The church in ruins

31 March 2011

Haggai 1:9 You have looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? says the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while you busy yourselves each with his own house.

So often one comes across people who are struggling in life, even though they seem on the outside to be so successful, they live in nice homes, drive nice cars, yet they are like hamsters on a tread mill, all they seem to do is never enough. They never have enough money, enough time, enough love, enough of anything, that which they have seems to be blown away at the first wind of crisis. When the churches roof is leaking, and the walls are cracked and need of paint, when the garden is uncared for and the pew cushions stained, who cares? When we give our hand-me downs to the church with old curtains, and the things we do not have use for any more, we seem to think this is charity and we are pleasing God.

We drive past neglected churches, dying landmarks to our parents generation, without a care for what we see and then we wander why we never have enough and to spare. Yet when we want a funeral or a church baptism, or ego boosting experience, we will use it, look at its shabbiness, and just carry on regardless.  So many people reject the church and have weddings in commercial venues to avoid being in the House of God, the go to funeral parlours because they have no relationship with a church and possibly God, and baptism is ignored because they need to keep an open mind. In all of this they have the mentality of a hamster which seems to be content on the tread mill of life, knowing no better.

This is so sad, a tragedy really that so many people choose to live life that way, who believe that the life they choose with no time for anything is their only choice. They believe the lie that they can ignore God and prosper. This may work for a little while until the hamster wheel breaks and they realise that all they have done was to chase the wind.

Be encouraged to care for God’s house more than you care for your own.

David

Point to ponder: God’s house lies in ruins.

Question to consider: When last did you fix  or clean something in the church you attend?

True worship

30 March 2011

Zechariah 4:6 Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerub'babel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.

We worship the Living God in spirit, when we understand that we come to meet with God, we meet with and through the Spirit of God. This does not mean that God is not One, but that in and through His Spirit, the Holy Spirit is the way through which we experience God. In the Old Testament this was limited to those who were of the bloodline of Israel and who were called by God for a specific purpose. Because of what Jesus Christ has done this is now an unlimited blessing to all who believe.

So often we find people wanting to experience the power of God, our the strength of God in their situations, rather than through the Holy Spirit. The gift of the Holy Spirit is conditional on belief, those who believe that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Saviour, those who live by His teachings, to them is the gift freely given. Yet there is a purpose in that gift, the purpose is to do the will of God, and most often this is revealed to us when we worship God in spirit.

To worship God in spirit is to not allow the barriers of self-doubt, fear of people, fear of the past to separate us from the love of God, but to be free in one’s self before God. Music, prayer, meditation, sermons, rituals are only a means to the end, the end in itself is to worship God with all our heart, mind, body and soul, a complete meeting with God in the spirit.

Be encouraged today to be reminded that we worship God with every breath.

David

Point to ponder: True worship is worship in the spirit.

Question to consider:  Do you worship in the spirit?

Let's have another meeting

29 March 2011

Proverbs 23:9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.

A meeting for a meeting sake is a drag on everyone involved except for those people who enjoy the meetings and those who love to moan about the meetings. Yet when a meeting is necessary it is beneficial for all who attend, selecting those that should be at the meeting is also important so that the right people are there to make the decisions needed and inform others of what is taking place. All meetings should have an agenda and the process should be transparent with no hidden motives for the meeting. If a meeting does not make a positive difference to solving the problem it has wasted every bodies time.

Some people are anti meetings because it for them is a waste of time, because they are not really included in the decisions and are there just to bolster the ego of a manager, managers just instruct anyway, even though they have no clue how to actually do the work. Very often this is true to them because experience has proved this.

Yet when meetings are properly set out, clear agendas and the right to change decisions, and the dignity of being heard by all, the become constructive ways of achieving goals. The purpose and goals must be clear, and each person should know how they will help in the process. These principles apply in business, in our homes and in our churches, as it through meetings that we record decisions and develop understanding of what is the issue and how to solve them. It is meetings that the wisdom and knowledge of others is tapped into and developed.

Be encouraged to use wisdom and knowledge correctly.

David

Point to ponder: Wisdom adds value.

Question to consider: Do you dislike meetings?

The sermon that moved us all on M4M Sunday

READINGS:

1^st LESSON: 1st KINGS 19:9-18

2^nd LESSON: 1^st SAMUEL 16: 1-12

TEXT: LUKE 4: 14-19

PRAYER

Lord anoint us this morning as we listen to your word; use us as instruments and vessels in your vine yard and may your will be done today within this service. Use me, oh Lord as your boat of transmission of the gospel and the anointing of your children. May we find favour in your presence, empowerment by the Holy Spirit, healing and comfort and edification in your word. This, we pray in the name of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.

 

THEME: THE ANONTING POWER OF GOD.

It is and will always be remembered that man is faced with very daunting challenges to cross over and when the bells of heaven will ring the wake up call for us to approach the kingdom throne shall be announced by the return of the king who has constantly 

anointed His Church.

Grace to you and peace from Him who is, who was, and who is come. Amen

When told to present this meditation, I felt it was another challenge but after prayers the Lord told what to expose today. I prayed and was asked to talk on anointing. 

There are two types of anointing;             

Anointing with oil,                  

Anointing by the Holy Spirit.

·       Anointing with oil is an old tradition dating back to the olden Davidic days. It is the applying of oil to the human body (Ruth 3:3 Psalms 104:15; Luke 7:46) at death (Mk 14:8; 16:1). 

·       There was also sacred anointing to dedicate a person or thing to the Lord e.g. the tabernacle and its furniture and (Ex 20: 22), prophets (1 kings 19:16), priests like the Aaronic priests (Ex

28:41) and kings like David was anointed in 1^st Samuel 16: 12-13.  

·       In the New Testament we see Christ anointed by the Holy Spirit in Jn 1:32-33; and Luke 4:18-21. “The spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”

·   

    We see Jesus anointed by the power of the Holy Spirit when he is baptized and w hear Christ in many biblical quotations talking about the anointing power of the Holy Spirit on all who believe and have faith I Him. In John 14 Jesus promises the Holy Spirit and in vs 18 He promises “l will not leave you as Orphans; I will come to you; and in vs 25-26 he adds that “All this l have spoken while still with you but the counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything l have said to you”

·     

  Like the Holy Spirit came down and anointed Jesus as testifies John the Baptist in John 1:32-33 “I saw the Holy Spirit come down from Heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me. ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit’.”    

·       

TTTwo icons JOHN HUSS and MARTIN LUTHER ignited by JOHN WYCLIFFE”S writings were all anointed by the Holy Spirit to become great reformists of the Church and expose the religious charlatans of the church and proclaim the truth of scripture. Listen to this paragraph about JOHN HUSS’ anointment as reported by STUART GARVER

“Confronted by representatives of the Pope sent to silence Huss, the outspoken reformer declared: “Let it be understood that I call apostolic orders the teachings of the Apostles of Christ. When the pope’s orders are in agreement with these l am ready to listen to them: when they are contrary I refuse to obey them even if you were to kindle before my very eyes the fire in which my body was to be burned.”

Tragically, the last statement would prove to be prophetic says Stuart and when HUSS was summoned and accused of “wycliffism” he refused to recant, on the basis that there was no scriptural prove to show that he his teachings were wrong. His enemies sentenced him to be burned at the stake. 

On the afternoon of July 6^th, 1415, he was led and lashed to the stake and smeared with pitch and oil, and according to Stuart Garver, before the executioner lit the embers piled at his feet he cried out this cryptic prophecy:

“Today………. You will roast a lean goose (meant HUSS goose) but hundred of years from now you will hear a swan sing. Him you will leave unroasted. No trap or net will catch him for you!” which became Luther’s anointing.

As men for the Master celebrate this day we also take a look at the anointing power of the Spirit that inspired them to initiate such an idea. Today we celebrate another moment in the life of the M4M who have been greatly involved in one way or the other in the life of the congregation.

As we celebrate this day we look forward to enhancing the goals such as:

           - To cultivate the fields and take care of the sheep

           - Enhance the Spiritual growth of the members

Concluding, as we approach Easter, may we all seek God’s anointing power to us as individuals and as a Church at large, so that we can together seek to see and know God’s direction for Men for the Master and St Mark’s as a whole.

Summarily, we take the following

1.   That God can anoint us at any time whether as a means of healing or deliverance.

2.   Anointing is an old time means of empowerment used by God.

3.   Anointing was what empowered Martin Luther and John Huss.

May we come forward now if we feel moved by the Spirit for anointing with oil as a means of empowerment and readiness to approaching Easter.

Let’s pray ……Amen

Blessings,

Roger Tem

Nearer to God

8 March 2011

John 14:1 "Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me.

How often have we heard it said, “ I just wish I could feel nearer to God” and we hear this and just have no idea of how to answer the question. The question we should be asking is why does a person feel the need to be closer to God, what is it that is driving them to ask that question? Is it that they are insecure, do they feel inadequate, do they struggle with unbelief, are they wanting to come closer to God on their terms and not God’s? these questions need also to be asked in order for understanding to be revealed. Why can we not be content that God loves us and that we just need to accept this and believe this with all our hearts.

Our relationship with God should not be driven by our feelings, but by the facts revealed to us through His word to us, and then believing the Word, if we respond to our emotional need then our journey becomes a roller coaster ride of emotionalism. Very often people want to be close to God, but they cannot be close to their spouse or their children or their family, the Word tells us to first make your peace and then come to His altar of prayer.

The way to come close to God is to trust God and believe Him. God loves us, so trust in that. In this way we trust Him with everything, so we are able to give everything, when we have nothing but Him we are truly free.

Be encouraged today to trust God.

David

Point to ponder: God loves you.

Question to consider:  Do you rarely trust God?

Think before you speak

25 March 2011

Proverbs 13:16 In everything a prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly.

It is important to make sure about the things we need to do and when the right time is to do it, it is always wise to check that what we do is correct before we act. Sometimes we respond on information that is invalid and we end up being embarrassed. We may find that this is true of many situations we are in and irrespective of how old we may be. It never does harm to check twice.

Having said that when we are in a hurry we are more inclined to make mistakes and also when are repeating stuff that we have done a thousand times. Somehow or other an error creeps in. It is like baking a cake and finding that we left an ingredient out or sending someone the wrong invoice. The problem is that we are not always able to fix something and the result is that we are just as hurt as the other person because of it.

Wisdom comes with experience, and experience is learnt through trial and error, wise people do not repeat mistakes, they learn from them.

Be encouraged today to think carefully before you act.

David

Point to ponder:  Wisdom is something you cherish.

Question to consider:  Do you double check the facts before you act?

Costs

24 March 2011

2 Corinthians 9:6 The point is this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

In the Christian accommodation business one finds different attitudes displayed towards the costs of staying in a place like Linga Longa. Some people are so used to bargaining that they expect a special discount because they are Christian and are going to stay in a Christian Retreat Centre, even though the tariff this is based on the running costs. Others are amazed at the low cost and high value return of staying, they ask how they may bless the work being done. While sometimes people want to do good works and help others, expecting that because they are doing this they should stay free.

It is not God’s plan to extort money to be used for works of charity, in order to  fulfil some personal vision. As people of God, we pay what is due, give more than we can afford, yet at the same time always have place for those that are in greater need than ourselves. This is a fine balance of being blessed and blessing others, when we deny our own families to bless others, we insult God. We need to see the bigger picture and not only the needs of ourselves. This starts by seeing ourselves in God’s picture; realising that others see who we are in the way we do business.

Be encouraged today to be blessed and bless others by paying them what they are worth and when due.

 David

Point to ponder:  Give to God what belongs to God.

Question to consider: Do you always argue about the price?

A lion is loose

23 March 2011

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world.

Often I realise that many people are unaware of the situation that they are in and do not realise the danger of it. We need to be sober and watchful, this implies a clear mind and a vigilant attitude to the things around us, what people say and how these effect us. Most times within a community there will always be one who will be opposite, and they create a tension around themselves that then distracts the purpose of why one is in community. So when we say lets do this, they do it with resentment in their heart. The Devil then uses this to sow disunity and discord amongst them.

We need to be alert to this as it only takes one person to invite the devil in, the devil then has consent to be there and it takes so much effort to reclaim what has been given to him, by those with resentful hearts. The problem is that we do not recognise the harm this brings to our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the world, as we have lost ground for Christ.

So when we have resentful hearts and when we want to do what pleases ourselves and not Jesus Christ, we need to resist and strengthen our faith. We must not give in to our desires to do our own thing while the rest of the community is praying for revival, or healing, or just even praising God. Housework, TV, work commitments, and social engagements are all secondary to the maintenance of peace and unity in the House of God.

Be encouraged today to be firm in your faith and to resist the devil.

David

Point to ponder:  Faith is standing firm against temptation.

Question to consider: Do you resist the devil?

The earth's song

22 March 2011

Psalms 96:11-13 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the wood sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth

The moon is full and visible in the early morning sky, the grass is wet with a heavy dew and whispers of mist float like angels through the garden, birds are calling and the bright flowers bend in awesome adoration of the wonder of our Creator God. The seed grass glimmers with diamonds shining in the fresh morning sun and the leaves of the trees shimmer in the gentle breeze. The insects start their busy day and they add to the music of the new day. And this is just the start of every new day!

If this is what is normal today, just imagine the celebration of the earth on the Day Judgement when Jesus Christ comes. Yet for each of us we are able to enjoy the delights of God’s bounty and the blessing of each day, to have eyes to see His glory displayed in the pictures in the clouds and the joy of the sounds of the earth. What a delight when we open our eyes and our ears to hear the music and to see the love of God around us.

Be encouraged today to realise that we are part of this creation, let us join and learn this celebration song.

David

Point to ponder:  The earth is singing to its Creator.

Question to consider: Are you part of the earth song?

Our webpage: www.chf.yolasite.com

God's love

18 March 2011

Luke 15:22-24 But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to make merry.

God will never point an accusing finger at any person, He will call us by bending His finger showing us to come to Him. All He wants to do is to love us, not blame us, He wants to put a ring on our finger and a cloak on our shoulders, sit us down at His table and enjoy our company. We should not brag about how much we love God, but rather boast on how much God loves us.

This does not mean that we should just keep sinning, but to be sure that sin will not separate us from that love. God has committed Himself for all eternity to you and He will not accuse you or reject you. We may think as people that this is impossible, but for God all things are possible, accept God’s love unconditionally in your life today and see the miracles happen, starting with you. God’s blessings are not dependant on how many emails you forward, or any thing that you may do, He blesses you because He loves you. God is waiting for you to respond to His invitation to come to Him, what is holding you back?

Be encouraged today to respond to God’s love for you.

David

Point to ponder: God loves you.

Question to consider: How do you respond to God’s love for you?

Eagles

17 March 2011

Isaiah 40:30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

An eagle is not a small bird, especially when you see them close up in the wild. Just as the sun was starting to set an eagle tried to land on a branch next to the house, the branch bent with its weight, and the eagle lifted off again. It flew to the next tree and tried again, the branch bent, and it flew again. At first I thought the eagle was hurt, but it was not, all it was doing was looking for its prey. I immediately made sure that our new bulldog puppy was safely inside, which it was.

On the property we have a pair of eagles that nest and breed in blue gum trees at the entrance to Linga Longa, we have identified these as snake eagles. This eagle that I saw was different in colour and size. When we see this in nature we are struck by the beauty and power of the eagle, and then understand the Bible and the comments about eagles. When we are under the protection of the eagles wings, lifted up and soaring to the heights of heaven, we understand the raw power at the command of God’s hand. When we wait on the Lord and trust in Him, we too will be like the eagles, and we will have the strength to do what we need to do.

Be encouraged today to wait on the Lord.

David

Point to ponder:  Wait for God’s strength.

Question to consider: Do you wait on the Lord, or are you impatient?

Who is your God?

16 March 2011

Exodus 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night; the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.

Sometimes we need to sit down and define who our God is to us, so often we use emotional adjectives to describe God. Most of us would say that God is loving, caring and compassionate, merciful, almighty and so on. Yet we need to firm these up into action and power within our lives.

For the Israelites they experienced a God that would heal them when they were sick, provide for them in their need, guide them through troubles, bless their children, feed them when they were hungry, prosper them with enough and to spare, save them from slavery and bondage. When we understand that God is all these and proved this to them, and that He is unchanging and is the same God, then we should be able to say this is our God today. Having said that we should be able to believe this and live according to our belief.

Who is this God that you believe in and what do you believe about Him, when you start accepting this, then your true faith journey begins and ends in His promises to us.

David

Point to ponder: God is almighty and all powerful.

Question to consider: Who is your God?

Prayer Power

15 March 2011

Romans 12:12 Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Never under estimate the power of prayer, when we pray God answers, we may often feel that this is not always the case, but in my experience He does. When prayers are answered the timing is right and the situation is perfect, and so when we expect an immediate result this may not always take place.

God is Sovereign over all, we live and function under His rule, and we pray that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven, and so for us that pray this we need to understand that we are asking for His will to prevail in our lives, in our families and in our situations we find ourselves in, no matter how difficult they may be. In this regard we need to learn to trust more, and to lean on that trust knowing that God is trustworthy in all things.

Often we need to have a crisis to draw our attention to those areas in our lives where we are in conflict with God’s will, and when this happen we are drawn to prayer. As we pray so we understand that we need to seek His face, and we do this humbly, with contrite heart and in awesome respect for our God that knows us so well.

Be encouraged today never to give up praying

David

Point to ponder: God answers prayer.

Question to consider:   Do you pray?

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

Moshe's Memorial is at St Giles this Saturday

Moshe, Solomon and members of Session ... Moshe's memorial service is on Saturday


Greetings in Jesus' name.

As indicated in the previous emails, this is to confirm that the Memorial Service of the late Rev Dr. Moshe Rajuili will be held this coming Saturday, 19th March 2011. The Service will start at 9 am promptly at St Giles' Presbyterian Church, Cnr Garden and Pine Roads, Orchards.

In order to give this service the dignity it deserves, Ministers are kindly urged to be in their full Ministerial robes and Commissioners to be in formal dress code.

For any further inqueries, please revert back to me as both Presbytery Moderator and Clerk are away on Church business untill Thursday.

YOU ARE ALL ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND.

Yours in His Service,

Vusi Mkhungo (Rev)

Wedding clothes

14 March 2011

Matthew 22:11-13 "But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment; and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.'

When we come to the Lord’s table, we come to the symbol of the wedding feast, we are the invited guest. We cannot presume that we need not change clothes to suit this occasion; the Lord expects us to come prepared, our bodies washed, our clothes clean and appropriate to meet with Him our Bridegroom. How arrogant we must be to believe that we can tell the Lord what we are going to wear, when He expects us to be properly dressed. We may say what is in our heart is more important than what we wear, however God sees our hearts, and the pride and arrogance that lives there.

In this parable the king calls the person friend, and when confronted the man was speechless, Jesus may well call us friend,  and as friends we need to do that which pleases Him and not ourselves. It is better for us to be properly dressed at His feast, than to think that our statement by not being properly dressed will please Him, our King. Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, and He has placed people and systems in place for His pleasure and to bring all Believers to accept the authority of those He has placed over them. Many rebel against this authority and break away to form new congregations believing that their rebellion would be blessed by Jesus, even though they do not submit to His authority given to the Church. Rebellion always starts with small things, which the leads to disunity, disorder and self proclaimed power.

Be encouraged to wear your best clothes when you come to the feast of the Lord.

David

Point to ponder: Never forget Jesus Christ is Lord of lords.

Question to consider:  Do you dress appropriate to the occasion?

First hand account of Japanese horror to Dawn and John

Just note the scale of the disaster .... this picture is from National Geographic


Dear Dawn and John,

Thank you for your concern. Regarding the earthquakes and tsunamis we are all fine (including Stephen in Tokyo) but Internet access is very limited and sporadic. .

I (Dale) have been sidelined again and NOT able to physically help organize Christian relief efforts through CRASH Japan. Although getting gradually better, I am still in a lot of pain because of my back injury.

Here is some information and prayer requests:

* At 2:46, an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck Japan off the eastern coast of Miyagi, prefecture. This is the largest recorded earthquake ever to have struck Japan, and the fifth largest recorded earthquake in the world. Even after 24 hours, heavy aftershocks were still being felt throughout northeastern Japan, with no way of knowing how long these aftershocks will continue. Please pray that the earthquakes will cease.

* The devastation from the initial earthquake was compounded by heavy tsunamis that hammered the east coast, and even after 24 hours, the eastern coast of Japan was still under warning for tsunamis. Sendai City was hit the hardest, both by the temblor and the tsunami. Some towns were entirely obliterated by the tsunamis. Please pray that these tsunamis will cease.

* Casualty reports are still coming in. As of Saturday evening local time, the death toll had exceeded 1,000, with over 600 still missing. Pray for those who are trapped and injured, as well as those who are missing friends and family.

* In Fukushima Prefecture, two nuclear power plants are under a state of emergency. The reactors are overheating at the number 1 plant, and at the number 2 plant, the reactor pressure has been rising. At the Fukushima number 1 plant, there was an explosion Saturday afternoon, 4 PM local time, injuring four workers. Shortly afterward, radiation was detected outside the plant. The area has been evacuated up to a 20 km radius. Please pray that the situation will get under control soon, before anything more serious occurs.

* Public transit systems in Tokyo and the surrounding areas were shut down for hours after the quake, with some people still stranded away from their families. Limited railway use has resumed. Pray for those who are stranded away from their loved ones at this difficult time.

* Millions of homes in northeastern Japan are without power, and over a million homes in Ibaraki prefecture are without fresh water supplies. Pray for the power plants and water facilities to be able to resume their work, and pray for those who do not have these essential supplies.

* Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes in the coastal areas and the area around the Fukushima nuclear power plants. Please pray for them, and all who are having to stay in public shelters.

* Relief workers are working around the clock to rescue survivors, but things are grim for coastal cities due to the continual bombardment of tsunamis. Pray for the relief workers, that God would grant safety and stamina.

* Pray for the Christians of Japan, that they would be able to mobilize relief efforts and provide for people's needs, both physical and spiritual. 

In Him,

Dale Viljoen 

(OMF International)

Japanese disaster - St Mark's connection

Dear Dale and Karen,

At this terrible awful time you are very much in our thoughts and prayers.

We've just heard on the local news that the nuclear power stations could now also pose a problem/risk??

My daughter has just sent us some pictures of the devastation. They are horrifying.

I wonder if this mail will even reach you?  No mention locally of any breakdown in the internet connections yet.

God Bless and protect you all,

Dawn and John Bowman.

Gauteng, 

South Africa

Moshe laid to rest

Dear Friends,

I  have just returned from  Moshe's funeral in Pietermaritzburg. The service was at Lay Community Centre Edenvale (not to be confused with our Gauteng Edenvale), The hall was packed almost to capacity. The service started at 07h30 and ended at 10h30. 

We could not be at the cemetery, because I had a long way to drive back to prepare for tomorrow's service. May God bless his soul and keep those he left behind.

Shalom,

Solomon.

Article about the accident published in a Pietermaritzburg newspaper:

God of surprises - Shalom Moshe

The God of surprises
Luke 1:26-38

In May 1994, Gerald Hughes gave my mother a book entitled ‘God of Surprises’.  Mom being who she was, must have asked Gerald to autograph the book.  He obliged and wrote ‘Ellen, may God always surprise you more and more. With best wishes, Gerry Hughes’.

In Luke’s Gospel, Mary’s encounter with the angel was a complete surprise.  Why would the chief angel, Gabriel, visit a simple peasant girl who lives in a province less than 5000 sq kms in extent, inhabited by a multicultural population, largely gentiles who were held in scorn by their southern neighbours? The angel’s message baffled Mary.  She was said to be highly favoured of the Lord and the Lord would be with her (v29).  She was to be the mother of the Son of the Most High, one who would be an heir of David and would rule over the house of Jacob forever (v32).

What might just have further thrown Mary off was that she knew she was a virgin, engaged to be married to Joseph.  By the way, Elizabeth, her relative, long past her child bearing years, declared barren by the local gynaecologists, was six months into her pregnancy!  Ours is indeed a God of surprises.

May our response to God’s actions, whether we understand them or not, echo Mary’s words that nothing is impossible with God (v37).  For instance, who would have thought anything good could come out of Yeoville?  The same question was asked of Nazareth.  Remember that God in his wisdom chose Nazareth, not even the better town of Sepphoris, 
a few kilometers in the north, as a place where Jesus preached his first sermon.  It was the home of his disciples and Jesus grew up there and performed his first miracle in Cana in Galilee.

This year we have seen a few firsts for St Mark’s.  The Lord has raised an enthusiastic integrated group of Men for the Master; a cool interactive blogspot (marksmanonline.blogspot.com); a new choir; the numbers of those who come to Sunday worship has improved, and the list goes on.

While we marvel at what God is doing in our midst, let us not allow the excitement of going on holiday or welcoming our friends and family distract us from receiving anew the greatest gift that God has given to humanity, Jesus the Christ. 

We do well not to forget that:
“Jesus being in very nature, God made himself nothing, identified himself  with humanity, became obedient to death so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father”.

Christmas time, and not what the world has dubbed the festive season, comes as a powerful reminder that Christ entered our world, lived, taught, died, rose and will come again to reign forever.  The angel put it to Mary that Jesus’ kingdom would never end (v33).  Let us therefore form choirs of angels singing in exaltation, declaring God’s glory in the highest heaven above.

Have a blessed Christmas and revel in God’s many wonderful surprises.

Shalom

Moshe.