Christmas Blessings

20 December 2011

Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called "Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Christmas is about second chances, it is about us having the opportunity to find meaning in life through a new life of baby Jesus that we celebrate. So when we look back on the year, looking back on our past we will find both success and disappointments, and it is from these that we look forward and get excited about starting a New Year with hope. A hope that we will be able to live more fulfilled lives than what we did.

We are privileged to sit down at Christmas to a meal, with family and friends, to think of those who we miss celebrating the love, peace and joy of a happy home, we look forward to life filled with contentment, and anticipation of what Jesus will bring to us in the days and years ahead. The blessing of good health, food on the table, good sleep and no arguments in our homes is what I ask God to bless you with.

Be encouraged over the this time of Christmas and the New Year to be to blessed to be stressed.

David

Point to ponder: Christmas is about hope and new life in all of us. 

  

Question to consider: Are you blessed?

Believing

19 December 2011

Galatians 3:6 Thus Abraham "believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness."

Do you believe? Do you believe that Jesus was crucified, died, was buried and rose again? This is vital as Christian that we believe this. Last night there was a programme on TV that dealt with a spear that was believed to be the spear that pierced the side of Jesus as He hung on the cross. What made it interesting was the heads of the three nails that was found in the centre piece of the addition to the spear. These nails were of similar iron to the nails of the time of Jesus!

Now we may speculate about many things, but as time goes on more is proved correct about Scripture and nothing is proved to be incorrect. So we then need to conclude that the history of the Scripture is more accurate that what many first believed. So as with all things we start to be believe more. You see the cross is real, the spear is real, the shroud cannot be disproved, the place of Golgotha is real, how much more do we need to believe? We have facts, we have speculation and we have imagination, but at the end of it all do we have faith in what we believe?

As with Abraham we cannot see all things but we have faith that in all things we will one day be part of heavenly community worshipping and praising God. Do you believe that?

Be encouraged to believe that whom you have faith in.

David

Point to ponder: Jesus was born, He died, He rose and He is coming again- soon. 

  

Question to consider: Do you believe God?

Our only hope

15 December 2011

Matthew 4:15-18 "The land of Zeb'ulun and the land of Naph'tali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles-- the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned." From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

How great is our God! The greater we believe in the greatness of our God, the deeper our understanding of God becomes. Many people today have begun to deny the existence of God, and this we see in the change of attitude of those around us, who do as they please without thought of the consequences of their actions.

Christmas is about an insignificant birth of an infant boy to a young virgin girl, a young man chosen to be husband and father, to teach and support them. This infant so humble, the least of all, no threat to any, became who He was called to be, Jesus Christ fully man, fully God. The greatest in heaven became the least on earth, that the least on earth may become great in heaven.

All of democracy, all of the rule of law, international treaties are based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, yet instead of celebrating in thanksgiving and praise, the world turns its back on Jesus Christ and denies Him. Let us celebrate the greatness of our God by recognising what Jesus has actually done for all of us; especially now at Christmas.

Be encouraged today to make a stand for Christmas and its message of hope and salvation for all.

David

Point to ponder: Jesus is the only hope for this world and the world to come.  

  

Question to consider: Do you remember the Christmas message?

Prayer and fasting

14 December 2011

Matthew 6:16-18 "And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

In the Christian walk today very little is taught about prayer and even less about fasting, yet when we read the Bible and observe the behaviour of the disciples the only thing that they asked Jesus to teach them was how to pray. The question for us is do we really know how to pray?

To fast is also a concept in this world that seems to be strange and eccentric, when we have so much available to us and the volume of food, why fast? Fasting is to close ones mouth so that we cut out the thoughts of food in order to focus on a deeper relationship with God. Fasting is not just forgetting to eat, but to consciously refrain from food and to seek the face of God in prayer, from this we then pray for others in the time of fast.

Both prayer and fasting should be the normal behaviour of Christians and each member of the Church is required to do so on a regular basis. The need for prayer and fasting today is greater than we are actually aware of, and when we neglect this in the Body of Christ, we are neglecting our relationship with God.

Be encouraged today to seek God’s face through prayer and fasting.

David

Point to ponder: Holy Spirit power comes through prayer and fasting.  

  

Question to consider: Have you ever prayed and fasted?

A faithful God

13 December 2011.

Numbers 12:7 It is not so with My servant Moses! He is faithful in all My house.

As a minister of the Word and Sacrament many people think that there is some extra touch of knowledge on that person about the affairs of God. So they develop teaching programmes about many different aspects of the Christian life, often with the idea that this will help others into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. In many cases this is true, not because of their effective teaching but because Jesus Christ is faithful to His Word and to those who are seeking that deeper relationship with Him.

We serve a faithful God, a God that takes our unworthiness and makes it worthy, that takes our failures and faults and will not hold it against us, He is faithful to us. How do we respond to this? Should we not be faithful to Him in return? When we are filled with images of our own success, we do not have the capacity to view the success that Jesus Christ wants to bring about. In order to be able to see what Jesus Christ wants us to see we need to understand that our worthiness, our righteousness are rags in front of Him, we need to die to our own success in order to allow the success of Jesus Christ to be seen our lives. As Christians we are not called to be successful, but faithful.

Be encouraged today to be faithful to Jesus in every way.

  

David

  

Point to ponder: God is faithful.

Question to consider: Are you faithful to God?

Keeping yourself and others from a good night's sleep

Psalm 4:8  I will both lie down in peace and sleep; for You alone, O Jehovah, make me dwell in safety.

A good night’s sleep is a blessing we often take for granted, a good night’s rest is OK, but I think most of us would rather, lay our head on the pillow, sleep restfully and wake up completely rested. Yet when this is our normal pattern we do not think of the night’s when we tossed and turned, coughed and spluttered and kept everyone else in the home out of sleep. So we all have times when we need to be reminded of a blessing we have, and the easiest way for us to miss the blessing is not to have it for a while.

The more aware we become of the blessings we do have the thankful we become and the more we have to praise God. So if we have financial security it is a blessing, if we have a happy contented family it is a blessing, if we have work and so on. Yet there are those that we just take for granted without giving them much thought until we realise we do not have it anymore, so it is a good thing to be reminded every now and again by God of how truly blessed we are.

Be encouraged today to count your blessings and give thanks and praise to God for them.

   

David

  

Point to ponder: Be blessed.

Question to consider: How has God blessed you?

A secret prayer life

9 December 2011.

Matthew 6:6 But you, when you pray, enter into your room and shutting your door, pray to your Father in secret. And your Father seeing in secret will repay you in the open.

In a land where water is scarce and the heat becomes unbearable, there is nothing like the sound of gentle rain falling, the fresh rain fragrances from the earth being part of the pleasures of life. The rain has been drizzling on and off throughout the night, not heavy but constant, bringing much relief to the lands.

When we have thunderstorms and torrents of rain, it washes all away, much noise, lots of sensation, but little value to the land. In the same way we need to have the Holy Spirit rain on us, we all have had the thunderstorm of the Spirit, but it is far more beneficial to have the gentle drizzle of Holy Spirit in our lives and on our lives. Sometimes it is even the same in worship, we all may like the stirring sermon, and wonderful music, great company, but it is in the secret prayer life that we experience the gentle drizzle of God’s love for us. It is in the secret prayer life, hidden away on our own that we come alone into the presence of God, and we are able to allow His love to minister to us.

Be encouraged today to seek the secret prayer life.

  

David

  

Point to ponder: In prayer we are alone with God.

Question to consider: Do you seek God in prayer?

The Spirit of Christmas

8 December 2011

Luke 2:10-11 And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.

It is always surprising to watch TV and especially the Christmas programmes, with all the focus on Santa Claus and absolutely no focus on Jesus Christ. It just goes to show how strong the marketing interests of the world are, no problem with a commercial Christmas as long as we leave Jesus Christ out of it. Yet no matter how much the world tries it will always be more than a happy holiday!

Christmas is about God sending His Son into this sinful world to save those who believe in Him, it started in a humble stable, journeyed to criminal’s death and then being resurrected, fully man and fully God. In doing this we who believe in Jesus Christ have hope of an eternal life to come, a life filled with love, peace and joy. This life is already ours simply because of Christmas and its message to all in this world.

So when we hear Christmas carols in the supermarkets , let us thank the management for doing so. Christmas is about the hope we have in Christ and the hope that we share with others during this time. Joy to the world the Christ is born!

Be encouraged to remember the Spirit of Christmas is the Holy Spirit living in the hearts of all true believers.

David

Point to ponder: Christmas is about Jesus and what He means to us.  

  

Question to consider: Have you the true Spirit of Christmas?

Love one another

7 December 2011

John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

What is love? To love someone is to put that persons interests and concerns above your own, to do that which pleases them not because you have to but because you want to. Jesus gave us a commandment to love one another, not just those we choose to, but all those whom He loves as well. So when we come across someone that is hard to love, we need to be reminded that Jesus loves that person. Even though that person may hate Jesus, and even hate you, we are still commanded to love just as Jesus loves.

So when people are upset with you, love them by doing to them what you would like done to yourself. There are usually valid reasons why people react and do the things that they do, so when we love them we take the time to understand this. We do not pick and choose who we love, but see every person around us with the eyes of Jesus.

This commandment to love one another, is the greatest commandment and the one commandment that we disregard the most, and because of it we struggle in so many areas in our lives.

Be encouraged today to love one another.

David

Point to ponder: Love one another.  

Question to consider: Do you really love others?

Assigned purpose

6 December 2011

1 Corinthians 7:17 Only, let every one lead the life which the Lord has assigned to him, and in which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.

What is the life that the Lord has assigned you? I suppose this is a very important question and deserves thought before answering. In some of our lives we seem to have been assigned different things to do at different times. So we in ways relate what we do to where we find ourselves and at what age we are, when we young we want to be a bit older and when we are old we want to be a bit younger. The secret then seems to know what is the life that God has called us to lead.

When we are discontent with life, then we should examine what it is that we are doing and in this way test it against what it is that God has assigned us to do. So what makes you content in what you are doing, and what you are doing is it in line with what God’s Word tells us. If we feel we should be doing more, it is usually true that we are not doing enough. So we should all be clear on what God has called us to do, and to see that calling as an opportunity to be Christ in the world.

Be encouraged today to lead the life that God has assigned you.

David

Point to ponder: Lead your life to please God.  

  

Question to consider:  What has God called you to do?

When it just won't start

1.    5 December 2011.

1Corithians 14:40  And let all things come to be done decently and according to order.

When you want to do something in a hurry, and you go like a bull in a china shop, then it is likely that you will break something in the process. So on Friday afternoon I came back from taking Yuyan the young Chinese lady to the airport on her completion of the Internship with us here at Linga Longa when I saw how long some of the grass was leading up the entrance road. So I quickly popped onto the ride-on lawnmower and off I went, down the one side up the other, do a great effort. Came into the area next to the cottages and in my haste never saw the steel chain hidden in the grass, when I did it was too late. It wrapped around the blades, breaking the chain and stalling the engine. I removed the chain and all my efforts to start the engine were in vain.

Friday night I worried about the damage I had caused, Saturday up early checked the blades once again, sat on the mower, no chance it would start. Contacted the lawnmower experts, still no luck; Saturday night I worried about the mower and on Sunday morning, sitting being quiet, I suddenly realised that I may not have disengaged the PTO switch. Without saying anything to anybody, I went pushed the PTO switch in and the machine started immediately.

I learnt two things this weekend, the first is to make sure that I clear the obstacles, and second to follow the proper procedures, then all will be well. I suppose it is the same in Christian life, when we are in a hurry we rush in without thinking and then on top of it all try to take short cuts. So we should pray each day, read our Bibles, attend study groups, and go to church regularly, then we will not likely end up damaging ourselves or others.

Be encouraged today to do things in good and proper order.

  

David

  

Point to ponder: God brings order to chaos.

Question to consider: Do you sometimes rush to do things and then mess it up anyway?

Why did Jesus go to the wedding?

Why would Jesus, on his first journey, take his followers to a

party? Didn’t they have work to do? Didn’t he have principles to

teach? Wasn’t his time limited? How could a wedding fit with his

purpose on earth?

Why did Jesus go to the wedding?

The answer? It’s found in the second verse of John 2. “Jesus and

his followers were also invited to the wedding.”

Jesus wasn’t invited because he was a celebrity. He wasn’t one yet.

The invitation wasn’t motivated by his miracles. He’d yet to

perform any. Why did they invite him?

I suppose they liked him.

Big deal? I think so. I think it’s significant that common folk in a

little town enjoyed being with Jesus. I think it’s noteworthy that

the Almighty didn’t act high and mighty. The Holy One wasn’t

holier-than-thou. The One who knew it all wasn’t a know-it-all.

The One who made the stars didn’t keep his head in them. The

One who owns all the stuff of earth never strutted it.

Jesus could have been all of these, but he wasn’t. His purpose was

not to show off but to show up. He went to great pains to be as

human as the guy down the street. He didn’t need to study, but still

went to the synagogue. He had no need for income, but still

worked in the workshop. He had known the fellowship of angels

and heard the harps of heaven, yet still went to parties thrown by

tax collectors. And upon his shoulders rested the challenge of

redeeming creation, but he still took time to walk ninety miles

from Jericho to Cana to go to a wedding.

As a result, people liked him. Oh, there were those who chaffed at

his claims. They called him a blasphemer, but they never called

him a braggart. They accused him of heresy, but never arrogance.

He was branded as a radical, but never called unapproachable.

His faith made him likable, not detestable. Would that ours would

do the same!

NOTE: Thank you Val for forwarding this to us

Calves

2 December 2011.

John 10:4-5  And when he puts forth his own sheep, he goes in front of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will not follow a stranger, never! But they will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of the strangers.

Sitting looking across into the field next door and seeing the new born calves with their mothers is a blessed sight. When the day is done and they move back closer to the farm house, the new mothers call and the calves follow. The mother is never far from her calf. The calf is aware of this and even though it may stray it does not stray far, before it comes back. Each calf knows its mother and they know each other’s voice.

I suppose in some ways we are also like a calf and Jesus is the One who cares for us and provides for us. Sadly though we also stray and seem to drift far from where He is. Yet He is never that far from us, He is constant, He is present, because we are His and He is ours. When it is time to move, He calls us, and we hear His voice and we come. Unhappily not all those who claim to know Him do.

When we come close to Jesus, Jesus comes close to us. Do you hear His call, have you heard His whisper, ‘come to me’. He wants to provide for you, keep you safe and loves you, is this not what you want also?

Be encouraged today to hear the voice of Jesus in your life.

  

David

  

Point to ponder: Jesus cares for you.

Question to consider: Do you hear the calling of Jesus?

Our webpage: www.chf.yolasite.com

Please if you need to send this to some one please do. If you want any help or advice I will be happy to try and help. dhutt@mweb.co.za

Give with a joyful heart

1 December 2011.

Matthew 22:21  They said to Him, Caesar's. Then He said to them, Then give to Caesar the things of Caesar, and to God the things of God.

Money is the root of all evil, it causes arguments whether we have money or not, it brings with it a controlling fear that if we do not have money we will suffer. This is true whether we like it or not and the church is not exempt. The one place where there is always concern is that of the control of the finances. God considers all the gold and silver as belonging to Him, yet we believe that it belongs to us.

All the money in the world will not cause a church to grow; all the money in the world will not bring health or contentment. What does is a right attitude to God and the things that belongs to God. Even our own money belongs to God and we need to give to God what belongs to God, and not with sadness but with joy, because God loves a joyful giver.

Be encouraged today to give to God what belongs to God, with a joyful heart.

   

David

  

Point to ponder: Your money belongs to God.

Question to consider: Do you give to God with a joyful heart?

Our webpage: www.chf.yolasite.com

Living in Grace

30 November 2011

1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me.

It is sometimes in our imperfections that we has our greatest impact, not only what I am good at but also that which I am bad at, makes me who I am. So yes, I talk to much, but can I also care to much? When we realise that when we make mistakes we learn more than when we don’t, (we then actually have learnt something). In the same way we all have our pet issues, what gets us up in the morning and so on, they are not necessarily the issues of that others have.  

So sometimes I say things without forethought or malice, it’s out my mouth and I can never take it back. So when you are up a tree and cutting branches, you learn quickly that if you cut the branch a certain way it falls accordingly, a person below will shout advice and comment, but they are not up the tree doing it. So you learn it is better not to give advice from below the tree to the person actually doing the job.

Each and everyone of us has faults, areas where we can improve, with age though one learns that sometimes it is better to just chill and let things go with the flow. In the Bible we call this grace, because when we stick to the rules we have law, judgement and criticism, constantly needing confession and forgiveness, but with grace we are all OK!!!

Be encouraged today to just allow grace to abound in all things.

David

Point to ponder: God’s grace is sufficient.  

Question to consider: Do you live under grace?

Please if you need to send this to some one please do. If you want any help or advice I will be happy to try and help. dhutt@mweb.co.za

Cut it out

29 November 2011.

Matthew 13:22  And that sown into the thorns is this: he who hears the Word; and the anxiety of this world, and the deceit of riches, choke the Word, and he becomes unfruitful.

Next to the thatch rooms there are three Jacaranda trees, below them are old Bougainvillea vines that over many years have grown into the trees. Much of the vine is dead growth and it hangs down in an entangled mess, when you walk passed the thorns hook, and at night it is even more scary. So yesterday the task of trimming this started, it is so entangled that it just has to be cut back rather than trimmed. It should not have been allowed to have so much free reign, as it is now a fire hazard and who knows what else.

I suppose we also allow things to carry on for too long until it chokes us and becomes an eternal fire hazard. Some things start out so pretty, and it looks and feels so good, until one day you realise that it is no longer so pretty and because of it you feel dead inside. We all need to be more aware of the things that choke our relationship with Jesus Christ. When the pretty things around us and the things that we like stop us from worshipping God we need to cut it out. Sometimes we find that God comes along and does this for us, because He cares.

Be encouraged today to cut out the things that are choking your relationship with Jesus.

  

David

  

Point to ponder: Hell is an eternal fire hazard.

Question to consider: What chokes your relationship with Jesus?

Our webpage: www.chf.yolasite.com

Today is precious

28 November 2011.

Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days, so that we may bring a heart of wisdom.

Age does not necessary express wisdom, neither experience. As a person ages so we look back on what we have achieved and this then becomes the focus as we slowly allow the days we still have to pass us by. When we number our days and then look forward to what we can still do, then we realise how precious life is and there is still much to do.

The very heart of wisdom is to seek the righteousness of God, to do the right thing that pleases God. What pleases God is to do those things that are right, just and loving. This starts by planning your day, planning what you still need to do to please God, rather than just sitting talking about what you used to do. Now is the time to plan and start doing. You do things when you get involved, when you commit, when you understand that each day you have must be precious. Live each day as if it was your last, live each day mindful that you need to have used your time wisely, that is the heart of wisdom.

Be encouraged to be wise and treat your time as precious.

  

David

  

Point to ponder: Today is precious.

Question to consider: Are you a time waster?

Our webpage: www.chf.yolasite.com

Today is precious

New members make their pledges ... yes, we are growing St Mark's

28 November 2011.

Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days, so that we may bring a heart of wisdom.

Age does not necessary express wisdom, neither experience. As a person ages so we look back on what we have achieved and this then becomes the focus as we slowly allow the days we still have to pass us by. When we number our days and then look forward to what we can still do, then we realise how precious life is and there is still much to do.

The very heart of wisdom is to seek the righteousness of God, to do the right thing that pleases God. What pleases God is to do those things that are right, just and loving. This starts by planning your day, planning what you still need to do to please God, rather than just sitting talking about what you used to do. Now is the time to plan and start doing. You do things when you get involved, when you commit, when you understand that each day you have must be precious. Live each day as if it was your last, live each day mindful that you need to have used your time wisely, that is the heart of wisdom.

Be encouraged to be wise and treat your time as precious.

David

  

Point to ponder: Today is precious.

Question to consider: Are you a time waster?

Getting prepared

 Thanksgiving ... Men for the Master in song

25 November 2011.

Revelation 5:13-14  And every creature which is in Heaven, and in the earth, and underneath the earth, and the things that are on the sea, and the things in all of them, I heard saying: To Him sitting on the throne, and to the Lamb be the blessing and the honour and the glory and the might forever and ever. And the four living creatures said, Amen. And the twenty four elders fell down and worshiped the One living forever and ever.

Heaven is a prepared place for prepared people. Each of us has to be available in our time of preparation on earth to be exposed to what Jesus wants us to do, how to pray, how to worship and so on. So we need to study the Bible in order to be prepared and that implies actually putting into practise that which we study. The difference between knowing your Bible and doing what you know is vast, even the devil knows the Bible well, and he refuses to implement it.

As Christians we need to be doing more, and in doing more, learn more from personal experience rather than studying someone else’s experience. All you have to do is, ‘just do it’. The more we practise being Christian the more prepared we become. So we practise worship on earth in the presence of people so that when we are in heaven we worship with angels. Our practise field starts in our home, then to the church and then to the whole world, when we have practised enough heaven is our next goal.

Be encouraged today to start being prepared for heaven.

  

David

  

Point to ponder: Heaven is a place for prepared people.

Question to consider: Are you doing it?

Seeking everlasting food

24 November 2011.

John 6:27  Do not labour for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give to you; for God the Father sealed this One.

The teachings of Jesus are simple, and not complicated. Instead of us focusing on the important things of live, we spend our lives putting food on the table. We become caught in the trivialities of life instead of enjoying the simplicity of life. We are all looking it seems for some religious formula instead of simply accepting and trusting God. It is in seeking a relationship with Jesus Christ that we are spiritually fed.

The more we labour in our relationship with Jesus, the deeper our relationship becomes, the more we trust God. So often we are distracted by the things around that we forget that God is our Provider. We need to develop a habit of talking to Jesus in the day just as we would talk to a trusted friend.

Be encouraged today to labour at your relationship with Jesus.

  

David

  

Point to ponder: Entrust your life completely to God.

Question to consider: Do you trust God?

God conscious

23 November 2011.

Psalm 121:5   Jehovah is the One keeping you; Jehovah is your shade on your right hand.

We all need to be reminded of the reality of the presence of God in our lives. Just as we all have a shadow, and where we go our shadow goes, so God goes with us. At present I am in Kokstad in East Griqualand, staying on the foothill of Mount Curry, it is dry and the rainfall for November is way below what it should be. I have been asked today to pray for rain at a farmers meeting, in order to ask God to break the drought.

What’s so special about me and why should I pray? Most of these farmers want the rain, but do not go to church, but they still believe in Jesus and need to come into a relationship with Him. If Jesus lives with you, moves with you, then surely you should believe that He knows you need rain? When we live our lives excluding Jesus, it is like living and never noticing your shadow. We need to know and believe that where we go, God goes with us.

Be encouraged today to be conscious that God is with you no matter what.

David

  

Point to ponder: God is always with you.

Question to consider: Are you conscious of the presence of God?