Touching Lives

As North Rand grows, I'm more and more aware that God created his church to touch lives.

So here's the thing, the more we grow, the greater variety of ministries we need to have, in order to touch people's lives.

Obvious isn't it?

Yep, so the question then is, where does God want you to serve?

I believe He wants to use us, our stories and our generosity to change the world.

If you are thinking: Where or how can I be part of God's plan for His people?

Then I encourage you to find out:

- Pray
- Read you Bible
- Speak to other Christan's
- Find courses that can help you (check out NR Discipleship School on our website.)

Bless you in your efforts to serve our Lord.

Two Things

1. Saturday: the FATHERS group arranged a fishing trip to a trout farm.

We ended up with one fish, one tree and a few tufts of grass. More importantly we shared fellowship and a wonderful morning in God's creation.

2. Sunday: we looked back at God's will and work at NR in 2008 and the plans He has for us in 2009.


Awesome!

Thank you Lord for the privilege of being part of your family and work in the world!

The Withered Fig Tree

Here's a thing! (Mark 11:12-26)

Jesus is tired and hungry.
He approaches a fig tree hoping to get some fruit.
Being out of season, the tree has no fruit.
Irritated, He curses the tree.

The next day, the tree is dead!

The lesson:

- In Jesus mind, there is no excuse for us not to bear fruit.

- His faith is such that He knows that even a fruit tree can bear fruit out of season.

- He believes in miracles

How about you?

- Do you believe in miracles?

- Are you like the tree, who resists a supernatural miracle in your life?

- Are you an excuse maker?

Well, Jesus wants to do supernatural things in your life.
He wants you to put aside excuses and open your self to the endless possibilities of Him using you to change the world!

All you have to do is have faith that this is true!

Awesome!

Dry

Our family spent a few days at the Kruger National Park last week. As you can see from the photo, the park was very, very dry as there has not been much rain yet this season. One wonders how much nutritional value there is in the grass that the zebra is eating!

However, when we looked across the plains of the park, we saw lines of green - where there were leafy trees growing next to the rivers. And in these areas we, naturally, saw more game.

In Ezekiel 47 the Bible talks about streams of living water flowing from God's temple, bringing life to a dry and salty land. Where the river flowed, the living creatures gathered, fish swam and fruit trees flourished.

Sometimes our lives may seem dry and lifeless - like the veld before the spring rains - or like the Dead Sea which is too salty to support life. God wants to pour his living water into our lives - so that we can be saturated with him, know his healing, and so that we can be a source of life for others.

Jesus said, "whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed the water I give him will become in him a spring of water, welling up to eternal life" (John 4:14).
He also says, "Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life" (Revelation 22:17).

Are you feeling dry and thirsty? Talk to Jesus - he is ready to listen. If you need help, you can email us.

Loving Yourself

I know!

Talking about loving yourself is awkward!

But Jesus is aware of our need to see ourselves in God's eyes - uniquely and wonderfully made:

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

(Psalm 139:13)

Jesus says don't judge others because of your own inadequacies, jealousy, unresolved anger, unforgiveness or insecurities:

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, `Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.

(Matthew 7: 1-6)

So, here's the thing:

- Love yourself because God made you
- Don't covert anything for about others - looks, cars, money, abilities
- Share your love with those who will appreciate you and your love

Right!

Confirmation

On Sunday evening we had five young people stand in front of the church and commit themselves to Jesus and the church in a Confirmation Service. One of the best parts of the service was when each young person spoke of their own personal journey with Jesus and what the Confirmation classes had meant to them. The number one thing that came through was the way that the group had bonded and the way they supported each other. Some of them mentioned what they found unique or special about the other members.

Isn't it great that in our journey with Jesus we never travel alone? When we come to Jesus, we come to his family too. However much we might feel that we are the black sheep of the family, if we have accepted Jesus, we are part of the family.
If you are feeling isolated or alone in your journey, why don't you get involved in a small group at church? Or maybe you feel that you would like to help others on their journey? Get involved in a small group and be willing to share your life with others.

Cassidy, David, Estelle, Meagan and Nadia - may God bless you as you worship and serve him at North Rand Methodist Church. We are glad to be part of your lives!

Anger

Anger: an emotion we all have!

The way I see, it anger has two sides:

Mary Garden says:

A wonderful emotion to get things moving when one is stuck is anger.
It was anger more than anything else that had set me off, roused me into
productivity and creativity.

AND

The more anger towards the past you carry in your heart, the less capable you are of loving in the present. (Barbara De Angelis)


The tricky part, is that we all experience anger and that unless we deal with it, it may become unresolved anger and affect our daily lives.

Jesus (Matthew 5:21-26) says:

Resolve Your Conflicts

AND

Do It Quickly

Before your anger becomes something which robs you of living the life God has chosen for you.


If you are challenged by this message, take a moment now and pray and ask Jesus to help you with your unresolved anger.

You may want to pray:

Lord Jesus, thank you for making me aware of the unresolved anger in my life which is preventing me from living a fulfilled life. By the power of your Holy Spirit, please help me to resolve my anger. Thank you for blessing me in this way. Amen.