February 23, 2010

Rejection – Whose Opinion Matters Most?

Filed under: Linda Ritchie — Linda @ 10:30 am

What’s your greatest fear? In the unfortunate reality of life in this world and particularly life in our beautiful, but crime-ridden South Africa, there are so many things that we could be afraid of; hi-jacking, rape, car accidents, terminal illness and the list goes on.

This past Friday on ‘Life with Linda’ we conducted an SMS listener survey on this topic and discovered that the most common fear – even among Christians – is the fear of rejection. Now anyone who knows me knows that I never stand in judgment of others because of my keen awareness of my own sin. However, I believe that this finding begs the following comment.

If the fear of rejection by mortal man is more powerful than the regard of Almighty God, then perhaps we haven’t fully grasped what it means to be loved, saved, redeemed and deemed worthy by the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords. Think about it; if the most powerful person on earth told you that he or she loves you, is willing to die for you, has mapped out a perfect plan for your life and is going to spend eternity with you, surely that approval and acceptance would give you the courage to hold your head high and live with confidence, regardless of what your boss or mother-in-law thinks of you? And God is far more powerful than the most powerful person to ever walk this earth. As Christians, if we don’t feel this way, I believe that we haven’t truly grasped the full meaning and extent of God’s unconditional love for us.

In opposition to fearing rejection, as Christians we should expect it as part and parcel of following Christ. In 2 Corinthians 12: 10 Paul writes:

“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

And James 1:2 and 3 says:

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”

Contrary to what feels comfortable, these verses suggest that God actually wants us to welcome the discomfort of rejection as a trial that deepens our faith.

That’s a tough one to chew on, isn’t it?

Linda Ritchie

February 22, 2010

SQUEEZED…

Filed under: Sipho Kaleni — Sipho @ 3:11 pm

The writer of the book of Job focuses much of his attention in Job’s character and his experiences. He then introduces us to his family by mentioning how Job would stand in the gap for his children as a priest (Job 1:5) and the other mention of his children is when he loses them through Satan’s attack (Job 1:18). Through all the good experiences that Job had which the bible speaks about in (Job 1:1-12) there’s no mention of Job’s wife, however I want to believe that she had a lot to contribute towards all they had accumulated as a family and in helping Job to remain faithful towards God, as the saying goes “beside every successful man there’s a supportive/ praying woman.”

However, when the attack was intensified and the devil attacked Job’s health with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head (Job 2: 7), her rare feature in this story is quite disturbing. With Job sitting in the midst of the ashes with a potsherd to scrape himself with, she says to Job “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die! (Job 2:9).”

Many may argue from a human perspective that she had a right to speak like that considering that Job was blameless, upright, feared God and shunned evil so why did God not protect him as a righteous man? Even worse, where was God in all of this?

Spiritually I ask myself the following questions: If the bible says “…out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt 12:34), then what was filling her heart? Assuming like most of the Christians she always shouted “God is good all the time”, when she was experiencing goodness and abundance in her household, what changed all of a sudden in God’s goodness? Why did God have to be cursed?

In life there are three stages we will find ourselves in:

  1. Preparing to go through the storm.
  2. In the midst of the storm.
  3. Coming out/ having just come out of the storm.

It’s therefore important to always feed yourself with the correct spiritual diet especially when your days are bright because when you are squeezed under severe pressure, the only thing you will produce is that which you’ve been feeding on. True character has a way of coming out through trials.

How could we have two contrasting reactions from a married couple of which one comes highly recommended by God? Please note the difference in reacting/ responding to this same scenario (Job 2: 9-10):

  1. Job’s wife: Curse God and die!
  2. Job: Shall we indeed accept good from God and shall we not accept adversity?

To be married to a righteous man or woman of God doesn’t mean automatic righteousness for you as a spouse. You should work out your own salvation with trembling and fear (Phil 2:12).

Your response/ reaction to life’s challenges will be determined by what you feed on during your summer season. So, what are you eating?

Sipho Kaleni

The Last Day

Filed under: Ray Legodi — Ray @ 3:09 pm

Many films and documentaries speak of the end times, and these films about the last days have become great blockbusters! Why the fascination, many would wonder? The fact that the day is coming is absolutely correct without any doubt.

The thing is, many views on the matter have degraded it into mere “science-fiction” speculations which have deliberately trivialised the truth about the Last Day. Just like many other ‘days’, the last one has been a mere commercial endeavour for many who could write anything about the Day! Yet the truth about this Day is quite scary and frightful. It is the Day of the Lord Jesus’ Judgement on all according to works of each!

Isaiah 22:5 describes it as a day of trouble, treading down and perplexity. Malachi 4:5 says it is a day of great dread! This is not emphasized in “movie views”. Each one’s work will be revealed with fire. Jer 4:6 says it is a day of vengeance of the Lord (a dreadful repay) where the Lord will avenge Himself!

Joel 2:11 says it is a day of terror, who can endure it? “…for the Lord will give command to His Great Army!” Joel 2:31 describes the end of things on Earth and Space!

We know that the day of the Lord is near! The world is fantasising about it, commenting on it, “killing a bug or two” (making money on it). What are we doing about it? As believers, what attitude do we have about this crucial issue? (Zeph1:14). A Burning Day like an oven, and all who do wickedly shall be burnt. Do we tell people the truth about conditions of salvation of that Day? (that we should not reject Christ, John12:48). Are we ready for that Day which will come like a thief? Are we found exhorting, assembling together? (Heb 10:25). Are we ready for the final conquest as believers, a salvation from God’s wrath? (Rev 6:17). Are we informing, warning our fellow brothers and sisters on this? If not, why?

Ray Legodi

HOE GEMAAK MET BEKOMMERNIS?

Filed under: Johann Els — Johann @ 2:55 pm

Matt 6:25 (– 34)

“Daarom sê Ek vir julle, hou op om julle te be­kom­mer oor julle daaglikse lewe.”

Jesus gee duidelike voorskrifte oor hoe om te werk te gaan met bekommernis oor dinge wat God tog sal voorsien,  waarskynlik omdat Hy weet watter negatiewe uitwerking dit op ons as mense het.

Hoeveel van die slegte gevolge van bekommernis beleef jy?

1.  Dit affekteer jou fisies.  Dit beroof jou van slaap en sommige mense eet sleg,  of ooreet hulle.  Elkeen het ‘n negatiewe uitwerking op jou en benadeel jou vermoë om te funksioneer soos wat God dit bedoel het.

2.  Dit maak dat die ding waaroor jy jou bekommer jou hele gedagtewêreld beheer. Dit bring dus spanning wat allerhande slegte gevolge vir jou gesondheid het.  Jy verloor jou fokus op die doel van jou lewe.

3.  Dit ontwrig jou werkvermoë (produktiwiteit).  Hieroor hoef ek nie veel te sê nie.  Kyk maar hoeveelkeer betrap jy jouself dat jy in jou gedagtes ver wegdwaal terwyl jou werk stilstaan.

4.  Jou gedrag teenoor ander word beïnvloed.  ‘n Mens raak maklik nors en kortaf en stoot mense daardeur van jou weg.

Jy word dan maklik eenkant toe gestoot en vereensaam.

5. Dit verminder jou vermoë om op God te vertrou.  Dit blus juis die Heilige Gees uit, dié Eén wat in sulke tye vir jou wil bekragtig en saam met jou wil bid vir oplossings (Hand 1:8; Rom 8:26). Satan smokkel in sulke tye met jou gedagtes (2 Kor 10:5) en immobiliseer jou uiteindelik heeltemal.  Daarom moet jy opstaan teen hom en in die krag van die Heilige Gees en in die Naam van Jesus  hom weerstaan (Jak 4:7),  sodat hy kan wegvlug.

Wat is die verskil tussen bekommer en besorg wees?  Bekommernis verlam (immobiliseer) jou,  terwyl besorgheid jou motiveer om iets aan die saak te doen. Jesus sê in Matt 6:33 wat ons moet doen.  Dit beteken dat jy in die eerste plek na Hom moet draai vir hulp, jou gedagtes met sy begeertes vul,  om sy karakter joune te maak (vrug van die Heilige Gees – Gal 5:22-23),  en om Hom te dien en te gehoorsaam in alles.  Wat is regtig belangrik vir jou?  Mense,  dinge,  doelwitte en ander begeertes ding almal mee vir die eerste plek.  Enigeen van hulle kan vinnig vir God uit die eerste plek uit stamp,  indien jy nie aktief kies om Hom die eerste posisie in elke faset van jou lewe te gee nie. Om vir môre te beplan is tyd wat goed gebruik is,  maar om oor môre te bekommer is tyd wat gemors is.  Soms is dit moeilik om te onderskei.  Noukeurige beplanning is om vooruit te dink oor doelwitte, stappe en programme en om God te vertrou vir sy leiding.

Wanneer dit goed gedoen is,  beperk dit bekommernisse.  Die mens wat hom/haar be- kommer –  word verteer deur vrees en vind dit moeilik om God te vertrou.  Hy laat sy planne inmeng met sy verhouding met die Here.  Moenie dat bekommernisse oor môre jou verhouding met God vandag,  benadeel nie.

Johann Els

Think about it

Filed under: Wynand Rossouw — Wynand @ 9:47 am

How do you know that you are a true servant of the Lord Jesus Christ?

When others start treating you as a servant, sadly in this day and age of self-glorification servanthood is not something that fits well with the so called modern day Christian.

The following piece crossed my path and brought me to a deeper introspection of my heart and my walk with Yeshua Messiah. I’d like to share it with you.

Others May: You CANNOT

If God has called you to be really like Jesus He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and   humility, and put upon you such demands of obedience, that you will not be able to follow other people, or measure yourself by other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other people do things which He will not let you do.
Other Christians and ministers who seem very religious and useful, may push themselves, pull wires, and work schemes to carry out their plans, but you cannot do it, and if you attempt it, you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.

Others may boast of themselves, of their work, of their successes, of their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it, He will lead you into some deep
mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.

Others may be allowed to succeed in making money, or may have a legacy left to them, but it is likely God will keep you poor, because He wants you to have something far better than gold,
namely, a helpless dependence upon Him, that He may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day out of an unseen treasury.

The Lord may let others be honoured and put forward, and keep you hidden in obscurity, because He wants to produce some choice fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade. He may let others be great, but keep you small. He may let others do a work for Him and get the credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you are doing; and then to make your work still more precious He may let
others get credit for the work which you have done, and thus make YOUR REWARD TEN TIMES GREATER when JESUS COMES.

The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch over you, with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feelings or for wasting your time, which other Christians never feel distressed over. So make up your mind that God is an Infinitely Sovereign Being, and has a right to do as He pleases with His own. He may not explain to you a thousand things which puzzle your reason in His dealings with you, but if you absolutely sell yourself to be His love slave, He will wrap you up in Jealous Love, and bestow upon you many blessings which come only to those who are in the inner circle.

Settle it forever then that you are to DEAL DIRECTLY WITH the HOLY SPIRIT, and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes, in ways that
He does not seem to use with others. Now, when you are so possessed with the living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this PECULIAR, PERSONAL, PRIVATE,
JEALOUS GUARDIANSHIP and MANAGEMENT OF the HOLY SPIRIT OVER YOUR LIFE, then you will have found the vestibule of Heaven.

-G.D.Watson (1845-1924)

See 2 Cor 13:5, Mark 8:36

Are you challenged by this writing in such a way that you will change your current thinking, or do you just see it as another written piece that bombard our mind and senses on a daily basis and then move on unchanged? Please leave your comment.

Shalom

Wynand Rossouw

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