Happy Holidays

Right so its Christmas time.

Everything needs to slow down and this blog too.

We'll pick it up again in the second week of January.

Our prayer is that you have a blessed time over the next couple of weeks remembering that the greatest gift we can give is ourselves to God and to each other.

True Fasting

Who fasts today?

I mean, fasting’s a Biblical discipline which many Christians find very beneficial to their growth and development but in essence it’s not a discipline which might be associated with necessity.

I fasted as a discipline for about two years every Tuesday and found it very beneficial to my development at the time and I’ve colleagues who continue to use this discipline.

Fasting, as I understand it has two parts to it:

- self denial
- honouring God

It’s not for 'religious piety', manipulation of God or Christian elitism.
In other words fasting's not meant for us to become super spiritual or to try to manipulate God to our way of thinking.

In fact, the right way to fast, I believe, is in solitude and privacy.
In a space which is reserved for ourselves and God. A space where God can meet us at His initiation. A space meant for our growth and nurturing as Christians.

Of course, fasting’s one way of doing this; there are others, like mediation, retreats and praying with clay.

If you’re in a place that you feel the need to deepen your spiritual growth, then fasting, managed responsibly, may be beneficial.

Friends

I wonder: Just how necessary friends are.

Do they add to our lives? Is it just some fear of being alone that makes it so important that we have friends? How many of us can honestly live without friendship on some level?

I guess that we all need friends. Someone to talk to, share with, fight with, travel with…whatever.

Jesus wants to be our friend. Or rather, He invites us to be His friend.

And just like our friendships with each other, Jesus friendship has parts to it. Possibly because Jesus, like us, is looking for people with common goals and purposes. You’d agree, those are the ones we make friends with the easiest.

Well Jesus says, if you do as I do, then you can be my friend.

You know:
- love the outsider and care for them;
- give of yourself in complete service to God – spiritually, financially and emotionally;
- live with one main purpose in everything that you do – to honour God.

Everyone’s invited to be Jesus friend, no exceptions, including you and
me. If you want to be Jesus friend then go to the Tell Me About Jesus Link
and pray with us.

Playing it safe.

One of the most dangerous things we can do as Christians is to play it safe.

You know, avoid those difficult topics and questions that people may ask, argue with, highlight or just jolly well be difficult about.

For most of us, when having to answer, may want to gloss it over or pretend we know the answers or use extremely difficult theological language.

But the truth is that for someone wanting to understand or learn about the Christian faith, those approaches are not always helpful.

The Bible is alive. Made so by God’s Spirit.

It’s not just some historical or chronology record of people long ago.

It is the countless stories of God’s self revelation in the lives of His people. Highlighting how God works to save, heal and transform His creation.

Now, take that definition and apply it to you life.

And suddenly, we encounter exactly what the people of old did: a wonderful story of God’s love and Will for His creation.

So don’t avoid the difficult issues, God is much bigger than our limited understanding. Rather engage with the issues and allow God, by His Spirit, to lead you to greater understanding.

When we do this, I believe, we open ourselves to receiving a glimpse of God’s heart for ourselves, others and His creation.


If you have any questions, suggestions or issues you need help with, then email us on – nrmcmeth@telkomsa.net .

Love Means Everything

There’s a song; (you may have heard it) that begins like this:

Love, Love Changes Everything.

How true!

Yet if love changes everything:

Why does evil still exist?

Why do people who love each other, bring the worst out in each other?

Why do… why do…why do..

It would easy to say that people don’t understand what it means to love. But I not sure that’s the real issue.

I think people love as much as they can.
Some love with depth, others with strength, others with imagination, other with determination and so on…

Jesus will always stand out as the role model for love.
For various reasons but the main one for me, is that He was prepared to allow God to use Him to show how much God loves me.

I mean, think about it, Jesus says: Yes Father, despite the fact that I need love, use Me to show the world that You love them.

Bottom line: Jesus loved You enough to die for you!!

Second bottom line: You can love because you are loved first!!

Third bottom line: Love really does change everything – try it!!

If you don’t know the love of Jesus or maybe don’t feel it anymore, click on this link Tell Me About Jesus and pray with us.

Hearing the Right Thing

I like to think my hearing’s pretty good now-days.

Not only the external sounds but my internal voice as well. Some may call it a conscience and others the Spirit.

Now, let’s say I have a decision to make. My modus operand’s to sit quietly and listen and/or to listen to others and/or read the Scriptures.

What I’m listening for is in fact, Jesus.

However, I’ve learned to do so. And this means I’ve need to be tuned into Jesus’ frequency. I’m just like a pet or domestic animal who listens to frequency of its owner voice rather words.

Some ways to practice listening for Jesus’ voice.

That’s right: you can start right now or start the day tomorrow at little earlier.

Sit quietly for at least twenty minutes (no, don’t get hung up on time or step numbers – they’re’ just guidelines).

1. Say nothing.

2. Think about who Jesus is to you.

3. What’s He saying to you right now?


If you can’t answer that question and really want to: go to our link Tell Me About Jesus and pray the prayer at the bottom of the page with us.

Right now, repeat steps 1 - 3

Faith

Here’s a thing.

It’s amazing how many definitions, interpretations of the term faith there are. It’s equally amazing how emotive talking about faith can become.

Just try telling someone that their concept of the term faith is wrong!

Or that they don’t have faith!

Or that you do have faith and it looks like …!


For me faith has to do with a simple word called BECOMING.

Okay not so simple because here we go again. Becoming means this…Becoming means that.

How do we go forward then?

I’m not sure but for me becoming has to do with living or more to the point:

Changing:

From a life based on rules: social restrictions: control: guilt: peer pressures: fear and all the other emotions that can control our lives:

To

One of trust in the Creator of all that there is.

Kinda like – I’m at one with all that is past and all that is future and I trust that my life has meaning and purpose just like Jesus’ life had meaning and purpose.

Are you struggling with your faith then pray the prayer on the Tell Me about Jesus link and start your road to BECOMING.