HACKED BY NESAS_0DAY

Category: Self

  • The Gospel and Whiteness

    The Gospel and Whiteness

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]By Roydon Frost.

    Evaluating any culture is a hard thing. Evaluating your own culture fairly, is harder. Evaluating white culture, in South Africa, in 2018, as a white man – harder still. To keep the exercise from the inevitable oversteer into self-justification or self-loathing, we need some objective boundaries. We need biblical truth.

    These milestones in the story of salvation give us a helpful framework. First, God created man and gave him the cultural mandate (Gen 1.28; 2.19-20). Every culture is born of that divine decree. Second, we wanted more than the glorious freedom given us; we wanted culture for ourselves, and that poisoned culture permanently (Gen 3). Every culture suffers the effects of human rebellion. Third, in Christ our representative, all of human civilization was judged and crucified, and then offered the opportunity of resurrection. Every culture is worthy of destruction but offered redemption in Christ. Fourth, because of Christ’s saving work, there will be culture in glory. Representatives of every culture will stand in the presence of God for eternity.

    With those parameters in mind, what does the Gospel say to whiteness? Let me speak to the sub-culture of which I am a part: affluent, English, suburban, Herbert Baker whiteness. This is a culture heavily influenced by the western postmodern worldview. I can think of at least three aspects of my culture to which the Gospel has much to say:

    Culture shock.

    The first thing the Gospel says to whites of my hue about culture is that we have one. That comes as a major shock. We have “enjoyed” cultural hegemony for so long we have started to believe our own PR. There is the right way (the white way) and then there are other “cultural ways”. You will often hear whites labelling something we find awkward as “a cultural thing”, by which we mean it’s not the white way of doing it. And that’s the polite liberal version. The Gospel says no. There are four large boundary stones that level the ground beneath all cultures. I’ve listed them above: Creation, Fall, Redemption and Glory. Any white supremacy narrative is a human fiction. God just doesn’t see it that way, and therefore it isn’t that way.

    Every (white) man is an island.

    The irreducible atom of white western culture is the self. Everything is built on the self, into the self, around the self. Define yourself, become yourself, be yourself. Look inside yourself. Express yourself. Of course, this is the basic sinful disposition of every human being, but whiteness has given it a cultural expression, perhaps like no other. The Gospel says no. You only ever truly become yourself when you lose yourself for God and others. Jesus is the true human being.

    Eat and drink…for tomorrow you die.

    The cultural worship of the self has some nasty presuppositions and some nasty side effects. It follows from an open rejection of God. When you throw God out, all you have is this brief material existence, and so you better make merry. The “death of God” reduces human beings to consumers. We are what we eat. Get all you can; can what you get; sit on your can. Live for the weekend. That’s the basic mantra. Sure white people, like all people, do some good. But if God is not in the picture there’s a problem: the do-good is for the feel-good. Its philanthropic consumption. It’s Panado for white guilt. The Gospel says no. God is present. God is ultimate reality. And so you can’t eat your way to paradise on earth. You can’t get there on a mountain bike, or a golf cart, or through a Rotary membership. You can’t give enough back to deal with white guilt – only Jesus could. If you are in Christ you are not a consumer – you are steward and a servant. And if you are a white affluent South African, then you have much to steward, and most of what you have is off the back of ill-gotten gain. What Gospel freedom there lies waiting for us in stewarding those resources in the service of others and for the glory of God. And so, my pale-faced peers (of whom I am the worst), when the kitchen next comes up for renovation, why not put someone through school instead? And let’s not do it for the feel-good. Let’s do it for Jesus, and for our neighbour.

    Hope is a hill outside the city.

    The danger of course is despair – despair driving us into the false hopes of emigration, assimilation or flagellation. Do we pack for Perth, stay and try to be black (…Indian – anything but white), or just wallow in the strange stew of guilt and self-pity. None of those options pay sufficient homage to our boundary stones. Hope is not to be found in another culture (Perth or Pedi), which itself is corrupted by sin. Hope is not to be found in guilt – that is the denial of hope. The Gospel says no. The cross of Christ reminds us that whiteness, in all its dirty shades of grey, has already been judged and crucified. Now we are offered the opportunity of rebirth. What would happen if we allowed God to harness all that we are and all that we have for His glory and the sake of our society? What would whiteness look like if it was Christian first, and white a distant, almost-forgotten second? What would white culture become if we truly surrendered to the King and loved our neighbour? He is our only hope, a glorious hope, a hope worth living out.

    There is so much more the Gospel says to white culture, but this blog has to come to an end. The conversation, the confession, the repentance, and the active hope of restoration, do not.

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  • A Disciplined Rat in A Rat Race

    A Disciplined Rat in A Rat Race

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]By Gareth Maggs.

    Every morning we wake up, climb on our hamster wheel, run like crazy and then sleep. Somehow, we manage to eat and if we’re lucky, squeeze in a little rest. Life for the modern person is crazy. In fact, it’s so crazy that often the thought of a “quiet time” becomes absurd. Time and quietness are rare commodities in our world.

    Yet as Christians, we know we desperately need it! This is the dilemma. For many who do succeed, their bible ends up getting saliva and head in-dents from them falling asleep (Which could present even greater problems if their bible is a tablet or phone). So, what do we do? How do we deal with the rat race and manage to spend time with God?

    1. Here’s your motivation

    You have complete access to a caring and sovereign God. I’m reminding you of this truth, because when your life gets crazy and you go for days without spending time with the Lord, you show who you really think is sovereign. Yourself. A couple of days without a quiet time is a couple of days without the one who really is in control. When you oust God as the sovereign Master over your life, you will instinctively place yourself in charge, and with that comes all the stresses and strains of a sinful human, who isn’t God, trying to be God.

    When you are stressed, or when you don’t feel like spending time with the Lord, remember this: Christ died for you so that you could have unrestricted access to the sovereign God of the universe (Ephesians 2:13 and 18). When Christ died, he defeated the sin that was separating us from him. Now, you and I have complete access to the one who created the blue prints for everything in existence, the one who controls everything in life, the one who has the power to move mountains with a single word and the one who has a plan for this world. Oh, and add this to the fact that he did this out of love (John 3:16)… what more motivation do you need?

    2. Don’t compartmentalise, decentralise

    We tend to be people who segment our time. We have a time for devotion, a time for work, a time for family, a time for eating… you get the picture. While we should devote a time to read God’s word and pray to make sure it actually happens regularly, God should not be confined to those few minutes of our day, as though He can be kept locked up in a little compartment to which we hold the key. We need to bring time with God into our work, our family time, our meals… again, you get the picture. Spending time with God is worship and worship happens throughout the day…and sometimes the night if you’ve been blessed with insomnia! To be practical, reading and discussing a text followed by praying with friends and family is spending time with God. Believe it or not, this IS a quiet time, and often the opportunity will come spontaneously, completely outside of the compartment labelled “Personal Devotion.” Strike while the iron is hot and seize hold of moments throughout the day to spend time with God.

    I used to struggle to find even half an hour with the Lord in the morning, but then I started downloading sermons so that when I exercised, I could spend time with the Lord. I deliberately prayed every so often at work, I chatted to trusted Christian brothers and sisters about what they were reading and dispersed Christian books amidst the novels I read before sleeping. I never gave up reading my Bible, but I found I didn’t have to cut out one hour in the morning for a complete devotion. Your life will be different to mine, but I encourage you to get creative about how you can spend time with the Lord throughout your day. Just don’t neglect reading your Bible!

    3. Be Disciplined

    There is great joy in knowing that we are saved by the Grace of God. In the context of our devotion, this means we don’t have to feel like we lose favour with the Lord when we don’t do our devotion. God does not give us a list of boxes to tick off before we have His approval. However, we mustn’t become so relaxed and complacent about our devotion that we allow other things to usurp that specially designated time with God. Something I feel my generation, and those younger than me, have lost is discipline. We are not good at sticking to a routine, because the moment we feel obliged to do anything, whether it’s from ourselves or others, we don’t want to do it. We don’t want our freedom restricted. We are rebels at heart and believe the lie that we shouldn’t do anything we don’t feel like doing. Feelings rule in the millennial generation, and Christians aren’t immune from this narcissistic worldview.

    What the new generations can learn from the older is that a disciplined life reaps reward. There’s an old kid’s song that says, ‘Read your Bible, pray every day… and you’ll grow, grow, grow… forget your Bible, forget to pray and you’ll shrink, shrink, shrink’. I used to joke about this song and sing ‘forget your Bible and you’ll need a shrink, shrink, shrink’. I made this joke because the foundation of life is found in God’s Word; if you don’t make God’s Word a daily part of your life, your foundation will slowly break away.

    4. Sacrifice and putting first things first

    We can’t be people who only read the Bible when it’s convenient. We have to make time, and making time often involves sacrifice. The thing about sacrifice is that it hurts. It hurts as it involves giving up something. I say this because often Christians will tell me that they ‘sacrifice’ time for the Lord, when really what they mean is that they shifted around their day to accommodate Bible reading. It’s not wrong to shuffle your day, but when your day gets too hectic, does your Bible get thrown out in favour of the most urgent? If yes, then you are not really sacrificing.

    Sometimes, setting aside time for personal Bible reading and prayer hurts us. You may need to give up time spent at the gym, with friends, watching tv, enjoying leisure and hobbies, etc. You may also need to give up ideals, like the thought that your family or job will crumble if you take an hour out of your duties and responsibilities. As I mentioned at the outset, when you exclude God from your day to day ordinary life, you are trying to control the reins of your life, and that’s his job, not yours. You need to sacrifice your own leadership for his.

    5. Tips on good devotions

    Finally, if you are not sure what to read, here are some great resources that you can sink your teeth into:

    Devotion books (Thank you Lauren Maggs for your help on these):

    1. My Utmost for his Highest – Oswald Chambers

    2. Worship the King – Chris Tiegreen

    3. Daily Thoughts from Keswick – Stevenson H, F. (Editor)

    4. Sit, walk, stand – Watchman Nee

    5. Through the Bible, through the year – John Stott

    Devotions on the Bible App:

    1. Search for John Stott – he has a series of 6-day devotionals on some of the books of the bible

    2. Prayer: A 14-Day Devotional By Tim Keller

    3. Romans 8: With Tim Keller

    https://www.thegoodbook.com/explore-app
    The Explore App (The Good Book Company) has been endorsed by The Gospel Coalition. This amazing digital resource is free from the App store and Google Play, and handy to download on any phone or device. Each book of the Bible has a useful, day-by-day, verse by verse commentary, with personal questions, practical applications and prayer suggestions, which can be purchased for a small amount (R29-R49). Each day’s reading and meditation can easily be done in ten to fifteen minutes.

    From Christ Church Midrand:

    1. Rosie Moore writes a blog called “The God Walk” based on various Scriptural texts, which provide a wonderful springboard for personal devotions. Her blog can be accessed on free89042.wordpress.com.

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  • 5 Questions every series lover should ask

    5 Questions every series lover should ask

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]By Gareth Maggs.

    This is not a blog that says watching television series is bad. It’s a blog calling us to be wise with the series we watch.

    Let’s face it, everybody watches television series. The New York Times says that the average person watches 33 hours of television per week and If you divide that by 7 then the average person is watching nearly 5 hours a day! 5 HOURS A DAY! Granted, not all of that is series, but we all know that out of our 5 hours, a good chunk is spent in front of the computer, tablet or TV watching series.

    With something that takes up so much of our time, it’s only right that we as Christians think wisely about it. Especially since the Bible calls us to do everything to the Glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).

    Here are some questions to ask yourself when it comes to series:

    1. What is my motive for watching series?

    This is a broad question to which there are many answers. For example, you may watch series because you like stories, you want something light hearted to end off your day, you like to be relevant, it’s time you spend with your family, you love looking for characters who identify with you or maybe you like learning and so enjoy informational series.

    There are many reasons, however, if your reason leads you to feel that you need series, then maybe your motive is incorrect. I.e. You may feel like series brings you a form of peace or tranquillity. It’s something that helps you cope with your life. It could be an escapism, freedom from stress and a chance to be in a world which is not your own. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the relaxation gained from series, but if you feel angry, frustrated or down when there’s something preventing you from watching it, then perhaps you need to check your motive?

    In Philippians 4:7, Paul reminds us that the peace that surpasses all understanding is found in Christ. We need to turn to him to find ultimate rest, not series. He is in control of this world, and He not only offers to help us in times of need, but offers to be the one we can share our burdens with (Psalm 55:22). This means turning to the Lord in prayer and sharing with other Christians your burdens so that they can help you find peace in the Lord. If you are not sure about whether you find peace in series, perhaps rephrase the question and ask, “Do I find my peace in the Lord?”

    2. Am I being a good steward of my time?

    Quite often I’ll ask Christians, ‘How’s your bible reading?’ and I’ll get told “I don’t have time”, yet when I ask them ‘How’s your series watching?’, I’ll see their eyes light up as they delight in recounting the number of series they are watching and what season they are on in each. As mentioned earlier, watching series is not wrong, but if you claim that you don’t have time for the bible and yet are watching hours of series, maybe you need to check your priorities?

    It’s not just the bible we don’t have time for. We often don’t have time for our families and serving in church, yet we’ll dedicate hours to series. I suspect the reason behind this is that our motive for watching series is wrong. We see series as our time and something we need (See point one for more). We need to learn the art of sacrifice. We need to give up time with watching series and find the reward in spending time loving our families, serving our church and reading God’s word. You might think that there’s no joy in sacrificing to this extent, but there is. Try it for a month and you’ll see what I mean.

    3. Is what I’m watching legal?

    If you are a person who watches series for free, because you get them off some pirated website, app or a friend gives them to you, you will be someone who is watching series illegally.

    What I’d kindly ask you to do is check your motive for watching series (Or a specific series)? I suspect the reason you download illegal series is not because you can’t afford it and are frustrated with the current pirating laws, but because you feel you need series. Only something you feel you really need would cause you to do something illegal just to get it. Series may cure your boredom, it may be where you find rest or it may be the happiness you get at the end of a busy day (see point 1 for more). It may be a specific series that you “crave” and feel you “have” to watch it. Legal systems get in the way of you fulfilling your series need. If this is you, you need to read point 1 again.

    A person who no longer needs series might be frustrated at the law, but won’t break it. There’s no need to take the risk. I find it strange that so many Christians will be happy to classify pirating as steeling, yet will happily own a pirated copy of a series with little or no guilt. Not only do they show double standards, but they also show that they are happy to go against God as long as they get what they need. That need for series needs to be satisfied in the Lord, not in illegal pirating.

    4. Is what I’m watching helpful rather than unhelpful for me?

    Our greatest goal is to bring Glory to the Lord. One of the ways we do this is by choosing to strive for holiness. Holiness is our desire to be more like Jesus; to be blameless and spotless before the Lord (Colossians 1:22). You need to ask yourself if the series you are watching helps you to achieve this?

    This will differ per person depending on where you are in your walk with the Lord and what tempts you. I have found many who are relatively new to Christianity having their world view shaped by the series that they watch and I’ve challenged them to spend more time in God’s word. A younger person may have self-esteem issues based on unrealistic expectations set in a television series. A person who struggles with sexual temptation may find a television series rated ‘PG’ causes them to stumble.

    If you are serious about holiness, you need to be serious about yourself and choose series that are not a stumbling block. This can be hard to do, but if you want to watch series, you need to be willing to do the research and find something suitable. You may find that no series is helpful for you and if that does happen, you need to be willing to say ‘No’ to television series as a whole.

    5. Would Jesus watch this with me?

    This sounds like the question you tell teenagers to ask themselves when they are on a date; “Would Jesus be happy with my actions?”. It is also a good question to ask yourself when watching a series, because you are really answering a multitude of questions with one question. Is what I’m watching ethical? Should I be exposing my eyes to the content of this specific show? Is this show right for me given my specific temptations and my background? Etc.

    When it comes to television series, Christians today seem to be relaxed on ethics. They are ok to watch shows like Game of Thrones and Westworld, which depict pornographic scenes. Would Jesus watch these series with you? The answer is no. In fact, according to scripture, he’d rather gouge his own eye out then watch something that even remotely tempts him (Matthew 5:27 – 30). If Jesus is willing to endure sacrificing an important body part to stay holy, then surely we should be willing to sacrifice that series?

    We need to stop being so relaxed on our ethics and be willing to not watch certain television series for the sake of our holiness. If Jesus can’t watch the series with us, then perhaps we should not watch it. If we find that we still crave watching that series after thinking this way, then perhaps we need to go back to point 1 of this blog and find out what is our motive for watching series.

    Conclusion

    Watching Series is not wrong and can really be fun. However, we need to be wise. I hope that these questions will help you with being wise about your series watching.

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  • Advice to my Younger Self

    Advice to my Younger Self

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]By Jerry Gule.

    When you are in your 50’s there are times you look back with amazement at some of the things you got up to in your teens and early 20s. You say to yourself, “What was I thinking? I should never have done that or I should have done more of this.” In those moments you realize that time has gone and you cannot undo those decisions and actions. Guilt and regret can settle in your heart.

    This is where unmerited grace needs to come in to help you accept that there is actually no use crying over the proverbial spilt milk.  Grace says you are forgiven and you have to forgive yourself since there is nothing you can do about the past. You can only do something about the future.

    Regrettably, those memories of past decisions cannot be deleted from your inbox, and from time to time they come racing across the screen causing you even more hurt and pain.  Sometimes you see the “evidence” or “scars” of your poor and ill-informed decisions and each time they remind you of how inane your thinking once was.  The truth of yesterday haunts you today. King David must stand as one of the greatest Biblical examples of someone who could not erase the reminders and consequences of his past.

    I do wish at times that there had been a special person who emerged to give me eyes to see the impact my decisions would have on my future and on generations to come.

    If I could give advice to my younger self, this is what I’d say:

    1. Life is a journey

    Do not rush to do everything before you have walked the whole way. Sometimes our youthful exuberance leads us to act on half-baked information and facts. This rashness can have long lasting effects.  So always lean on the side of gathering the facts or data to inform your decision making rather than rushing impulsively into action without considering the pros and cons. You have a long life ahead – God willing – so why rush it?

    2. Remember your actions and decisions have consequences

    The results of your actions can either be good or bad, positive or negative. It is a certainty that actions or decisions have consequences, which in many instances can be deep and long-lasting. So, with this in mind, it stands to reason that one has to always carefully weigh the options. By deciding on one way or another, you may open or close your opportunities for an interesting and successful career long-term.

    3. Prepare for each life stage

    Preparing to live with a purpose at each stage of life beyond infancy is important.  The stages include: infancy, adolescence, young adulthood, adulthood and senior citizenship.  You prepare by listening to those who have gone before you. They may have been born before modern technology, but they know a lot more about life than you do. Of course, these older ‘counsellors’ or ‘mentors” should be people you trust and who have your best interests at heart. It is unwise to reject good advice off-hand just because you do not like it. One needs to take time to reflect and consider any feedback and advice one is being handed.

    4. Defer gratification or pleasure seeking

    Generally long-lasting things take time to achieve, so the “tyranny of urgency” i.e. a mentality that says “I want it and I want it now”, can lead to untold disasters. The trick is not to be driven by your desires. You cannot just get things your way all the time.  Learn to delay your gratification and control your impulses, giving you a necessary pause to think.

    5. You are not the final authority

    Sometimes youths “fight” with their parents or any authority figure, because they want to be in charge of their lives and to live their way without any controls. Remember you cannot live as if you will never account for the manner in which you conduct yourself. The reality is that you may be called to account many times during your lifetime. There is always someone in charge either directly or indirectly. Ultimately, God, the Creator and Judge of the universe, is in charge and will require some accounting when the curtains of this world are drawn. Live today with that final Day in mind.

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  • Hospitality: When it is uncomfortable and inconvenient

    Hospitality: When it is uncomfortable and inconvenient

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]By Lilly Million.

    I’ll never forget the first time I came to Christ Church Midrand nearly 5 years ago, we got invited to the home of a family whom we have now become very close to. However that whole day I remember sitting in their home, eating, chatting and marvelling at their 1 year old daughter who could say “awesome”, wondering why they had invited us over at all. I was waiting for them to make a presentation or make some sort of a request, to get down to business, but it never came. I had had a great time yes, but felt like I had been left hanging and as me and my then husband-to-be drove out, I turned and asked him, “What was all that for?”
    Growing up in my tiny family of 3, visitors was a bad word to me. Visitors meant I was going to be inconvenienced – I would have to wake up extra early, clean the whole house before they arrived and watch my mom slave over a hot stove. Once they did and all the awkward pleasantries were exchanged I would have to stay in my room with my sister (if there were no other distant cousins around) so as to not eavesdrop on the conversation of the grownups. It meant a whole Saturday where my home was hijacked. If someone stayed over, for a night or heaven forbid a whole week, then it meant my room. My whole room with my posters and my walls and all my stuff. Visitors never came often, perhaps twice a month and when they did, I hated it. I felt the whole thing to be uncomfortable, and very unnecessary.

    The call to be hospitable.

    I hadn’t realised how precious about my space I was (am). However being drawn into true Christian community, this problem was exposed because this type of community calls us to do the opposite. It is evident in the scriptures that Jesus’ ministry was about people and spending time with them. An example of this is where Jesus is invited into Martha’s home and her sister Mary sits at his feet listening to his teaching (Luke 10:28). What a privilege that must have been. Another example is when Jesus meets Zacchaeus he invites himself to stay at his house. The scriptures describe how Zacchaeus “hurried and came down and received him joyfully”- Luke 19: 1-10. Throughout the book of Acts and in his letters, the Apostle Paul mentions various people who housed him and gave him provision during all his missional work. Finally, in Romans 12:13 we receive the instruction quite directly “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality” The Lord wants us to share our homes, to be other people centred.

    It is in our homes where we exhale, where we truly live. Where we undo tight pants and suffocating ties and say what is really on our minds. Truth be told, more often than not, every other space in life we are on duty, whether at school or at work, where most conversations are short and superficial but it is in our homes where on a deeper level, we experience “real life on life”. So naturally it is easy to fall into the trap of shutting up all the doors and drawing the black-out curtains over the windows to shut the world out. However when we do that, how are we growing in community? How are we serving in and being part of the body of Christ? How are we reaching the lost and when we are feeling lost ourselves, how can anyone reach us? Yes Jesus himself took time away to be alone but If that’s the kind of behaviour we engage in most of the time, how are we truly being Christ-like.

    Personally most of my growth as a Christian and what it means to live as one, came from being in the home of that family I told you about in paragraph one every week. On good and bad days, living and witnessing everyday Christian life. Through that my family, my family has grown and has extended beyond our difference in blood and even race.

    “This is God’s house”

    Another great friend whom I call my “really cool aunt” tells the story of how when she bought her home she dedicated to God. Being a single woman, she purchased a 3 bedroom home many years ago till this day, on any given weekend, it is busy with grown-ups and children going in and out, having birthdays and dinners and braais and arguments. And one or two odd people who needed a place to stay for a few days. I have watched her do that with her space which I am sure isn’t easy as I have watched her lose it when the people became too much. However, the purpose for her home has remained the same – for God to use it for the benefit of more than just herself. And that has been amazing to see to watch. I myself have benefitted many times from her hospitality even on days when the world became too much and I just needed a place to go to for a few hours. I am so grateful for that. I have learned so much.

    Hospitality isn’t easy and doesn’t come naturally for all of us, including me, however I am sure most of us have benefitted from someone showing hospitality to us. So why not do the same, for the sake of living out the gospel in our lives?

    What does that mean?

    It means if we stand up and say we are believers in Christ. If we say that what Christ has done in our lives is greater than anything we can achieve or possess on this earth, then that should reflect in how we treat our stuff, and our homes. To be willing to meet the need when someone needs a couch, a bed or maybe just a meal. And even if they don’t need it, to be willing to offer it. To be willing to show our true selves in environments, share our lives, the good, the bad, the ugly. To be in true community and to recognise what true family really is, a family we have gained through the love Christ showed as which we ought to show each other.

    [/fusion_text]

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  • How to be a good Christian friend

    How to be a good Christian friend

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]By Lauren Maggs.

    Over a meal the other day, I was chatting to a friend about the real joy of having friends you know you can call on with no reservations. Christian friendship has been one of the sweetest discoveries of my adult life.
    I consider this a marvellously easy blog to write, not because I’m such a great friend, but because I have such good Christian friends. I consider myself truly blessed by the many godly women the Lord has sent my way. I write this blog based on their faithfulness, love and character.
    I’ve drawn on their behaviour to guide these principles, in the hope that this would spur me on to be a better friend.

    1. A good friend walks the road of life with others

    Romans 12:15 talks about rejoicing with those who rejoice and mourning with those who mourn. What a joy to have friends who have whole-heartedly rejoiced with me through special events in my life? They have entered into my happiness by talking about the event with me, counting down to special events for me and putting themselves out to celebrate wins with me.
    Conversely, that have sat patiently with me as I have wallowed in self-pity and frustration and pain. They have been heartbroken with me. They have willingly weathered the highs and the lows of life with me. That’s what it looks like to walk the road of life with others.

    2. A good friend encourages others

    Good Christian friends encourage you to persevere. They do more than just say a few nice things to make you feel better – they pour out and stir up courage in you to help you keep going. As Hebrews says, they “spur you on to love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24). There is an idea of forward motion in Christian encouragement. They push you onward. Very often, a cup of coffee on the couch of a good Christian friend has given me the courage to keep fighting the good fight.

    3. A good friend speaks the truth in love

    A sweet joy to me has been how much I value correction from a friend. By speaking difficult truth to me, that have shown me that they love me. They have not cherished their own comfort more than my godliness. Ephesians 4:15 reminds us that speaking the truth in love in one another is what causes us to grow.

    4. A good friend lets you into their lives

    The great blessing of being part of a community of believers is that you have evidence of God’s work in the lives of others, even when you feel like you can’t see it in yourself. When a friend welcomes you into their lives to walk with them, you get to have a front row seat to see how God is working. God’s work in their lives becomes a physical reminder to you of his power and sovereignty. Hearing a friend express faith in God during one of their trials, strengthens you to face your own trials.

    5. A good friend points you to God

    I cannot thank God enough for the countless times that my friends have pushed me towards him. It is a great blessing to have a voice outside the mess of your own head reminding you that God is in control. Whether through thoughtful messages, prayer for you or with you or conversations, my friends have reminded me to turn back into God.

    In a world desperate for authentic and true relationships, Christian friendship always stands out as evidence of God’s wisdom and grace.

    [/fusion_text]

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  • How Self-Esteem Impacts Your Work

    How Self-Esteem Impacts Your Work

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]By Gareth Maggs.

    I’ve been fascinated with identity since 2010 where I started reading as much as I could on the topic. My reason for doing this was because everywhere I went I could not escape the message of ‘be happy with yourself’ and I wanted to know what God thought about this.
    It seemed to me the world had its own gospel which it proclaimed through music, video, written content and even through my own upbringing, “You need to make yourself into the person you will be happy with”. You need to build your own identity.

    I was told that I can be who I want to be, so in my mind I created the ideal person and I chased after girls, dressed differently, worked hard and did what I could to achieve that person. I was building my own identity or to put it another way, I was trusting my broken, sinful self to be in control of my own life.

    In 2010 I discovered some fundamental truths when I read Genesis 1:27. I discovered that God was in the business of creating identities, not me, and that he had made me in his image, not my own. In other words, I was trusting myself to be the builder of my own identity, when God is actually the builder, and he is building me into the image he has in his head. His identity.

    His goal is for him to be happy with me and not for me to be happy with me.

    My goal changed from building a self-esteem to letting God build a god-esteem

    This changes everything for the good… especially work

    When I was building my self-esteem, I was constantly vulnerable. I’d set goals I needed to achieve and when I didn’t achieve them I hated who I was. Even if I did achieve them, I’d find it hard to stay happy under criticism and any praise I got would result in a short high which I’d have to come down from. My self-esteem was very much affected by the world around which I couldn’t control.

    Yet I still tried to handle it. In meetings I would question how I came across to my fellow colleagues. I’d re-read emails to make sure my reputation was not at risk. If the boss found a fault in what I was doing, I’d craft ingenious responses in which I wasn’t really telling a lie, but nor was I telling the truth… I know now, it was a lie. I’d try handle things by being what the company wanted me to be and not what they needed me to be.

    When I realised God was the image builder and not me, it was like a huge burden had been taken off my shoulders. I didn’t have to keep doing the building. I took my focus off myself and began to concentrate on the jobs I was doing. I was able to take criticism and change the way I worked, because my job did not define me anymore, God did. I had found a way to take risks and tell the truth if I’d made a mistake, or stand up against work injustice, knowing that I could take on the thoughts of others wisely without damaging the identity I was made in.

    Security in God’s image building

    How does God build people into his image? If he’s doing the building, why are we not all perfect? In Genesis 1 the first humans, Adam and Eve were created in God’s image, in Genesis 3 however, humanity decided to go against God’s design and live for themselves. You could say they chose to trust the image building to themselves and not to God. God, in his grace, had given Adam and Eve the gift of choice, the gift to follow him or not and they chose to follow themselves. So God gave humanity over to their choice.

    However, God in his grace did not leave them without another opportunity to turn back to him. He came to earth and as Jesus, he took on humanity (Philippians 2). He had the perfect God-esteem, he evaluated himself and said, ‘That’s the image I want humanity to be in’. In his death at the cross, he took our broken image upon himself to destroy it and gave us his own perfect image. Now, whoever trusts in him can live with knowing that God’s evaluation of them is a perfect God-Esteem.

    When I first realised I was made in God’s image, there was a period where I did not realise God was the image builder. So I started to try think how I could build myself back into the image of Genesis 1. This was not a bad place to start, except I would often come home feeling like a failed Christian. Sometimes it was because I didn’t feel I’d evangelised enough, or I was unethical, or sometimes I could not put my finger on it, yet when I looked back on my day, I felt God was hardly in the picture.

    Knowing God had graciously given me his identity meant I knew I couldn’t lose it. That gave me the confidence to work hard at living each day for him, and on the days where I lost the battle, I didn’t feel despair for God was happy with who I was.

    Working as the company desires

    Some might say, “If we don’t need to prove ourselves, then we don’t need to work as hard and if God is already happy with us, then we don’t have to worry about the views of our colleagues.” I found the opposite to be true. Knowing that I was secure in God’s image was a joy that made me not want to live for myself. I could have decided to be lazy and do my own thing, but then I’d be trying to build my own image again and I know that doesn’t work. Instead, I found joy in living for the image God had already made me in, knowing that if I failed, despair would not be knocking on my door.

    Practically I started a one-hour meeting with the “real CEO” of our company. If his opinion of how I was doing things was what really mattered, then I felt he deserved a daily meeting. During this hour I’d discuss my plan for the day. I’d spend time reading his word to let that mould me into the best person I can be in the company. I’d pray about every aspect of my job, and the company I worked for, calling on God to help us best Glorify him. I’d even present him stats, I’d talk about our products and if anyone had a problem with me, I’d not let that get to me, but bring it before the Lord, asking how best I should deal with that person.

    Since 2010 I’ve walked along this road, and I don’t think I’ve got it completely right. In fact, I think I’ll only experience a perfect God-esteem in heaven. However, knowing that God is the image builder and that he, through his son, has given us a chance to receive his perfect image, provides an unquantifiable freedom.

    Click here to see our sermons on God-esteem.

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  • How HIS Greatness Impacts Everything

    How HIS Greatness Impacts Everything

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]By Gareth Maggs.

    Isaiah 6 is a biblical text I often dwell on. Each time I think about it, I find a new reason to be blown away by the Lord. Why? This text gives us a glimpse into Isaiah’s vision where he stands before the Lord almighty. If you got a glimpse of the greatness of the Lord, wouldn’t you play it over and over in your head?

    The scene must have been overwhelming! The Lord is so great that he sits above everything else (vs 2), has beautiful creatures constantly flying around him singing his praises (Vs 2 and Revelation 4:8), has a robe that fills the temple (vs 1), is covered with smoke to prevent lesser beings from gazing upon him (vs 4) and speaks with a voice that shakes the foundations (vs 4).

    This scene is awesome and it has a profound impact on Isaiah. I want to explore this impact, because I believe if we truly understand this passage, it will change every moment of our lives. Here’s how

    It helps us treat God like the sun, and not like the sun

    It looks like I’ve made a typo above. I haven’t. We often treat God like we treat the sun. We know the earth revolves around the sun, but we speak as if it revolves around us. We call our first viewing of the sun ‘Sun rise’ and we call the last viewing of the sun ‘Sun down’. We do the same to God, we live life as if he revolves around us. We try build our own lives, our own careers, our own families and our own self-esteem. We only call upon God when we need help in achieving our own ambitions, as if his purpose is to revolve around us. To worship us.

    In Isaiah 6, the first lesson Isaiah learns is perspective. He sees the grandeur of the Lord and understands that the Lord does not revolve around us. He begins to treat God like we should treat the sun. He says ‘“Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (ESV vs 5). Seeing God, He exchanges his own take on the world for God’s and immediately sees our biggest problem is not our daily struggles, our relationship issues, it’s not our career, nor our self-esteem, nor the poor or war; while these are important, our biggest problem is our ‘unclean lips’. Our sin.

    Do you wake up with your take on the world as more important than God’s? Do you see sin as greater than your own problems? If not, then you will never see why the cross is the greatest reason we praise the Lord. You’ll be angry at God for not worshipping you by building your dream life, when he has already solved the root of your problems by being nailed to a tree. You need to get perspective. God needs to become greater, and we need to become lesser

    No more fear of anything but the Lord

    Last week when walking from the gym (Sorry couch, your work on my stomach had to end), I passed some pre-school boys about to get into a fight. It was one against three, yet the one showed no fear. With great pride he proclaimed to the others, ‘My dad is bigger than your dad’. Luckily a teacher came before he got beaten.

    Why did he not fear? What was it about his dad that gave him confidence? After much thought, I realised that out of all the weapons he had against these bullies, dad was the most powerful. How did he know that? From his perspective dad is big, He fears him more than the bullies. In Isaiah 6 Isaiah not only sees just how great the Lord is (6vs 1 – 5), but experiences it through the Lord solving his greatest problem, his sinful nature (6vs 6 – 7). Isaiah’s response is staggering. The Lord calls Isaiah by saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? (vs 8)” and before the Lord even explains the task, Isaiah says “Here I am send me”.

    Isaiah responds like this as he knows that whatever task the Lord has for him, he can do it without fear. Isaiah fears God more than anything. He has the most powerful weapon. If you have a small view of God, then you’ll accomplish little for him. He’s not a God to be feared and therefore won’t be big enough to take on your fears, leaving you to only rely on yourself. If you have a big view of God, then you can take on the world in confidence, knowing that whatever area of life he has called you to live in, you can deal with it. Your God is greater.

    Not even doubt can separate us from him

    This point probably fits best under point 2, but I decided to keep it separate as I think one of our biggest fears is doubt. It could be doubt in the Lord, doubt in our salvation, doubt in the ability of the Lord to lead our leaders, doubt that the world is getting better, etc. Doubt is a daily fear.

    This week an event I heard about made me think. A teacher told her class that she was doubting the Lord. Immediately I thought, ‘No, you shouldn’t share that with children, what if they start doubting the Lord too?’. During that week, one of the children went home and created a promise box, filling it with verses showing how God is always faithful to his people, even when they doubted him. The next week, she gave this box to her teacher to help her in her doubt.

    That teacher was not wrong in telling her class her doubts, because God is greater than our doubts. That little girl taught me that when I doubt, I need to look at all the promises he fulfilled in his word, because no matter the obstacle, no matter the unfaithfulness of the human race, God proved his greatness by always being true to his promises.

    Last thoughts

    I wrote this article to move us from seeing the greatness of God as something that merely wows us, to something that changes the way we do life. Seeing the Glory of the Lord made Isaiah shift his perspective and caused him to live for the Lord without fear. Our response should be the same, our only fear should be the Lord. When tempted to join unethical practices in the work place we can shout, ‘My God is greater’. When we fear the future of our country we can shout, ‘My God is greater’. When we fear the future of our children, we can shout ‘My God is Greater’. When we are afraid of the grave, we can shout, ‘My God is greater’. When we don’t think we can make it through school or university, when we worry about school fees or whether we’ll get through the month, let us proclaim at the top of our lungs, ‘My God is greater’.

    He may not solve things the way want, but he has promised that he looks after his people. If our God is so great and he’s on our side, then let me ask this, “Who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).

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  • 3 ways we can “pray in the Spirit”

    3 ways we can “pray in the Spirit”

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]By Lauren Maggs.

    Ephesians 6:18
    “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

    Paul in Ephesians 6 encourages the believers to pray in the Spirit. This instruction is given within the context of standing firm against the enemy. Prayer is the final tool of the Spiritual amour we are given. It is also how we use all the other parts of the armour mentioned in Ephesians 6. As Christians in the world today, how do we use this weapon of prayer and pray in the Spirit?

    1. Pray according to the work of the Spirit

    The book of Ephesians mentions what the Spirit has accomplished. As we read through the book, we see that the Spirit is a deposit guaranteeing an eternal life with the Lord (1v14). It is by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation that we will know God better (1v17). It is through the Spirit that both Jews and Gentiles have access to the Father (2v18) and become a “building”, a united people, indwelt by the Spirit (2v22).

    It is the Spirit who strengthens us with power in our inner being (3v16) and who unites believers in a bond of peace (4v3).
    All this glorious work is the work of the Spirit. We should be aware of the work of the Spirit so that we can pray that God would do this work through his Spirit.

    2. Pray being prompted by the Spirit

    John Bunyan, famous author of The Pilgrim’s Progress, said, “Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Spirit, for such things as God has promised.”
    We pray according to what God lays on our hearts so that God can accomplish His own purposes by answering those prayers. When something or someone pops into your head, pray for them according to the work of the Spirit. Pray that they would know God. Pray that they would be strengthened by the Spirit.

    We get the picture here of a dad coming home with presents for his kids. He prompts them to ask so that he gets to give them what they have asked for. In this, we see that all the glory goes to God. Not only does He answer, but He prompts us on what we should ask for in the first place.

    3. We can pray on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests

    Because of the finished work of Christ, our prayers are acceptable to God. The Spirit of God in us prompts us to enjoy the access we have to our Father by speaking to Him all the time about everything.

    Knowing this helps us to stand firm. We don’t buy into the lie that we first have to pray an official prayer in the right way before we are acceptable to God. We know that the work of Jesus is what justifies us, not our prayers. We therefore keep running to our Father, praying prayers of confessions quickly, without fuss and drama. We keep running to our Father asking for His help just before we stand up to present something at work. We keep running to our Father to ask Him for wisdom as we try to navigate a difficult conversation.

    We pray in the Spirit by wholeheartedly enjoying the access we have to our Father in Heaven.

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  • Christ in the Centre of Your Friendships

    Christ in the Centre of Your Friendships

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text][fusion_text]by Lilly Million

    “Get friends that make: sin look bad, God look big, grace look tangible and the Gospel look true” – Jackie Hill Perry

    I saw the above quote on twitter which is pretty cool because the influence of people and various friendships that have come and gone over the years has been something I have been thinking of over the past couple of weeks. This made me think even more so that I’ll take it as a guideline (and a God send… cause’ I’m so bad with headings) and just work around that for this blog.

    1. Make sin look bad

    Amidst great pressure or sometimes none at all, when we are idle and disengaged, it is at this point we tend to forget or simply ignore what we know. We desensitise ourselves to the working of the Holy Spirit and the desire to sin becomes so great. We choose to not exercise the gift of self-control and give in. Thinking we still have it together, we don’t realise it, but we slowly lose our will power to fight the fight against sin. We start letting things slide. Just as the book of James states in Ch1:15, once we let sin bloom it leads to death. The moment between choosing to fight and choosing to surrender isn’t as brief as we think. In those moments it has always been the company I keep and their attitude towards sin that has reminded me that I am in a fight and must do just that. It may not be something said directly to me, for we all know when it comes to sin we become very skilled at hiding. So No, it won’t be that, but it will be something as small as a friend being honest in a situation where they could have lied. Or hearing the statement “As a bible believing Christian (fill in the blank)”. Or the hardest one, the one that makes me want to sink into a hole never to be seen again, when someone asks me to pray for them in their struggle with sin. Now THAT’S when it gets real. I always appreciate God and the people he has sent me when moments like that come. If I can appreciate my friend who reminds me I’m on a sort of, ‘sugar free’ eating plan when I want cake, I can appreciate God’s saving grace when I am reminded of the cost of sin.

    2. Make God look big

    I spend my daily existence in a whirlwind of emotions and I can’t tell you how many times I have sat with friends and family frustrated with life and overwhelmed and desperate for immediate solutions. And then one of them will casually say “Well God is sovereign”, “God is still on the throne”, “No matter what is happening, the point is to become like Christ” or simply, “Have you prayed about it?” God knows we get caught up in ourselves, we make mountains out of molehills and lose perspective of who He is when faced with major trials or victories. Col 3:2 calls us to maintain our focus on Christ which is so important because the moment we get consumed by what is in front of us, we forget him all together. In my opinion, it is in times of extreme victory and extreme loss where we need to maintain correct perspective the most. The Lord does a stunning job of this in Job 38 when He finally responds to all of Job’s frustrations. Without the correct perspective of who God is and his intent, a storm can seem eternal and a little ray of sun falling on our heads can cause us to believe it exists solely for us.

    3. Grace look tangible

    One of my personal favourite things to do is to ask people about their stories of coming to faith in Christ or just something pivotal in their walk with God. When concepts around my faith seem abstract or somewhat unreal, it is stories like that, which remind me what a miracle and privilege it is to be in communion with God and part of a family of believers. And that makes me want to dig deeper. It is seeing lives completely transformed by the Gospel, people literally becoming new creations before my eyes that leaves me in awe. It is seeing those who once rejected Christ stand against everything, including blood relatives for the sake of the faith. It is in seeing those who have been wronged, forgive and choose love. Hearing of the successful businessman who gave it all up for the sake of being more present in his family. I mention such because as sinful beings, that is not who we are naturally. We are more inclined to be self-satisfying and seeking therefore, seeing such transformations can only come by the grace of God and the working of the Holy Spirit. Being in such company reminds me that God is working on me too and to not shift from where he has placed me. It serves as an encouragement to simply stick with Jesus.

    4. The Gospel Look True

    I would say this one links quite closely to the above paragraph, however I’ll extend this to our everyday living as Christians. One of most frustrating things for me to witness are believers who compartmentalise. That is, if their life was a wheel, their faith is just one spoke or section instead of it being at the centre. The issue with such a way of life is that the Gospel becomes stifled, crippled to do the complete work God has intended in our lives. It may be convenient for us as we can avoid certain areas of darkness and not acknowledge we will be held accountable one day. However, when the Gospel is the centre of the wheel this changes everything; how we live, work, play, spend our money, spend our time, love etc. etc. It goes on and on. Sometimes it’s hard, I mean it took me forever to host people in my home, because I love my space uninterrupted. But seeing friends do this encouraged me to do the same and now, looking back, I know I have come a long way when someone invites themselves over and I’m okay with it. But the work isn’t done, I’ll know I have made it when I am okay with sleepovers.

    In Closing…

    The Gospel is God’s power to save, and it redeems all areas of our lives. It is not the means to be with God in eternity but the means to live as he has created us NOW. If that is what you believe then you need people who can constantly display what that looks like. Coming from a broken home, we need Gospel centred families to display what God families to be. Coming from a context where the most violent offenders are men, we need Christ like men to display true manhood. In spaces where women are taught that their greatest assets are their body parts we need bible believing women to display that being made “in the image of God” is far more that the beauty God gives us. The list goes on but most of these changes happen in community, not in isolation.
    Friendships are beautiful gift from God and can grow and mature us. I always imagine how perfect they will be in heaven. But the road there is long, choose wisely whom you decide to walk with.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container background_color=”#ffffff” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”5%” padding_right=”5%” hundred_percent=”yes” equal_height_columns=”yes” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”https://www.christchurchmidrand.co.za//wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Mail-2.png” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”center center” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”2_3″ last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”2%” margin_top=”2%” margin_bottom=”2%” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_title size=”2″ content_align=”left” style_type=”default” sep_color=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]

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