HACKED BY NESAS_0DAY

Category: Society and me

  • How I got to God Overwhelming

    How I got to God Overwhelming

    [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.

    When Bronwen Anderson challenged our music team to write songs, I was excited and apprehensive. I’d written other Christian songs, but never a song that could be sung in church. My other songs were written for myself to sing with a more complicated melody and a personal message. Here I was writing a song for the church, and it needed to be simple, relatable to the greater church and it needed to be God focused. The last point in my previous sentence was of the most importance, for too many modern praise and worship songs are ‘me focused’ as if God’s priority is us rather than himself.

    I spent many hours thinking about what to write and often, as I read my bible, I’d try to look at the passage before and come up with one characteristic of God I could place into a song. One day I thought, ‘what is the greatest display of God’s glory?’ and I realized that it’s the cross. We can look at creation and marvel at the artwork of the Lord (Psalm 8), but the cross paints an even greater picture, for it depicts the artist stepping into the painting to rescue the lifeless strokes. We were dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1), worthless corpses and unable to save ourselves, but God came and he not only died; he was brutally murdered to save us.

    Let me show you how this truth inspired some of the lines of the song:

    1. THE VERSES:

    Here I stand at your cross, and I’m overwhelmed, the God of the world is paying my cost

    After realising that the cross was the greatest display of God’s glory, I pictured myself being there on that day that he died. I saw myself before Jesus, watching the nails go into his hands, and I was flooded with emotion. Now I am quite an emotional guy! Just ask my wife and she’ll tell you I tear up at the slightest display of emotion in a movie. But any Christian standing before the Lord as he died, with the knowledge of how that death would save the world, would be bought down to a speechless puddle!

    The cross does not depict the death of just anyone, but the God of the world. There is no one of greater worth, and yet here he is, dying for the people who attempted to make him worthless. And they succeeded! They mocked him, spat in his face, put thorns on his head and made him carry his own cross through the town naked so that people would laugh at ‘the King of the Jews’. They tried to bring him down, to make him into nothing.

    Alpha Omega,
    With thorns in his brow,
    Leader of Angels,
    At the Hands of the Crowds

    Eventually, he died. He became nothing (Philippians 2:7 – 8), but he didn’t stay nothing. He rose from the dead and in his resurrection, he made us that were nothing into something.

    He paid a debt he shouldn’t have had to pay, but he did and as I pictured myself before that cross, the only way I could describe the flood of emotion is ‘Overwhelmed’. Seeing love on display like that filled my senses and I knew other Christians would feel the same. So the very first verse of the song places us all before the cross and shows the absurdity of a great majestic God, dying for a small, insignificant humanity.

    Author of nations,
    rocks cry out his,
    The Lord of creation,
    now nailed for my shame

    2. THE CHORUS

    May my lips ever praise God Overwhelming
    … may my life ever be to God overwhelming

    What else is there to do when confronted with the Glory of the cross? Sometimes just saying “thanks” to the Lord doesn’t feel like it’s enough. It’s like giving a box of chocolates to say thanks to a person who has given you the most luxurious cruise liner. What greater gift is there than the cross? The best thing that we can do is accept the gift that God has given us in the cross. Romans 6: 5 – 10 explains that when Jesus died on the cross, we died with him. Our sin, our selfishness, the thing that was at the very heart of us, died and when he rose, we rose with him. We are made new, no longer with an old self, but with a new self which the passage goes on to say is ‘in him’.

    This is incredible. The gift of the cross is an entirely new me. One that I don’t fully experience in this life, but I do get a taste and that taste continues to grow as the Holy Spirit uses my remaining years to make me more like Christ (1 Peter 1:1 – 2). All I need to do is let God do it. I need to give him my life and say, please let me die at the cross with you and give me a new me that can live for you forever!! This is why the lyrics of the chorus focus on different parts of the human body. The lips, the feet and the eyes. It’s my way of saying, ‘Lord, take everything’.

    When standing before the cross, knowing that God is about to give such a tremendous gift, the only response is to say “Lord take everything of me. Take my life and let it be lived for you. Let me be a tool in your kingdom to help grow it and may all my days be for you.”

    May my lips ever praise God Overwhelming,
    May my feet ever walk in his Glorious Ways,
    May my eyes ever long, for his Kingdom come,
    May my life ever be to God Overwhelming

    3. THE BRIDGE

    Oh what infinite mercy,
    what unfathomable grace,
    when Jesus my saviour
    died in my place

    Throughout the song there’s a juxtaposition. I tried to bring across the magnitude of what Christ had done at the cross by showing his immeasurable worth against how ‘worthless’ he became (See point 1). This juxtaposition reaches a climax at the bridge, where the darkest part of the Gospel is brought forth. Up until this point the verses have spoken about Jesus being on the cross, but now he is dead. He who is of the greatest worth is now lifeless and nothing. God, the powerful ‘Lion of Judah’, is now the ‘lamb lying slain’. God, the ‘consuming fire’, is ‘now a smoldering flame’.

    Lion of Judah,
    Now a lamb lying slain.
    A consuming fire,
    Now a smoldering flame.

    At this point the music quietens down to reflect the darkness of the message. It’s as if, like Jesus, we are going into the tomb with him. Eventually the music becomes almost nothing as we pause after the line, ‘now a smoldering flame’. Jesus has died and so the song does the same.

    But then the song reminds us of why he died and the music returns to its jubilance as we rejoice in the truth. For the death and resurrection of Jesus happened because he decided to take our place. He decided to take on our sin. At this point of the song I could have chosen to sing about the resurrection, but the death and resurrection of Jesus would have been pointless if Jesus didn’t die for somebody. He did however die for someone, in fact in love he died for the world (John 3:16). The momentous news is that, in an act of grace too great for us to understand, he took our place.

    Oh what Love overwhelming,
    What unfathomable Grace,
    When Jesus my Saviour
    Died in my Place

    Where to buy the album

    I hope after reading this blog, you’ll go back and sing the song with a new found joy. If you do not have the song, you can buy the album at the Courtyard Café or from any Christian Book Discounters.

    Stream the song

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  • The Relevance of the Resurrection for Every Christian

    The Relevance of the Resurrection for Every Christian

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    An Interview with Dr. David Seccombe.

    We are privileged this week to have Dr. David Seccombe on our podcast. David Seccombe has a PHD from Cambridge University, is an accomplished author and was the previous head master of George Whitefield College in Cape Town. Dr Seccombe has done extensive research into the significance of the resurrection and our goal within this podcast was to find out why it is relevant to the ordinary person.

    Some of the topics covered in our discussion included: Why did Jesus need to rise from the dead if his death had defeated sin? What will our resurrected bodies be like? What will the new heavens and the new earth be like? How does the resurrection impact my every day?

    Listen on an Apple device:

    [fusion_button link=”https://itunes.apple.com/za/podcast/christ-church-midrand/id1100658593?mt=2#episodeGuid=tag%3Asoundcloud%2C2010%3Atracks%2F470633589″ color=”default” size=”” stretch=”” type=”” shape=”” target=”_self” title=”” gradient_colors=”|” gradient_hover_colors=”|” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”1px” icon=”fa-apple” icon_divider=”yes” icon_position=”left” modal=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” alignment=”left” class=”” id=””]Click here to open in the Podcast App[/fusion_button]

    Stream or download the audio:

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  • Being a Modern Woman in South Africa

    Being a Modern Woman in South Africa

    [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]An Interview with Lilly Million and Leah Maseko

    In this Podcast, Leah and Lilly speak from experience as they share what it’s like to be a young black woman in the modern South Africa. These are two Christian women who are grappling with concepts like ‘submission’, a male dominated society and what it means to be a Christian, modern black woman.

    This Podcast aims to highlight some of the struggles that woman have and while it does not provide all the answers for woman (See below for sermons on this series), it gives both woman AND men a clearer picture of the struggles woman face along with some wisdom that these two ladies have.

     

    Listen on an Apple device:

    [fusion_button link=”https://itunes.apple.com/za/podcast/being-modern-woman-in-south-africa-interview-lilly/id1100658593?i=1000414840163&mt=2″ color=”default” size=”” stretch=”” type=”” shape=”” target=”_self” title=”” gradient_colors=”|” gradient_hover_colors=”|” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”1px” icon=”fa-apple” icon_divider=”yes” icon_position=”left” modal=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” alignment=”left” class=”” id=””]Click here to open in the Podcast App[/fusion_button]

    Stream or download the audio:

     

    Sermons relating to the topic:

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  • How to Walk with a Friend who has Depression

    How to Walk with a Friend who has Depression

    [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]An Interview with Dewald Wagener

    Dewald Wagener has his Masters in Theology, his Honours in Pastoral Counselling and over 17 years of pastoral counselling experience. This week we interviewed him to give advice on how we as Christians can walk alongside friends and family on the road of depression. In this Podcast Dewald helps us fully understand what depression is, he helps us see how common it is and he shows that we can play an important role in our friends lives.

    From Gareth Maggs who gave the interview: “This Podcast was oddly surprising as I did not realise how many people actually suffer with depression! I also thought that depressed people had no power to help themselves, yet Dewald showed how we can, through the cross, help our depressed friends bring glory to the Lord. I left the Podcast interview informed and encouraged”.
     

    Listen on an Iphone or Ipad:

    [fusion_button link=”https://itunes.apple.com/za/podcast/christ-church-midrand/id1100658593?mt=2&i=1000413205313″ color=”default” size=”” stretch=”” type=”” shape=”” target=”_self” title=”” gradient_colors=”|” gradient_hover_colors=”|” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”1px” icon=”fa-apple” icon_divider=”yes” icon_position=”left” modal=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” alignment=”left” class=”” id=””]Click here to open in the Podcast App[/fusion_button]

    Stream or download the audio:

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  • Those Younger…

    Those Younger…

    [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]The great thing about this blog post is that it is relevant to YOU.

    No matter where you live, who you are, or how embarrassing your music taste, there will always be Those Younger than yourself who need you to walk alongside them as they (and you) follow Christ. They need plain old you.

    Here’s the problem as I see it – a distinct lack of leadership.

    Everywhere you look, we are broken down into our peer groups – in the form of grades at school or age appropriate groups at church i.e. kids, teens, students and young adults, young parents, older parents and retired. It is not hard to see why people end up prioritising people who are near in age with a similar stage of life. Now I’m not saying that there is no one around them to look up to – there is. But who is actively sharing life with them?

    First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. Romans 1:8-12 (ESV)

    There are two things that strike me about these verses as I think about the topic of leading others. First is Paul the apostle’s earnest prayer (desire) to want to be with the believers in Rome; and second is the stated result of Paul being with them (mutual encouragement).

    Desire:

    Paul uses the term ‘I long to see you’ – it is telling of a deep affection he had for his fellow believers. He prays ‘without ceasing’ that God would grant him the company of these believers that he is writing to.

    Personally, I am quite taken aback by the way he writes to them and to other believers in his other letters. I wonder if I am even close to having a fraction of the same longing for my family in Christ in other places, or even… my immediate context.

    Mutual Encouragement:

    The reason this is striking is because he speaks of imparting a spiritual gift to strengthen them and goes on to explain that this will be brought about by being mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

    There is nothing mystical about this gift – spending time with other Christians so that we are BOTH encouraged, not only one party. But do we regard this is as a gift from God, and do we seek to encourage and be encouraged in the company of others? God uses people to sharpen and help others and vice versa (Proverbs 27:17).

    My guess is that we either do not put enough emphasis on the importance of passages like this or we quite naturally prioritise work or some kind of extra-mural over and above connecting with other people (even of our own age group). We all need to realise that meeting with people and seeking after Godly encouragement in one another’s faith is one of most important activities we have as Christians. We need to fight to make sure we have people to walk alongside us too!

    Where to from here?

    Please don’t feel guilt-tripped into meeting with someone. I pray that you will have a heart-felt joy and longing to meet with other believers and reap the benefits both for yourself and them. In so doing, I hope you will be compelled to be available to someone younger in age or faith to provide them with the same opportunity.

    Young people face many of the same issues we do on a weekly basis and are far less equipped than we are in dealing with them. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could just share some of your life experience with them in following Jesus?

    Don’t worry about:

    1. The fact that you aren’t perfect

    None of us are. Don’t expect yourself to model perfection because you are setting yourself up for failure. When they see your flaws use that as an opportunity to show repentance and trust in God.

    2. Feeling like you have to know everything.

    There are enough theologians out there. You don’t need to know all the answers. If younger people have questions you can always come back to them after doing some research. Sometimes we should use wisdom to know whether it is better to speak or just listen – that in itself can be a gift to them.

    3. Awkwardness.

    There is bound to be a level of awkwardness as you spend time with someone younger than you are. After all, it is difficult for you to relate to one another’s contexts. Be willing to endure some discomfort for the sake of serving them. Yes, encouraging others is a form of service to God (Romans 12:8).

    To bear in mind:

    1. Responsibility.

    When you choose to be a leader, role model or mentor to someone younger, you need to take the initiative and be responsible in trying to reach out to them. Be intentional – don’t be misleading as to why you are interested in meeting with them e.g. “I really think it would be great if we could meet up and encourage one another by reading the Bible or a devotion together.”

    2. God’s Word.

    Alluded to in point one – as Christians we are not called to merely be social and good at networking with each other. I have learnt that no amount of sifting through someone’s problems or speaking about your own can compare to hearing what God has to say from the Bible. God’s Word is alive, active and is able to bring out our innermost thoughts and desires (Hebrews 4:12). If you are not comfortable in your Bible handling, make use of a good devotional resource or a fully worked out Bible study (try www.theword121.com for something to start with).

    3. Security.

    Sadly I must mention this point. Of course it is unwise in a leadership/mentoring capacity to meet with someone of the opposite sex. In any case when you are meeting with anyone younger than you, make sure his or her safety never feels compromised. Always meet in a public place (or even in the home where there is family present). Both for their sake and your reputation. Do not leave space for situations to become questionable.

    Okay, so this has not been an exhaustive guide. I just hoped to either show you or remind you the privilege we have of leaning on one another in the family of Christ, and how special it can be for you to help someone younger learn from your experience by just sharing your life with them. It is not easy to build relationships with people you don’t as easily relate to, and you will have to sacrifice time and your own interests to get to know theirs. Let us pray that we will be a more integrated family and that we would be able to see opportunities to help Those Younger than ourselves on this journey with Christ.[/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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  • How to Talk to Teens About Racism

    How to Talk to Teens About Racism

    [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]An Interview with Blaque Nubon

    Blaque Nubon is no stranger to the discussion on race. He has preached on it many times, written about it and in every instance his goal has been to bring glory to our Lord through unity amidst races. It’s a hard topic to speak to adults about, but is it harder to speak to teenagers about it? Should we even speak to teenagers about it?

    Blaque Nubon is also no stranger to teenagers. Being the youth pastor at a multi-cultural church, Christ Church Midrand, Blaque has seen the effects of racism on teens and has learnt some helpful tips on how to chat to them about this topic. Hey may not have all the answers, but as you listen to this Podcast, he is extremely helpful on shedding some biblical light.

     

    Listen on an Apple device:

    [fusion_button link=”https://itunes.apple.com/za/podcast/christ-church-midrand/id1100658593?mt=2&i=1000412198939″ color=”default” size=”” stretch=”” type=”” shape=”” target=”_self” title=”” gradient_colors=”|” gradient_hover_colors=”|” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”1px” icon=”fa-apple” icon_divider=”yes” icon_position=”left” modal=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” alignment=”left” class=”” id=””]Click here to open in the Podcast app or Itunes[/fusion_button]

    Stream or download the audio:

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  • How can I keep inspired to serve? Part 2

    How can I keep inspired to serve? Part 2

    [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. If you missed part 1, click here

    A while ago, my husband and I attended the funeral of his great aunt. She was a wonderful, faithful Christian woman who had served the Lord with great perseverance.

    At her funeral sat many of the children she had taught in Sunday school through the years, up until the year that she passed away. This woman is a great inspiration to us. How we long to serve like she did! We long to serve the Lord with perseverance and faithfulness, not falling away because of exhaustion and hurt or discouragement.

    Previously, we looked at what truths we need to hide in our hearts to keep us inspired to serve. Now, we will look at the practical tools God has given his people to help us to keep on serving him for a lifetime.

    God’s Word

    Read God’s Word. Just read, and keep reading. Just one passage a day. God’s Word is a double-edged sword (Heb 4:12). God will do his work through his Word to accomplish change in us. Read with a friend, read in a group. Just keep reading his Word. Having access to God’s Word means that you have access to exactly what God wants you to know about Him. He know exactly what is going on in your heart all the time. Why not let the One who knows all thing speak directly to where you are?

    Prayer

    Prayer is all about connecting with God himself. Prayer is a great privilege. We can come with confidence before the throne of the King of all things because of Jesus. We can come knowing that he wants us to cast our burdens on to him. This is the source of the greatest peace there is. Even if it feels cold, rather pray than don’t pray. Use this little model, the teaspoon prayer to help.
    T – Thank you
    S – Sorry
    P – Please

    God’s people

    We were always saved to be part of a Christian family. The Christian journey was never one we were expected to walk alone. The greatest joy is found in walking with other Christians. We are meant to be witnesses to one another. As we gather together in church and in Bible studies, for prayer groups and for life events, we are pictures to one another of God’s faithfulness and grace. If you are struggling with discouragement, you can look to your brothers and sisters who have walked through seasons of discouragement before you, and see evidence that God has been faithful. This will remind you that God will be faithful to you.

    Never buy into the lie that you don’t need church. You need church like a nose needs the rest of the body! Which is why we keep on forgiving and being patient with our Christian family – they are part of us and our walk with the Lord. Enjoy the sweet fellowship of other Christians as a foretaste of what we are looking forward to in Heaven.

    The Lord has not left us without the tools we need to fight discouragement so that we can keep on serving. These are not unexpected tools. In fact, they are rather unglamorous in their familiarity. However, God knows that they are exactly what we need to keep on serving him for a lifetime. May it be said of each of us one day, “this wonderful, faithful Christian served God with perseverance.”

    [/fusion_text]

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  • How can I keep inspired to serve? Part 1

    How can I keep inspired to serve? Part 1

    [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. Catch part 2 next week

    What discourages you most when it comes to your ministry or your service? Perhaps its feeling like your week was so busy and you just wanted one Sunday off? Perhaps it’s when those you are serving are disrespectful, unkind or selfish. Perhaps it’s when you feel like what you do isn’t even noticed or appreciated by the church.
    Perhaps it’s feeling really dry spiritually. Perhaps you are feeling really far from God and your service feels insincere.

    These are genuine discouragements and I’m sure there are many others. So, when these things, and others, strike, how will we keep inspired to serve? What will help us to keep on serving?

    There are few things we want to remember. We first want to arm ourselves with truth before we feel discouraged so that when it happens, we know where to turn. It’s like taking vitamins before you get sick.

    Things to remember:

    Serving is an expression of our own relationship with God

    Serving is always a response to what God has already done for us. We know that before we even loved him, God loved us and sent his Son to die for us.

    It’s only because God has made us his own that we serve. We don’t serve to earn his favour by serving. We don’t serve in order to be a “good Christian”

    Serving as a Christian is something totally different. Once God saves you, he changes you. By nature you are now more and more like him. You are a servant by nature and you express that by serving. Once he has made you his own, he makes you like him. And if Jesus is a servant, we are servants too.

    We have been equipped to serve

    We are told that the church has been given a variety of gifts amongst its people so that the church can be built up.

    11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
    Eph 4:11 – 13

    God didn’t just make us servants, he gave each of us specific gifts. Jesus himself gave you the gifts you use when you serve by teaching a Sunday school class or welcoming at the door.

    He’s given each of us a specific way to serve to build up the church. It’s an expression of the fact that are part of the body of Christ.

    Think of it like a sports team, you express that you are part of the team by using your strengths for the team, if you are the goal keeper, you stop the other team from scoring, if you are the striker, you run hard at the goal post and keep taking shots. By doing your part, you show you are part of the team.

    You express that you are part of the body of Christ by using your gifts.

    Do you see how using these gifts is an expression on the relationship you have God? You wouldn’t be serving, or have these specific gifts to serve with unless you had a relationship with God.

    So when you feel discouraged, remember that your service is an expression of your relationship with your Father. It’s not about ticking a box or making God bless you or anything. He already has.

    Serving is hard

    12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
    Ephesians 6:12

    Serving is hard because we have an enemy. One who does not want us to teach others about Jesus. One who does not want us to demonstrate godliness and patience and love week after week.

    Whenever you face something in your ministry that makes you want to stay away from church and not serve anymore – stop. Ask yourself who might be behind that.

    God’s Word urges us to not be aware of the schemes of the devil. Discouragement is a scheme of the devil and it can come in many different forms: it might be the behaviour of the children in your Sunday school class, it might be unkindness from a church member or leader.

    It’s important to remember that the devil is not the only thing we fight against.

    We also fight away the world, a world that hates Jesus. A world full of people who will tell you at work on Monday that you wasted your time teaching teens the day before. A world where your friends will tell you that you are brainwashing your children because you keep teaching them about Jesus. A world that scorns the decisions you make with your money.

    If those things were not enough, we are also fighting ourselves. We know that we have not yet been made perfect. We are waiting for that in Heaven. We still battle against our sinful nature – the nature we have been forgiven for. But that nature is not gone yet. This nature still lurking is the reason we respond to discouragement in a way we regret later. It’s the reason hard words spring so quickly to our lips when someone makes us angry. We look forward to being completely perfect with Jesus one day, but until then, we must remember that serving is hard because of the devil, the world and ourselves.

    Remember who you are really serving

    Your service is not just because of him, it’s for him. When serving gets tough, and you feel like those you are serving don’t appreciate it, you can rest in the fact that you are actually serving Jesus. Jesus teaches us this is parable, saying:

    40 “‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
    Matthew 25:40

    Which means, teaching a preschool Sunday school class is for Jesus. Pouring tea is for Jesus. Moving chairs is for Jesus. Leading a Bible study is for Jesus. When discouragement rears its head, and you feel disheartened by those who are serving, remember that whatever you do is actually for the Lord Jesus.

    Hold these truths in your heart and meditate on them so that you can fight discouragement and keep on serving.

    This is what you need to have in your mind to keep you inspired to serve.

    [/fusion_text]

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    Receive our latest blog in your Inbox

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  • 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.

    [/fusion_text]

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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.

    [/fusion_text]

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