END TIMES? A CHALLENGE

We are constantly hearing sermons about "End Times" and the coming of Christ, warned about the "anti-christ". So much music being written today is so full of hatred, deceit, and being accepted by our children as "cool" "great beat", "don't worry mom it is just music," "get with the times, it is today's music" etc etc.

In a previous blog I wrote after attending a funeral of a very loved lady - I asked the question about making sure you do not wait for a funeral to let the person you love know how much you love them, how much you are amazed by them, how proud you are of them, etc.

Now my question is what are you doing about "End Times"? Are you preparing your life for it, and are you doing enough about your family to prepare them for the time Christ returns? Are you serious about reconciling with estranged family? My sister and I with our 2 brothers are in a time of enormous hurt. She is not speaking to any of us due to a misunderstanding that I do not actually understand however she is determined not to allow any form of reconciliation at all. My heart is broken, I have tried everything I can to try and understand her comments, have asked her to forgive me if I am the cause of her pain (that she says she is feeling), begged her to allow reconciliation before it is too late. But she is determined to remain silent, distant, hurt.

I ask you what you are doing and I am in a crisis of my own. So I have to ask myself the same question.

We are called to the Great Commission - with time shortening each day - are we making an impact on our world?

IMAGINE IF IN ONE DAY - EVERY PERSON OF THE WORLD SMILED AT SOMEONE THEY DID NOT KNOW. WHAT A HAPPY DAY THAT WOULD BE - and who knows it may open a door to be able to minister to that person. Will you take the challenge and smile at someone you do not know, and see if it allows for you to say hello as well, to tell them your story, to tell them the story of the love of Christ.

ARE YOU WILLING TO TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE?

Children's angels see the face of God

Vuyani - Gang member - we never saw him smile once in the week he was with us. Life was just too hard.

This young boy joined us for a week of fun and fellowship at our Kids Week project held in the middle of Hillbrow - a part of Johannesburg city that is notorious for drug dealing, prostitutes, gangs, gun fights, murder, etc etc. 


One morning we witnessed the murder of a pedestrian who was walking past the church. He was randomly shot by a passer by. This was a normal occurance for the children who were with us.


These children learn from their environment. Rape, assault, abuse, etc. All part of their normal day. We offered them a safe place and showed them how to touch each other in a loving way, how to play like a child, how to be silly doing action songs, how to laugh, how to trust someone who used to be a stranger, and we showed them a little of what Jesus was to us. As much as they learnt from us as a team - we learnt so much more from them.


We as adults have such a responsibility to children especially those vulnerable ones - the Bible is very cautioning to us with this regard. I pray that you take the time to get to know a vulnerable child and show them the love of Christ.




“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven." Matthew 18:9

How wrong could I be?

Grandpa Hugh and Keagan

This is my husband Hugh and our first grand child, Keagan. We have been married for 30 years and I have to confess that I have failed miserably in some of the most important aspects as a wife to this man. I did not trust him to take charge of our family as the spiritual leader so I did it. He did not confess his faith in the way that I thought was RIGHT, so I denied him his rightful place. Being the quiet gentle person that he is - he just stepped back and quietly continued his relationship with God. Yet I complained all the time that I wanted him to be the head of our home, I wanted to be lead, I wanted to feel vulnerable and guided...all a lie.
We went through some really tough times - not surprising. I had to get to a point to forgive him for some stuff - in the mean time it was me who had to ask him to forgive me. When I finally opened my stubborn ears to the whispering of God - I think by now He was yelling at me, shaking me - to gently go forward - to ask him for forgiveness - God restored a love in my heart for this man that is so overwhelming, sometimes suffocating that I feel so blessed, so warm, so loved, so needed, my husband is my rock, he is my everything - thanks to God who placed him there all those years ago - knowing that I needed refining and He needed to give me a strong man who would put up with my stubbornnes.
I have finally learnt that when we are doing as God asks us - it all just WORKS OUT. I had to STOP doing it....it is not about "JUST DO IT" it is more about allow it to happen the way God wants it to.
The priest in my home has now started a short dedication time in his morning meetings with his staff. What more can I say? Was I holding him back all these years? Lord forgive me.

PANIC? PAUSE & PRAY?

This bull elephant came around the corner saw our vehicle, did not like us and charged us...he came so close to our car the next photograph I took was completely out of focus. Very frightening experience. We definitely panicked, paused and certainly prayed.

How do you deal with situations? The last two weeks have been extremely traumatic for me personally and some situations for my family as well.

My son asked me this morning - "What on earth is going on, why is everything going wrong, people dying, etc, etc."

My answer to him was this time the events are having an effect on us because we are so close to the situations. Just think how the folk felt with the devastation of their countries through war, earthquake, terrorist attack, and the enormous death tolls.

In the last 10 days I have experienced the death of a dear friend and mentor, the death of a very good friends baby, 2 funerals both with children of the mother who died and the sisters and brother of the baby crying out loud, the death of a very loved elder in our church whose wife found out 2 days before he died, that she was pregnant after trying for 9 years to fall pregnant, the relapse of a 7 year clean from drugs pastor - he ended up in ICU and is still there fighting for his life - he is a brand new dad as well. What is going on?

Do we question God? Do we panic? I HAVE to pause and pray this is the only way I know that I can get through all this STUFF. The enemy is on a rampage. We have been given a commission - to win souls for the Kingdom...the more days that go by and we have not undertaken to help change someones life is a wasted soul in this crazy world. The souls that die and have not received this promise and assurance of a new life as we know through Jesus Christ is our responsibility. Are you willing to take this responsibility? The enemy is defeated we all know that he has no authority - then why is there death, suffering, relapse, tears. We have to take charge, we have to win souls, we have to win this WAR. We have to hold hands together that will link up to our Lord and Saviour whose Hand is always outstretched. Amen.

TOO LATE?

Yesterday was a day of so many emotions. Attending the funeral of Charlotte Galela in the morning and then celebrating the birthday party of my son's girlfriend.

Rest in peace good and faithful servant - go dance with Our Lord - He is pleased

Charlotte's funeral was a celebration of her life that she DID WELL. She served her daughters unfailingly, her church faithfully - when there was a shortage of funds she would use the last of her money to cook, bake and sell the produce and give all the profits to the church and it was always just the right amount they needs, serving in her community for years - with soup kitchens, community support and then opening a FREE BY FAITH pre-school in a squatter camp. Every message that each person gave was a message of love, everyone telling the congregation what an amazing, generous, kind, loving, upstanding woman of God they saw her as. So many tears for our loss of this incredible woman. Even her pastor confessed to us that he argued with God pleading with him not to take her the night before she died - because we needed her - the community needed her, her young daughters needed her.

Do we wait for the funeral of a loved one to tell everyone else how important they are to us? Do we wait for the funeral to sing the praises of this person? Do we spend enough quality time with the most important people in our lives? Don't wait until it is too late. You will regret every second when they are gone. Heaven is not a place to say sorry I did not tell you how much I loved you, appreciated you, was amazed by what and who you are, was proud of you, will miss you when you are gone - that is what should happen here NOW, every day.

Encouragement

I have been encouraged to continue with my blogging...this is extremely daunting but I am going to give it a go. I know that God uses me to speak to folk...is that obnoxious...I hope not. I love ministering to broken people, being able to share STUFF from my life that has equipped me to share is what makes me excited and sharing what God has done in my life is such a privilege. I will carry on with this giving a little history of ME...so you get to know me...and then lets see where God leads me....would love feedback.
God bless you all.
IN HIS SERVICE