WARNING! Not for Sissy's! - Follow Jesus

"Christianity is a crutch for the weak!" Have you heard that one? How about "Christians are shallow minded" and my personal favourite "Christians are judgemental" as they stand in judgement of us. What they don't understand is that it isn't easy being a Christian, especially if you are more than just a pew warmer! When we step out in faith to do God's will, Satan does not like it and so he comes against us. The weapons he uses most often are the things that are our weaknesses, which make the battle even harder. Society is against us. What is socially acceptable is so often contrary to God's desires for our lives that our life choices are frowned on or ridiculed - take the "no sex before marriage" example and you will understand what I mean. Let's face it, we are at war. However, what we need to remember is that the enemy has already been defeated. His battle is lost and all he is really doing is causing trouble as he heads towards his eternal fiery pit. His desire is to take as many souls with him on his way down as he possibly can. Which raises the question "so why are we at war?" If Satan has already been defeated and we are saved, Jesus has forgiven our sins and we are assured of a place in heaven, then why fight? Surely all we need to do is keep the ten commandments, go to church on Sundays and pay our tithes then we should be okay? We fight because God has commissioned us to do just that. We fight by showing God's almighty, unfailing love to those who don't know Him. We fight by awakening a hunger and thirst for Him in the hearts of those who are lost so that they too can be saved. We fight by living for others and not for ourselves, by standing up for the weak, the helpless and the oppressed. We fight by protecting this beautiful planet that God gave to us to care for and which is being systematically destroyed by man's greed and selfish stupidity. We stand firm. We do not allow ourselves to be shaken or to loosen our grip on God's hand as we walk through this life His way. We fight because God loves the lost so much that He died on the cross for us all. We fight because God has chosen us to be His children. We fight because somebody stood in the gap for us. Somebody prayed for us or stepped out in faith so that we could know Jesus and now it is our turn! Following Jesus is not easy. He never said it would be, but the rewards are greater than anything on earth!

Who Do You Trust?

I can’t believe we are almost through February 2013! The year that 'shouldn’t' have happened -according to many who believed that the world would end on 12 December 2012 (or something like that).  I can’t help but wonder about those people who put their trust in some ancient calendar and someone’s calculations…who are they trusting now? I couldn’t understand the logic behind the whole ‘pack up and run’ approach. Where were they running too? Was only a portion of the world going to end? Was it predominantly Americans who believed this? It certainly seemed that way, but that could just be because all of the television programmes were USA based. Was it perhaps just America that was going to end? Who really knew? It was all very confusing. 

Whilst I was last in hospital with a severe chest infection, I had the good fortune of meeting a very sweet, very young woman who was terribly confused about life. She had recently been declared dead for almost 15 minutes and yet had come back to life with no apparent brain damage or any other serious long-term side effects. She felt that because of her second chance, God (whom she previously had not really believed in) must have some purpose for her life. At the same time, she was convinced that all the stories about the Mayan calendar were true and that the end of the world was only a few short weeks away. She didn’t know where to turn and told me all of this between fear wrought sobs.

I was so glad to be able to introduce her to the One in whom I trust! Jesus Christ! In Matthew 24:36 Jesus tells the disciples that no man, not even the angels or even the Son (himself) will know the day or hour when He will return for Judgement day – only God. That was all I needed to explain. How can some ancient race, that have themselves been wiped out, predict what Jesus Himself does not know. 

I explained all this to her and was able to provide her with her very own Bible. I was also able to explain to her that our primary purpose in life is to bring glory to God. So we need to live our lives in such a manner that people see Jesus in all that we do. Our very lives need to reflect the goodness and love of Christ. This does not mean, I explained, that she has to become a missionary to North Korea or anything scary, but that God had given her skills and talents as well as put a desire in her heart for her career path and in that area, she could live out her purpose in life.

We had discussions late into the night, and as I was dropping off to sleep I realized why I had been hospitalized for a chest infection! I had felt that it was a bit of a dramatic decision, but if the doctor had not taken those steps and had sent me home, well then I could not have done what God needed me to do at that time.

Limited Visibility

How many times have you wished that God would just let you know what’s going to happen in your life? Particularly when you have decisions to make or when something unexpected happens. I know I have! I really cannot count how many times I have wished that God would just give me the “heads-up” on what to expect! I mean really, couldn’t he just send me an sms or an e-mail?  In fact, this was my only real gripe with God, after all, He is omnipotent, knows our beginning and our end, so surely…!

There is a particularly nasty bend that I have to take on my normal route home. The start of the bend is marked by a cross where someone was killed, and on the other side of the road, about six hundred metres on, there are another two crosses marking where two other people lost their lives. When I take this bend I find myself slowing down tremendously and hugging the inside lane, often driving into the yellow line, all the while my heart seems to be in my mouth.  However, one night I was coming home on the same road, around the same bend, when I realized that I was travelling in the fast lane, and not worrying at all about slowing down or being afraid! It was then that I realized that I always drove that bend more confidently at night and I also realized that it was because I couldn’t see the whole dangerous bend, just the portion that was lit by my headlights.

And that is exactly what God does! He lets us see only what we can deal with.  The bend was no more or less dangerous at night, I just wasn’t afraid because my vision was limited and I realized that if God was to show us everything that was around the corner in our lives, most of us would be too afraid to go there!   

Putting out Fires!

  

This past weekend proved to be a little bit more adventurous than I would have hoped for! Hubby and I were visiting his recently widowed sister in the Natal Midlands and had gone out with other family members for lunch at a popular local restaurant. On our return home with full bellies and everyone looking forward to an afternoon nap or laze in the winter sun, we received a phone call to say that there was a runaway fire heading directly towards my sister-in-law’s house!

Although we were still about 40kms away we were able to spring into action and all three of the local family members started phoning various neighbouring farmers to both warn them and ask for assistance. Due to the nature of the roads we were unable to travel too fast but hubby certainly made excellent time and we were there within 15 minutes. On our arrival we found that one farmer had already entered the property on the right hand side with a tractor and water tank. Those who couldn’t be of assistance with water, grabbed rubber “slappers” and started beating the flames in order to halt the rapidly advancing monster. Some of us joined hands in prayer, asking God for protection and His supernatural power. Within two hours they seemed to have the fire under control and the men returned to the house. However, no sooner had they finished a cup of coffee then another call came through to say that the wind was picking up and the fire had restarted in the valley and was advancing up the other side of the land. By this time it was dark and the terrain is extremely rocky, making the whole process so much more hazardous! Once more we called upon the Lord in prayer and watched as neighbours pitched up to fight a battle that was not theirs!

We watched from the sanctuary of the house, now safe since the earlier fire had been put out. All we could see was bright red marching flames, not a single firefighter could be seen in the surrounding blackness.  Slowly, while we kept praying, the fire-fighters started winning. The wind stopped blowing, for which we thanked God for His mercy, and after another three hours the fire was out. All this time we had included in our prayers, a request for rain. Winter in this part of our country is the dry season with very little rainfall at all, hence the danger of runaway fires! The men, once again, all trooped homeward, exhausted, dirty, but battle ready, knowing that if the wind picked up again, then any smouldering embers could be carried by the wind to a fresh location and they would have to begin again! Then the rain came! It bucketed down! And the men all breathed a great sigh of relief and many bowed their heads and thanked God Almighty!

If you are wondering why I told this story, it’s because it felt like a cameo of life. We all face ‘fires’ in our daily lives. Problems flare up, troubles that we may prepare for the eventuality of, yet are still caught unawares when they happen. It is in times like this that we can see God working. He equips us to deal with the problem – we create fire-breaks; we ensure that we have the necessary tools on stand-by; we have a support system and above all, we trust God to perform the miracles that we require to get through.  I learnt from this, that we cannot sit back and expect God to do everything for us. We need to take action in our own lives. He equips us with the skills and the tools that we need to get through whatever troubles we face. He surrounds us with friends and family to support us when we are struggling. He provides the miracles we need when we take action but ultimately trust Him to get us through.

When problems arise we cannot sit on our hands and expect God to do everything. He has the power, but how would we learn and grow our character’s if that was what we did? We cannot ask God to feed and clothe us if we refuse to get a job. We have to be pro-active in our lives and that means our spiritual lives as well. When we equip ourselves with God’s word, spend time in prayer daily and live our lives the way He wants us too, then we will be prepared for the attacks from Satan and life’s difficulties. We will not stumble and fall by the wayside, our faith will not falter, but we will be able to remain strong and trust fully in the protection and love of our Heavenly Father.

Judging Christians

Christianity is under attack. Of that we all have no doubt and we were told to expect it. However, I have had several discussions with non-believers only to discover that their biggest complaint about Christians is that they are very judgmental people.  My immediate reaction was to go on the defensive, but instead I chose to ask “in what way are they judgmental?”

I was told about Christian’s who have sent vitriolic messages to people, like Richard Dawkins, condemning him to hell and hoping that he gets there soon.  I have heard about Christian’s who condemn people with tattoo’s, piercings and addictions. Churches where people are not allowed in unless they follow a specific dress code or where unmarried mothers are unwelcome.

Now as much as I do not like what Richard Dawkins and those of his ilk are doing, I think it is far more important for us to pray for him than attack him! He is a man who is so far removed from God and His infinite love that his life is centered around trying to disprove the existence of God. How awful that must be to spend so much time and effort on something you do not believe in! To not know the awesome love of our Creator! If all Christians were to pray for him to have the scales removed from his eyes and see God for the loving heavenly Father that he is, imagine the impact his revelation would have on all the other unbelievers who are already hanging on his every word!!

As for those Christians who condemn unmarried mothers, addicts and people who do not behave according to their ideal morals and principles – have they forgotten who Jesus spent time with? Our precious Saviour did not spend time with the Rabbi’s and other religious people! Instead He spent time with the lost, the prostitutes, the diseased and all the other people that the religious leaders condemned. Jesus paid far too high a price for us to decide who can come to know Him.  We are not told to just minister to the poor and suffering, but also to those who are lost – spiritually lost! Spiritually destitute and spiritually suffering!

We are told not to judge, lest we also be judged. Matt 7:1-2 “Do not judge or you too will be judged. For in the same way as you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”  I therefore call for the church – the body of Christ, to stop condemning others, no matter how low in life they may have sunk, but rather to reach out a hand to them, to pull them up out of their darkness and despair and to lead them lovingly to Jesus!  Is that not, after all, what Jesus commissioned us to do? Matt 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

One Pearl....One Plain...

Knitting is something that, I am sorry to say, I have never mastered. I just don’t have the patience and being left-handed in a predominantly right-handed society didn’t help much either (except as a useful excuse).  What I do know about knitting is that it is intricate, time consuming work. It is the process whereby a garment is made stitch by tiny stitch. So when I read Psalm 139:13 “You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” I was amazed to come across the word ‘knit’.

For me this meant that God took time to make you and I. He spent time on each and every cell of our bodies. Every tiny detail that makes us an individual, He specifically designed and knitted together. Then when He had put the final hair on our heads and filled us with the talents and gifts that He specifically wanted us to have, then He sat back and smiled and waited for us to grow.

Realising this made me look at people differently. We are all drawn into the Hollywood idea of beauty and the majority of us are, as a result, never quite satisfied with the way we look. We constantly compare our appearance and our talents with others – and we always find ourselves lacking and therefore ‘not good enough.’  However, if God has created us, intricately and intimately, then surely He had a reason for making us exactly the way we are?  When God created us He had a specific plan and purpose for our lives and therefore provided us with the necessary skills and talents to complete His purpose. 

In God’s eyes we are all beautiful. We are His masterpieces. His creation.  He does not produce ‘junk’. We can only be thankful to Him for giving us life but, most importantly, He wants us to give our lives back to Him. Imagine how He rejoices when we do that! When we say ‘Thank You God, here I am, show me what You want of me. Let me live my life according to Your plan and purpose!’  Nobody spends days knitting a garment just to pack it away in a box. No! In the same way, God never created us to be ‘on display’, none of us are ‘useless’ or ‘worthless.’

Take a step back from your hang-ups and problems, think about your Creator knitting you together, to be just as you are, for Him, then give thanks to Him for making you as unique and special as you are.

Is God your 'Genie'?

 It never fails to amaze me how so many people approach God as if He were a “genie in a bottle”. They feel that if they do all of the “right stuff” then God will, naturally of course, “bless” them with health, wealth and all’s right with their world! I mean, come on!! Their entire attitude to God is one of “He owes them!”  I suspect that one of the reasons that this approach has crept into the minds of so many ‘Christians’ is because of the ‘Name it and Claim it’ preaching that gets done nowadays in order to help fill the empty seats in church buildings!

The fact that so many people have this approach to God, is, unfortunately, a by-product of our society. We are all encouraged to be strong and independent, to be a ‘self-made’ man or woman and that all the good things in life are ours to claim simply because ‘we are worth it’!  Just spend an evening watching the advertisements on television and you will see what I mean.  We are bombarded by messages that tell us that we can have silky smooth skin with blah soap, because we deserve it; insurance / investment companies taking care of our needs because we are worth it; vehicles that offer us luxury, affordability, and every little knick-knack that makes them special because we are.  So it goes on, a constant barrage of information that tells us constantly how much we deserve and how much the strong, independent, go-getter is admired for their success.

So when it comes to God, so many people find the Bible’s instructions very difficult to swallow. Obedience; submission; faithfulness; trust in an ‘unseen’ Saviour; and all the other requirements for a life fully immersed in doing the will of God. Therefore, large chunks of Jesus’ teachings are ignored and only the ‘good stuff’ is taught.  ‘Believe and you will receive.’  ‘Whatever you ask for in my name will be added to you.’  These are verses that people hang on to as they pray for a new vehicle, washing machine, a bigger house, and whatever else their hearts’ desire.  These people forget verses like ‘Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness…’

Yes, our God is a generous and loving God! He loves to provide for His children and to give them good gifts. God has on many an occasion provided a car, or other item that was beyond the means of the recipient, and He does this for His glory. But God wants our hearts. He wants our love and our trust. Yes, He does want us to give Him our troubles and trust Him to get us through them or miraculously solve them for us, but He wants us to love Him whether we live in a mansion or a shack. He wants us to trust Him when loved ones die, or when the doctor tells us we have cancer.  He wants us to be willing to walk with Him through every facet of our lives and not to just call on Him with our ‘prayer shopping list’ whenever we feel like it, and to then declare that we no longer believe just because He hasn’t provided us with the comfortable lifestyle we feel we deserve!!

So today, when you go to Him in prayer, firstly thank Him for what He did for you - the cross was not a walk in the park! Then praise Him for who He is because He deserves it! Finally, throw out your shopping list; lift up those you know of who are going through difficult times and then, thank Him for all that He has provided you with! Remember, that as He is the Creator, everything in this world belongs to Him – all you have is only on loan.