Worship

This week’s reading:

"Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."

Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."

Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."

John 4:19-26

Liezel read from passage this morning in the NR Staff devotions.
I have read this passage many times but something just clicked for me today.
God is spirit and we need to worship Him in spirit and truth.

What does this mean?

For me:

‘In Spirit’ means God is to be worshipped, not only in church, but in every place His Spirit dwells:

- In us
- In our homes
- In our workplaces
- In our cars
- Everywhere!

‘In Truth’ means:

- Him only
- When we confront our own weakness and sin
- When we recognise we are in the middle of the struggle between God and Satan
- That the world needs a Saviour more than anything else
- The Truth is found in Jesus, His teachings, His life, death and Resurrection
- When we are able to sing, pray and move in the Spirit

May you worship God in Spirit and Truth.

Blessings

God's Promise

This week’s reading :


Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Colossians 3:1-4

This word of encouragement comes with a promise.
1. Work to be Christ-like
2. Then we will share in His glory

This promise is related to our taking our responsibility seriously.

My prayer is that we will continually work to be Christ like in all that we do.

Learning

This week’s reading:

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:14-17

It’s awesome to think that in God’s world, we never stop learning.
I believe we have grown significantly this year at NR. This has been largely due to our obedience to the Word.
I believe that we must also take our learning into our homes and workplaces.

- Our children need to learn about God from us.Children’s church and church will introduce them to Jesus but they will know Him through us.

- The same goes for our friends and wider family

- The same goes for our work colleagues

Learning is discovering.
Discovering is finding.
Finding is knowing.
Knowing is living.

Have a blessed week.

This week’s reading:

Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him.
If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless,
he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

2 Timothy 2:11-13

Isn’t the faithfulness of God amazing?
He will remain faithful despite our failures and weaknesses.
All He asks is that we remain faithful to Him.

May you grow in your faithfulness this week.

Blessings

This week’s reading:

I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.
This will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hoofs.
The poor will see and be glad-- you who seek God, may your hearts live!
The LORD hears the needy and does not despise his captive people.

Psalm 69:30-33

Isn’t it amazing that all we have to do to please God is to sing His praises.
We do so in song, in word and in behaviour.

This is important to understand : as we live more and more for Him, our lives become our praises to Him.

Have a blessed week.

Serving Him

This week’s reading:

Praise the LORD.
Praise the name of the LORD; praise him, you servants of the LORD,
you who minister in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God.
Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant.
For the LORD has chosen Jacob to be his own, Israel to be his treasured possession.
I know that the LORD is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods.
The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths.
He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;
he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.

Psalm 135:1-7

Isn’t it an awesome privilege to serve Him!

Making A Difference

This week’s reading:

So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,
encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

2 Thessalonians 2:15-17


If you are anything like me, you might wonder from time to time whether the small things we do everyday really matters?
Like showing kindness, resisting criticising someone, controlling our temper and seeing the good in everyone.
Who sees these things? And it doesn’t seem to change the world in any big way?

Today’s passage says different.

Paul says everything we do to live the way that God wants us to, strengthens us and brings hope to a broken world.
He further prays that we will be encouraged to good deeds and works.

May all you do this week, bring a smile to God.

Pleasing God

This week’s reading:

For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you.
On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.
We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.

1 Thessalonians 2:3-4


Isn’t it strange sometimes that when we talk to others about God, they are suspicious of our motives?

Maybe it’s the way we say things? Or the tone in our voice? Our body language? Or their resistance to the Gospel?

However, Paul encourages us to please God. Sharing the Gospel is tough but imagine the joy it brings to His heart!

May your courage to share the Gospel bring a sweet smile to God this week.

Blessings

Planting Our Churches

This week’s reading:

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.
Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Colossians 4:2-6

Prayer is the foundation of ministry.
If we are going to plant our ‘churches’ in our homes and workplaces, (our calling), then our ministry needs to be:
- Birthed in prayer
- Sustained by prayer
- Grown by prayer

May your church reach the world this week.

Blessings

Praise Him

This week’s reading

I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.
This will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hoofs.
The poor will see and be glad-- you who seek God, may your hearts live!
The LORD hears the needy and does not despise his captive people.
Psalm 69:30-33

The Lord desires our praise. It pleases Him more than anything else we can offer Him.

So, simply, plainly, openly, gladly, thankfully praise Him in all that you do this week.

Have a great week!

Just Because He Loves

Pauls says:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition,with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:4-11

Isn’t this one of the most uplifting passages in Scripture!

I trust that ALL that Pauls says you can claim in your life.

Christian CPR

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labour for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Philippians 2:12-18

We are called to shine like stars.
We do so by being faithful to His calling – to hold out the Word of life to others.

Isn’t it an awesome thought – to speak about Jesus is like giving a drowning person CPR!

Have a great week.

Stand Firm

This week’s reading:

I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me. Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved and that by God.

Philippians 1:20-28

Paul is writing to the church in Philippi. He is encouraging them to remain faithful. He uses himself as an example of how, even when under pressure, (he was in jail for his faith), Christians must stand firm in the Word.

In today's challenging world, many things compete for our attention, we, as Christians, need to find places of determination within us.

My prayer is that you will stand firm in times of trial.

Hi Everyone

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:14-21

This is just one of those readings to meditate over.

My prayer is that you will know God’s love.

Remember

This week’s reading:

Here is a trustworthy saying:
if we died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him.
If we disown him, he will also disown us;
if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

2 Timothy 2:11-13

This morning, I’m reminded how easy it is for us to forget the principles of our faith.
God invites us to die to our sin, stand firm in the midst of trial, never give up on Him and take comfort in His faithfulness.

My prayer is that you are reminded as you read this passage of God’s goodness in your life.

Healing

This weeks’ reading :

For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.
They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams.
One will say, `I belong to the LORD'; another will call himself by the name of Jacob;
still another will write on his hand, `The LORD's,' and will take the name Israel.
"This is what the LORD says-- Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.

` Isaiah 44:3-6

For those who were in church at 9h00 on Sunday, the service, I believe, marked a new direction that God is taking us.
New in the sense of Gods’ signs and wonders, healing, maturity and encouragement.
This is, of course, not to say that He wasn’t working in the life of the church before, rather, He is manifesting in a new ways for us.

Scripture is clear about the reasons for such manifestation, to:

Mature, Encourage, Heal, Uplift and Challenge us to take God into our areas of influence i.e. work, home and other.

All we need to do, is be open to His work in our lives.

May you grow in the way God wants to grow you.

Growing in Love

Here’s this week’s reading:

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love,
I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

I think we sometimes too easily confuse ‘love’ as spoken in the Bible with love as seen on TV and in romance novels.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with romantic love but there is a difference in the context that Paul uses it in our reading.

Love here is from the Greek word – agapaō.
This word means, love, not arising from feelings but from the desire to care for people and the opportunity to do good.

So, I believe, the challenge is for us to develop the desire to care for others and pray for the opportunity to good things for them.
In our homes, work places and areas of influence, we have the chance to exercise agapaō.

My prayer is that this love will grow true in our lives.

Have a great week.

Tough but True

This week’s reading:

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 5:11-12

When I left the mine I was working on, I flippantly used to say that the hardest thing I’ve ever done was changing a final drive on a 120 ton rear dumping production machine. This job entailed working physically for 48 hours non-stop which pushed you to the limits of human endurance. Grown, tough men would get physically sick from exhaustion. But it was also the kind of job that gained you the respect of the entire mine once you had done it.

Then I became a Christian!

Over time, I have learned that God often asks us to do the most challenging things in His name in His time.He always wants us to move from where we are. And moving is not easy – it was never meant to be.

One of the things He asks of us is to put ourselves out there!
Are you offering Jesus in your home, to your friends, in your workplace or business in His time?

The hardest, but most rewarding things we will ever do, is God’s will at the times He asks, not the times we think we might.

Blessings

A Word of Warning

This week’s reading:


"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation.
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, `I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

Revelation 3:14-22


This reading comes as part of John’s revelation to the seven churches.
I believe these letters serve as a ‘thermometer’ for a churches pulse.
For me this reading confirms that at NR, we should not be lukewarm. We need to be fully committed to the work of Christ.
This starts with you and me. How we are away from NR will determine what we bring to NR when we serve.

My prayer is that you keep growing in your faith journey. Keep a teachable spirit and study the Word daily.

Have a blessed week.

A Word of Encouragement

This week’s reading:


Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways.
You will eat the fruit of your labour; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house;
your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.
Thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD.
May the LORD bless you from Zion all the days of your life; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem and may you live to see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel.

Psalm 128:1-6 - a word as encouragement for us.


Have a blessed week.

Correcting in Love

Hi Everyone

This weeks reading is from 2 Corinthians and has two parts:

Since we have these promises, dear friends,let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
(2 Corinthians 7:1)


This, I believe, is a great challenge for us – to practice holiness.
To challenge ourselves and each other to live a life worthy of Christ’s sacrifice.
A life according to God’s laws and decrees.

I believe there are many levels to this challenge:
- To open ourselves to God’s spirit
- To listen with discernment to our brothers and sisters who
correct us in love
- To correct ourselves and one another in love
- To practice what we believe


Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it.
Though I did regret it - I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while- yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance.
For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done.
( 2 Corinthians 7:8-11)

Paul was expressing his distress at having to correct the church at Corinth.But at the same time, he was glad because his correction caused them to come in line with God.

We too should rely on this joy to strengthen our resolve when talking about God’s will for ourselves and others.

May you be given all you need this week to live according to God’s will.

Blessings

Cleaning the Temple

On Sunday we shared from Matthew 21:12-17 - Jesus cleaning the temple.

Traditionally, this passage speaks about righteous anger, the need for religion at the time to transform and the temple to become a house of prayer.

In 1 Corinthians 6:19, Paul says that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we are to hounour God with our bodies.

In the same way, we are to allow Jesus to cleanse our temples and become vessels of transfomation, healing and hope.

We can do this by daily allowing the Holy Spirit to convict us of the areas in our lives that need healing, change and transfomation.

My prayer is that we will become a house of prayer for the Lord.

The Work of the Spirit

On Sunday we shared from Jesus' teaching on the work of the Spirit.

A couple of things emerged:

- Jesus had to be glorified in order that we would recieve the Spirirt as Counsellor.

- We are shaped and transformed by the Spirit when we allow Him to convict us of changes in our lives.

This for many Christians is not a new understanding but what may be new is to make the concious effort to be transformed to a righteous life.

My prayer is that you will allow the Spirit to work in you this week.

Palm Sunday

On Sunday we shared from John 12:12-15 - Palm Sunday:

No doubt that this reading speaks to the Kingship of Jesus.

However, we, for the most part, see His kingship as peaceful,loving and individual.

A careful examination of this reading can change our first perception:

- Jesus did not focus on the external - He focused on the internal!

In other words, changing the world relies on the transformation of the individual.

On entering Jerusalem, Jesus chooses to turn left and His choice takes Him to the Cross.

The Cross is divisive:

- It divides believer from non-believer
- It divides life from death
- It divides the passive person from the active person

We also have a choice:

To accept Him or not.

If we accept Him, we become believers who have Life and commit to becoming active in changing the world.

The Vine

On Sunday we shared from John 15:1-4.

Jesus encourages His disciples to stay in Him (the vine).

Every Christian, at some point in their journey, will be confronted with the temptation to resist the church, praying or allowing the Holy Spirit to work in their lives.

Jesus recognises this weakness in us.

How can we avoid this temptation?

Three ways:

1. Attend church regularly. Make it part of our daily routine.

2. Read and pray every morning. Make it part of our routine.

3. Ask the Holy Spirit to prune us daily. Make it part of our daily routine.


Awesome!

John 17:20-26

On Sunday we shared around Jesus prayer for future believers (you and I):

It is interesting to note Jesus' expectation:

- We would need to be reminded to keep our unity - (because we can and do disagree)
- We would need protection -( satan wants us to fail and will tempt us)
- We would need to be sanctified -(made Holy in His image by the power of the Holy Spirit)

So heres the thing:

His prayer speaks to our lives two thousand years later.

Awesome!

Prayer

On Sunday, I spent the morning with our men at their camp at a retreat centre outside Parys.

In our regular Sunday service, we continued with our theme of prayer during which time couples had the opportunity to come forward for prayer - awesome!

It is always amazing to me how God uses His church to minister to people wherever they may be.

In fact, I am becoming more convinced that without a church family, we will always have to face life on our own and this is not God's intention for us.

My prayer for you is that your church family is offering God's ministry to your life.

Blessings

Prayer

On Sunday we began our four week series on Prayer, one of our core values.

We shared from Deuteronomy 4:5-8.

This passage tells us that God is near us when we pray to Him.

It may sound simple and obvious but the reality is that we often don't know, appreciate or feel His close presence.

So, bottom line:

- God is present in all our situations.
- He knows our every need.
- We can open ourselves to Him in pray.
- It is His hearts desire that we do so.

I trust you will open yourself to Him because He is every present in your life!

Salt and Light Part 2

On Sunday we shared from Matthew 5:13-16 - being the salt and light.

Interestingly, that the traditional way of understanding this passage is that sin makes us lose our saltiness and we hide our good works under our beds!

However:

- Salt is used for flavouring, curing and preserving food.

- The Greek words for losing saltiness, in this passage, MARINO, actually means: to be foolish, (sin, silly mistakes, repeated bad choices etc).

- The Greek word for light, in this passage, is PHOS. When phosphorous hits water it glows brightly therefore we are to burn brightly for Jesus.

Conclusion:

When we avoid being foolish, we can shine for Jesus in being the flavour of the universe!

Robbing God

On Sunday we shared around our responsibility to faithfully manage all that God has given us - i.e. family, work and church:
(Malachi 3: 6-12).

By withholding out Tithes we compromise the churches ability to fulfil Christ's commission:

- To learn to love God
- To learn to love our neighbours

At North Rand, we commit ourselves to fulfilling God's call on us a church for 2011 as we read our convenental vow!

Managing Our Responsibilities

On Sunday we shared, as part of our annual stewardship series, around God's guidance for managing of our responsibilities.

Now, when most of us hear the word, 'stewardship,' we might immediately think of a sermon or teaching on GIVING!!!

But stewardship is some much more.

It involves our managing ALL things we are to be responsible for:

- FAMILY
- WORK
- CHURCH
- ENVIRONMENT
- UNIVERSE

So, we are given this responsibilty but also the MEANS.

We can chose to follow God's guidelines, as laid out in Scripture, or we try to do it ourselves.

Amazed!!!

We concluded our Worship series on Sunday.

I am always amazed at the POWER of the Word!

We simply shared from the Word in between worshiping and allowed the Word to challenge us.

The altar call at the end was amazing as many folk came forward to receive Jesus' forgiveness.

GOD IS GOOD!!!

Worship

On Sunday we simply allowed Scripture to speak to us a we worshipped in song.

Folks came forward for prayer and we trust that many lives were changed and transformed as they received Jesus(Acts 3:1-10)

I trust that God will transform you as you:

- devote yourself to him
- show Him your devotion
- saturate Him with your all

In Spirit & Truth

On Sunday as part of our series on our core value - Worship, we shared from John 4:19-24.

The foundation of worship is to:
- Show our devotion to God
- Tell Jesus that we Adore Him
- Saturate God with our respect

Jesus encounters a women at the well and she highlights that Jews & Samaritans differ in their understand of where/how God should be worshipped.

He takes the opportunity to point out that:
- True worshippers do not need a 'place'
- Salvation is from the Jews - Himself

So what does this mean?

True worshipers:
- Worship in the assembly (congregation) - Proskuneo
- Are committed to service to others (Romans 12:1) - Latreia

I trust you will worship in Spirit and Truth in 2011!

Worship

At North Rand we have decided to spend some time this year on each of our core values.

On Sunday we shared around Worship.

Worship means:
- Adoring God
- Showing our Devotion to God
- Saturating God with our respect

The foundations for us doing this are:

- By Giving thanks & Calling on His name
- Singing His praises & Glorying Him
- Looking & Remembering His goodness and faithfulness

Awesome!!!!