Eunice Rajuili heads back to KZN

Hi there

Just to inform you as well, Eunice is moving down to Pmb. The flat is being packed up on Friday and she will be driving down on Saturday 7 May.  She will be at St Giles’ on Sunday 1 May, when Rodney and the congregation will say farewell.

Thanks  

Beth

You are running out of time

29 April 2011

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things in him who strengthens me.

Just a week ago it was Good Friday and most of us were either in church or going to church to be part of that service that reminds us of the trial and tribulations that our Saviour went through for each of us. It is amazing how fast time is going by. Each of us today are having to take stock of what we are going to do with all of our tomorrows. We do not have the time to just reflect on the past but to actively confront the future.

How we do this is dependant on our personalities and background, some of us are able to do almost anything while others of us seem to be limited in opportunities. Irrespective of this it is not what we can do in our own strength, but what Jesus Christ can do through us in His. When we compare ourselves to others we do ourselves an injustice and we are often unfair to others because of the comparison. You can do anything through Jesus Christ who has called you, to limit ourselves in this regard is to limit our calling and what Jesus wants to do through us. We do not have the time to waste for comparisons, for criticism, we simply need to get on with the job that we have to do in the name of Jesus Christ.

Be encouraged today to get on with the job.

David

Point to ponder: you are called by Jesus Christ.

Question to consider:  Are you responding to your call?

Our webpage: www.chf.yolasite.com

Wait

28 April 2011

Luke 12:35-36  "Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the marriage feast, so that they may open to him at once when he comes and knocks.”

After Easter Jesus Christ told the disciples to wait. One of the hardest things to do is to wait, to wait for something to happen, to wait for someone that is late. The discipline of waiting is not one that Christians practise today, we all seem to want things to happen at our pace instead of God’s. As we wait during this period, we wait and pray with expectation, an expectation that God will do an extraordinary thing through our prayers.

It is also a time of preparation, a time where we reflect and are cleansed through our prayers and the Easter celebrations, a time of preparation with expectation. Just as the Israelites waited for Moses after the Passover and his meeting with God on the mountain, to receive the Ten Commandments, so we wait for the Holy Spirit to be refreshed, renewed and revealed in us at Pentecost. On Ascension Day for the Israelites the law came down, and on that same day Jesus Christ ascended into heaven taking the burden of the law off all those who believed and followed Him. Ten days later Pentecost occurs, where the Holy Spirit was given to all those who follow Jesus Christ.

Be encouraged today to wait and pray for God’s mighty power to be revealed in His Church today.

David

Point to ponder: Wait on God.

Question to consider:  Are you able to wait patiently?

We are not alone

26 April 2011

John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

Jesus Christ has risen from the dead and is alive today. We worship a living God and when we understand this, we understand that when we believe in Jesus Christ and that we are raised with Him to eternal life. This is not some future occurrence when we die physically, but the reality of who we are today, we are already alive in Christ. Our physical bodies may die, but we are eternal alive with Jesus Christ in the spirit.

Our journey now onwards is not that we will meet Jesus Christ in heaven but that we will meet Him in us on a daily basis. His promises to the disciples not to worry for He is with them, is the truth we should live everyday of our lives. We may suffer many things, we may have to face many problems, we may experience the joys and sadness of life, but that is what life is. When we see Jesus Christ in all these things with us, we understand that we are not excluded from life, but that we can face life with a joy in us, because Christ is in all things with us.

When we cling to this, when we look at an empty tomb, a vacant cross we are reminded that Jesus Christ did this for all of us, so that we may have eternal life with Him.

Be encouraged today no matter what, to be reminded to seek Jesus Christ today.

David

Point to ponder: Eternal life starts with Jesus Christ in you.

Question to consider: Do you remember that Jesus is with you today?

Easter wishes

Dear friends,


According to Paul, Without the resurrection, our Christian faith would be just hopeful thinking, no better than secular philosophies and fanatical religions.

May God bless you this Easter Sunday Service as you let Jesus have the final word in your life. 

 

The Rev. Emmanuel Solomon Surwumwe 

Easter

21 April 2011

Mark 15:24-25 And they crucified him, and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. And it was the third hour, when they crucified him.

Today throughout the western Church a time is spent celebrating the night of the Last Supper, some call it Maundy Thursday, others Tenebrae. It is a time of reflection of how all the disciples abandoned Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and He had to face His trial and crucifixion. The worship service reflects the celebration of the Passover meal, the time of prayer in the garden, followed by the flight of the disciples.

Good Friday is a time of introspection where we consider how many times we have abandoned Christ in the ways we have lived and in what we have said and done, and the great pain, humiliation, brutality and rejection that Jesus had to endure, finally death. In His suffering and death He carried the burdens of our sin, and took upon Himself the complete wrath of God that we may have eternal life with Him. Even so, we betray Him, through our lack of love, lack of repentance and lack of faith. The One who was rejected will not reject us, He bore our sufferings and our pains that we may have life with Him.

On the third day He rose, and with His resurrection so we are resurrected with Him into eternal life. No hell will prevail, for we are His, He bought us with His life, He claims us to be His own.

Be encouraged today to celebrate Easter in the fullness of Gods love, knowing that Jesus did it all for you.

David

Point to ponder: Easter is about what God has done for you.

Question to consider: Do you celebrate Easter as a holy time?

Hell exists

20 April 2011

Matthew 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

There are only two kinds of people in this world, those that follow and believe in Jesus Christ and those that do not. Those who follow Jesus Christ do those things that please Him, like forgiving others, repenting of the things they have done wrong and by loving on another. They do not lie, neither are they deceitful, they do to others as they would have it done to themselves, they do not gossip or cheat, in all they do, they do it as if the person they are doing it for is Jesus Christ Himself. The other kind of person in this world is those that do what please them and not Jesus Christ.

For those that believe and follow the ways of Jesus Christ their reward is eternal life with Jesus Christ in heaven, for those who do not their reward is eternal life without Jesus Christ in hell. Hell is not there to bring Jesus Christ to people out of fear, but is there for those fallen angels and demons who rebel against God, when we do not follow Jesus Christ we become part of the fallen world and so ally with Satan himself. Let no man fool you, hell exists, it is not a figment of the imagination.

If you could see who was in hell and the number of those you love being tormented eternally, what can you do to save them? Nothing!!! The only way for them to be saved is by following Jesus Christ while they still can, turn from your wicked ways, repent of your sin, and follow Jesus Christ alone, this is the only way to salvation from hell and judgement.

Be encouraged today to warn people that unless they change their ways and follow the ways of Jesus Christ, they will be in hell forever.

David

Point to ponder: Heaven exists, just as hell exists.

Question to consider: Do you have the courage to speak out to save others and yourself?

Misunderstood

19 April 2011

Ephesians 4:22-24 Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

We are often misunderstood by others because they do not realise or refuse to understand that there is more to life than just materialism. When we focus on what we have and what we want in terms of materialistic things and we spend time with others who can only speak about what they own and how much money they have, we become even more materialistic and never have enough of anything. So as a Christian we know we need money to keep food on the table, a roof over our head and clothes on our back, but it is about enjoying life with a contentment that what we have is enough  which is more important.

We are also misunderstood through our nature, we would rather do someone good than harm, we would rather be kind than unkind, patient with others than impatient. When we act different to our nature and have done someone harm, it worries us and we need to make right with them. So we learn that our nature is different to others, simply because Jesus Christ has given us His.

Be encouraged today to be different, because Jesus Christ was different.

David

Point to ponder: Jesus Christ makes the difference.

Question to consider: Are you different because of Jesus Christ?

Corruption

18 April 2011

Luke 16:10-11 "He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true riches?

There worst form of corruption is inefficiency, when people are placed in positions and who cannot perform their work because of bad training and an inept attitude to the work itself. A classical example of this is the billing system of the Joburg Metro, the meter readers are employed by a private company, the input is set into a system that is so sophisticated that it would make NASA seem archaic, and the people using the system have no idea how to use it and actually make it work. So one month you are billed for electricity you never used, you are then extorted into paying the fictitious bill or face disconnection, after months they finally get the account correct, and then the water meter is incorrectly read and you have to pay an astronomical account for water you never used, extorted into payment and the cycle starts all over again.

The senior management of the supply departments are upset for being blamed for inefficiency that lays at the feet of the Billing section and no one has the willingness to actually correct the problem. In this regard we all need to be aware that in the work we do, we need to be able to give value for the money we earn and that people who we work with and work for will recognise that we perform our tasks correctly and efficiently. We all need to be encouraged to do our work to the best of our ability whether it is washing windows or preparing a legal brief or doing the ironing.

Be encouraged today to take our work seriously and do it as if we were doing it for Jesus Himself

David

Point to ponder: Corruption is the fruit of bad government.

Question to consider: Do you tolerate corruption?

Men for the Master raring to go

Giyani Matampi and Men for the Master are on the move

Dear Friends,

The Men for the Master executive met on Saturday and what a wonderful production session it proved to be under the chairmanship of Giyani Matampi.

After opening with a "reading" for guidance the Men for the Master decided on the following short term initiatives to "reach out" to the youth and our people in Yeoville:
1. Funds were raised for a boerewors roll give-away after the service on 1 May 2011. The Men will braai during the service, so that all is ready for our friends after the service.
2. We will assist the Youth with a "how to bake" workshop, so we can have cake at tea made by the youth group to raise funds. We ask the congregation to give generously to assist us with buying the ingredients and funding the workshop. More about that next Sunday.
3. The Men drafted options for setting up an office for the Minister in the Vestry. This was copied to the Finance committee for guidance.
4. The men will assist the WA with buttering hot cross buns and give away Easter eggs. Marianne will confirm those arrangements with Giyani.

The Men will also fulfil their promise to Solomon to buy him a shirt  for service, in recognition of his Ordination as a Minister. An appropriate garment has been found the Methodist shop up the road.

Blessings,

The Men for the Master editorial team.

Rejoice and be Glad

15 April 2011

Isaiah 35:2 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing.

Some days are diamond days and some days are just days, today is a diamond day. The sun shine is glimmering on the heavy dew, with a subtle morning mist drifting waiting for the sun to consume it. The sunlight on the dew laden grass is shining like millions of diamonds filled with promise of a new day. There is just a sense that this day is the day that the Lord has made and we may rejoice in it and be glad.

We need to be positive in our outlook and no matter what we have to do or face we need to be reminded that this is the day that the Lord has made. When we rejoice and are glad because we have the Lord on our side, we can face all things with hope and encouragement. When we fail to see the diamonds on the grass, we see only bits of wet water, we loose some of the excitement and joy of life, when we fail to see pictures in the clouds, we loose some of the dreams that the Lord has for us. Just imagine if today was the last day on earth, will you be rejoicing or will you be sad? We make of the day of how we choose, choose to rejoice and see the diamonds rather than the mud.

Be encouraged today to rejoice and be glad, besides its Friday!

David

Point to ponder: Rejoice and be glad.

Question to consider: Do you rejoice and be glad?

Fullness in Jesus Christ

14 April 2011

Colossians 2:9-10 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fullness of life in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, the whole fullness of God dwells in Him. Jesus Christ is God and cannot be separated from God, God is One in Jesus Christ, just as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit is One. There is One God, revealed to us as God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The Oneness of God dwells in Jesus Christ in the whole or complete fullness of all that God is.

When we come to Jesus Christ, believe in Him, follow Him and worship God in and through Him, we to come into the fullness of life in Him. We are no longer empty, we are not half empty but completely filled with life in Him. We are full of life and we live life abundantly as we have come into the fullness of life. Being filled with life, we live lives that are filled with the life that Jesus Christ brings, love, joy, peace, hope, encouragement, gentleness and so on. Because we know that Jesus Christ lives, so we know that Jesus Christ lives in us through the fullness of His deity the Holy Spirit.

Jesus Christ is the Head of all rule and authority, all that was, all that is and all that is to come. We submit to that authority, trust that authority and live according to that authority; in so doing we know that we are one with Jesus Christ in every way, His life, His death and His resurrection. We do what pleases Jesus Christ and not that which pleases the world.

Be encouraged today to be filled with life abundantly

David

Point to ponder: Jesus Christ is in control of your situation.

Question to consider: Do you submit to the rule and authority of Jesus Christ?

Image of God

13 April 2011

Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation;

Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God, in order that we may have an understanding of what the image of God is. What does God look like? Then look to Jesus Christ. How does God act, then observe how Jesus Christ acts. What is the nature of God, this is revealed in and through the nature of Jesus Christ. All that Jesus Christ did and how He responded and what He said was in the image of the invisible God.

You and I were created in the image of God, when a person sees you or when you look in the mirror you are the image of God. We look like God, we should have the nature of God and we should act like God, we are the imitators of God. When Adam and Eve sinned they rebelled and rejected God, bringing sin into their nature. The nature of God cannot continue with rebellion and rejection and the consequence was that the nature of man as we understand it today happened. So sin entered our image changing us into a people who reject and rebel against God. From that time on we have been seeking how to restore our nature through knowledge, false Gods or anything that will ease that hunger in us for peace in ourselves, and we fail every time.

It is only God who could restore us to what He created us to be, a people in His own image. So in this regard, He gave the perfect image of who He was, is and is to be and allowed His Son to die for each of us so that our image of who we are may be restored. When we accept Jesus Christ in our lives our nature changes; we do not want to sin, we do not want to be in rebellion or reject God.

Be encouraged today to be the image of God in all you do, say and think.

David

Point to ponder: You are the image of God.

Question to consider: Do you reflect Jesus Christ to all who know you?

Purity

10 April 2011

Titus 1:15 To the pure all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure; their very minds and consciences are corrupted.

When you think pure thoughts then you act in a pure way, and having done so many will think that you are actually naïve and very gullible. It is not that you have not experienced the corrupt and unbelieving worldly way, but that having experienced it you choose to remain pure in your thinking and in what you believe. When we do this we find that we always think good of people before they prove themselves otherwise.

This attitude often results in others being infected by you, they suddenly realise that you think that their motives are pure and their expected behaviour would be the same as yours, the result is that this often happens. When it does not they prove to themselves that they are corrupt and unbelieving, their way of thinking is corrupted. It is like working on a computer where the soft ware has been corrupted by a virus, it simply is unable to perform as the programme should. So many people today have been corrupted in their minds and their consciences do not worry them when they fail and have impure thoughts.

The purer our thoughts, the purer our actions and motives become. Speak only good of people, do only good to people, be helpful and kind, consider others and always refrain from gossip. Do the right things and always trust God in all you do.

Be encouraged today to be pure in heart, in mind and in all you do.

David

Point to ponder: Those with pure hearts and clean hands shall see God.

Question to consider: Do you have a pure heart and clean hands?

Our webpage: www.chf.yolasite.com

Relationships

8 April 2011

Proverbs 14:29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly. A tranquil mind gives life to the flesh, but passion makes the bones rot.

What makes you angry, what makes you content, these are some of the questions we should ask of ourselves and also of those with whom we are in relationship. Now we have many kinds of relationships and each of whom we must have some understanding of the questions as well as the answers. When one thinks of these we should be able to sit and discuss these as this is integral to a good relationship.

One of the things that makes me angry is abuse, abuse of people, abuse of equipment, abuse of power, it is when others do not have the respect needed to use that which God has given us in a proper way. One of the things that brings me contentment is when my family is content, and the people around me are content. I use the term content as the word happy is emotionally laden and happiness is based on chance not on reality, whereas contentment is being satisfied with what you have. So if you do not know what to speak about to someone, ask them what makes them angry, or ask them what makes them content, you may be surprised by the answers.

So often in relationships we fail to vocalize what we feel about things in an adequate way, and when we do it is usually when we are in the middle of an argument and the other person experiences our emotions rather than hearing what is important to us. Good communication is important in every relationship.

Be encouraged today to communicate and listen.

David

Point to ponder: silence kills relationships.

Question to consider: What makes God angry, what makes God content?

Just Imagine

7 April 2011

Acts 9:21 And all who heard him were amazed, and said, "Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called on this name? And he has come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests."

So often we believe that change is impossible and that a person who is struggling with an issue is trapped in that situation and that change is impossible. Usually what we believe determines what happens and when our attitude changes and we have the faith to imagine what it would be like if change happens then all possibilities are ours. When I have to fix something I spend time imagining what I am going to do, some people may call it thinking, but if you are not sure of what you are needing to do I prefer to imagine.  So when I imagine the impossible, then I work around it; it becomes possible.

I suppose in the same way people believed that Paul could never change, he was a religious killer ready to jail and persecute; who in their right mind would believe that he could change? Amazing God did. So if you think you cannot change think again, if you think someone you know cannot change think again, just imagine the change in them and then respond as if the change had already happened, and watch the miracle unfold before your very eyes. Keep in mind that with God on our side all things are possible.

Be encouraged today to imagine positive change all around you, and let God be God in you.

David

Point to ponder: Our imagination is a gift from God.

Question to consider: Do you use your imagination?

Honesty in relationships

6 April 2011

Proverbs 15:17-18 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fatted ox and hatred with it. A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.

One of the worse things a person can do when upset is to explain why you are upset to people other than the person you are upset with. All this does is draw in a third party who now has to take sides and because of that you need to justify yourself to them further alienating the person you are upset with. We do this however because we always need to be the aggrieved party, we do not see the fault in us. The sad part is that many people have gone through life this way and do not know how to communicate or speak the truth without putting a tale on the truth.

Shedding tears and crying on someone else’s shoulder will just complicate the problem, if you have a problem go and speak honestly to the person concerned, stop avoiding. Yet there are those people who just keep repeating this behaviour, never able to be in a relationship without the tension of gossip and manipulating the attention to focus on themselves. These are simply people it is best to avoid as they will always bring disunity, they never contribute to the food on the table and always complain in the restaurant even when they are your guest.

We need to be careful how we select our friends as our friends tell others who we are, the company we keep needs to be able to uplift us and help us to deeper spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ. Pub friends seldom become Christian friends, sadly however there are few places we will be able to meet people, so life become lonely. Blessed is the man who loves the wife of his youth for this is God’s way of dealing with loneliness.

Be encouraged today to speak the truth honestly.

David

Point to ponder: Friends are usually like minded.

Question to consider: Are you always the aggrieved party?

What goes around

5 April 2011

Obadiah 1:15 For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you, your deeds shall return on your own head.

We think we have time to put off what we need to do, believing that we will be able to do it some time in the future. We also think that our situation cannot change, and neither will the world change so we leave things to be done, believing that we have all our tomorrows to do it in. We apply this principle as people, as communities and as nations, yet the word of God tells us clearly that what goes around comes around, as we deal with others so others will deal with us. Yet we forget this and just carry on as if we have all the time in the world and we can do as we please without consequence.

So we need to remind ourselves that if we love others, others will love us in return, if we respect others, others will respect us in return. When we are fair and kind to people this does not mean that we will not be retrenched, it does not mean that everything will suddenly change. We do these things because we love God, and God loves us. We represent Him to the world and we trust Him to be with us in our good times and bad times. When our marriages are hurting, when we are unemployed, desperate for our lives to come back on track it is then that we do not loose trust. When we have enough of everything and live is content it is then that we do not loose trust.

But we all need to stop and look at what we are doing and ask ourselves if what we are doing is pleasing to God and in line with His Word to us. To examine our hearts and see how we take others for granted with unfair expectations, including unfair expectations of God.

Be encouraged today to do more good than harm.

David

Point to ponder: Trust God in your situation.

Question to consider: Do you take your spouse for granted?

Inviting strangers

4 April 2011

Hebrews 13:2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Birthdays, Christmas, Easter, these are all dates in a year that gives us milestones in our life. These bring times of memory and looking forward, enjoyment and many other emotions and thoughts that relate to these times in ones life. Thinking back to family times and the fun of fellowship is part of who we are in this world. So we all look forward to a birthday when we are able to be with those we love, to think of another person when we give them a gift for Christmas, and the fun of watching children on an Easter egg hunt in the garden. It just adds value.

For many people though this is not always possible, for many reasons, and when these times come around they want to avoid them because of the loneliness in their lives. Those whom they loved have passed on and age has pruned their friends away, children have grown up, and they are not as mobile as they used to be. It is for these people that we should befriend them and reach out to them, drawing them into our families that they will know that they belong. The fellowship of a congregation should bring people into a family, a family of God, that no matter where we may find ourselves we will find brothers and sisters in Christ. Church should not be an exclusive club, where membership is in the style of worship, but rather in the love that we have for each other, reaching out to those who need to be part of a family, the family of God.

Be encouraged today to be part of the family of God.

David

Point to ponder: God gives us festivals to enjoy each other in His family.

Question to consider: Do you invite the stranger to dinner?

Anger

1 April 2011

Proverbs 14:29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.

Nobody is ever angry without cause. Sometimes we do not understand the cause, and even in some cases we do not know what the cause is, yet we are angry. Anger causes a physiological problems in the human body, diverting blood flow from some parts of the body to others. When this blood flow is constantly being diverted this causes the areas with less blood flow to react to the situation, aggravating the physical aspect. Anger also causes stress and unresolved stress causes depression. In some instances the anger grows to become hate. If one had to say the one condition we have more than enough of is anger, the one condition we do not have enough of is love. Most people today are angry and many people suffer the consequences of suppressed anger.

When we examine ourselves and ask the question, ‘am I angry’ we need to be honest and review who we are angry with, sometimes we are even angry with God. To do this we need to focus on the situation which resulted in an anger response and not the person. We are inclined to be angry with the person and not their behaviour we need to separate the two, forgive the person, correct the behaviour starting with ourselves.

This process is often difficult as the persons behaviour seems to be unchangeable and we seem to always be angry because of it. It is at this point that we need to honestly explain why their behaviour makes us angry.

Be encouraged today to stop being angry.

David

Point to ponder: Anger is unhealthy.

Question to consider: Are you often angry?