en kragtige geestelike aspek was 'n aangename ervaring.

8/10

Kry 'n Boodskap van Geloof van Retha Mc Pherson Ministries.