Believe in Jesus without any doubts!

Jesus was out and about preaching when Lazarus died.  Mary and Martha, Lazarus's sisters were bereft and met Jesus on the road as He was coming to see them.

Jesus asked Martha "do you believe that anyone who believes in Me will never die?".

Martha answered that she believed this.

Then Jesus went to the tomb and called to Lazarus to come out of the tomb after he had been dead for four days.

Lazarus came out in his grave clothes.

This is such a miracle.  A man who had been dead and buried for four days was raised to life by Jesus.  This deed was widely talked about and the Pharisees plotted to kill Jesus even more.

This is belief under attack from the evil one.

Jesus knew this.

When we truly believe in Jesus, we will also be subjected to attacks on our belief by satan.

This is why it is so important to maintain a close relationship with Jesus in order to grow and strengthen our faith.  Or we can quickly lose our faith and backslide.

Today, let us resolve to be like Martha and to believe unequivocally that Jesus is our Lord, our Saviour, our Redeemer.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, today I humbly pray that YOU strengthen my faith.  Help me to grow stronger and stronger every day in my belief.  I humbly pray this in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay truly faithfully Jesus Blessed today!

Who Jesus is!

 In this passage we read so much.  Jesus sums up what He does and who He is.

Jesus gives us eternal life.  This is given to each person who believes in Jesus as the Son of GOD, the Messiah, the Redeemer, the Light of the world, the Way to eternity with GOD, the Life and the Truth.

Here Jesus confirms that when we accept Him as the Messiah and believe in Him and the miracles He performed, that He added humanity to His deity, that He is the Son of GOD, we are saved through our faith.

Jesus further confirms that once we have fully accepted Jesus as our Saviour, and we are filled with the Holy Spirit, no one will snatch us out of His hand.

Jesus confirms that His FATHER has given Him judgement over us and we are then co heirs with Jesus. 

Jesus further confirms that He and GOD are one.

This is a powerful passage and we need to know exactly the power, the majesty and the strength of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, I thank YOU that Jesus is my Redeemer.  I thank YOU for YOUR grace in saving a wretched sinner like me.  I thank YOU in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay amazingly, faithfully Jesus Blessed today!

Jesus our Shepherd

 A good shepherd leads his sheep from the front of the flock.  He walks ahead of the sheep and they know his voice and they trust him.

Just so, Jesus is our Shepherd.  Jesus leads us to an eternity with GOD in Heaven.  Without Jesus no one is going to spend eternity with GOD.

And we should know our Shepherd.  We should trust our Shepherd so that He can lead us on the straight and narrow way to Heaven.

How do we know Jesus?  We learn to trust Jesus in every aspect of our lives by prayer and through the reading of the Bible, through other Christ followers telling us their stories and by fellowshipping together.

Gradually the character of Jesus is revealed to us as we begin to understand the Grace of GOD.  As we understand that GOD wants each and every one of us to be saved.  And as we see the miracles daily that GOD sets before each one of us, if we will but open our eyes to see.

As the Holy Spirit lives in us and fills us and convicts us, we begin to understand our own sinful natures and we repent of the way we used to live, think and speak.  As this process takes place we understand that our sin nailed Jesus to that Cross and kept Him there until He gave up His life for you and for me to have eternity with GOD.

Without that immense sacrifice on the part of Jesus to take our sins and pay for them on that Cross, we could never ever hope to enter Heaven.

Gratitude needs to fill our hearts for what our Shepherd has done to save each one of us.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, today I come before YOU with an attitude of gratitude for what Jesus did for me and continues to do for me.  I thank YOU for the Holy Spirit which convicts me daily when I sin.  I thank YOU for YOUR grace in sending Jesus to this earth to pay for my sins.  I thank YOU in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay amazingly gratefully Jesus Blessed today!

The sin of unbelievers!

 In this chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus healed a blind man.  But not just any blind man, this man had been born blind.

The problem is that Jesus healed him on a Sabbath.

Now the pharisees wanted to find Jesus guilty of doing work on a Sabbath.

So they got hold of the man and his parents and tried to get the man to denounce the fact that Jesus had healed him, or to say that Jesus should not have healed him on a Sabbath.

The pharisees were desperate to find a way to have Jesus put to death.  They plotted and they planned.  

Eventually they overheard Jesus talking to the man whom he had made see.  Jesus told the man that He came to this world to make the blind see and those who could see blind.

The pharisees asked Jesus is they were blind?

To which Jesus answered as above.  They were sinners, looking for a way to kill the Son of Man because they were blinded to the fact that Jesus is the Messiah.

By asking Jesus if He thought they were blind they were sinning against the Son of GOD.  So Jesus answered them that by refuting His miracles of healing, they remained in their sin.

In the same way, if we deny the deity of Jesus and His miracles on this earth, we refute our faith and we remain in our sin.  And the result of that is death and hell.

Choose life today, choose Jesus and believe.  Have faith and keep the faith strong.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, I thank YOU for Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Saviour.  I thank YOU that YOU are so Gracious.  Lord I pray that YOU are with me always as I grow in faith.  I humbly pray this in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay faithfully Jesus Blessed today!

The Shield of Faith confirmed!

 Last night I wrote about the shield of faith.  Paul put this shield of faith into action when he was shipwrecked on Malta.  There he kindled and fire and a venomous snake bit him on the hand.  But he shook it off and suffered no side effects at all.

So do we doubt that this was a venomous snake?  Not at all.  Rather, we see the shield of faith in action.

Paul was taken up to the third heaven on the road to Damascus.  There he was converted to believe that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

After that, Paul became a zealous believer in Christ.  He was shipwrecked spreading the Gospel.  He was stoned.  He was imprisoned.  He was eventually beheaded by the Romans.

But through this all, what kept him on course was his faith.  Not for one minute do we ever see that Paul doubted that Jesus is the Son of GOD.

To this extent, when he was bitten by the venomous snake, Paul was not fearful.  His life belonged to Jesus and Jesus would have His way.  Paul kept the shield of faith in place, so he was protected by Jesus.

Readers, that is what we need.  Our shield of faith.  This will keep us focusing on Jesus and not on the things of this world.  Let us keep the faith today!

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, I thank YOU for the faith which I have in YOU and in Jesus and in the Holy Spirit.  FATHER, tonight, in faith, I pray that YOUR will be done in our lives.  I pray this in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay faithfully Jesus blessed today!

The Shield of Faith

If we have true faith, we can withstand any attack from the wicked.  It is when our faith falters that we fall.

That is why Paul urges us to put on the whole armour of GOD each and every day.

But especially our shield of faith.  Because faith is the thing that keeps us from falling.

Our faith needs to be strengthened daily.  Through prayer, through worship, through reading the word, through listening to the word, through fellowshipping with other Christ followers, through spreading the Gospel.

Our faith, without all of the above is dead.  It simply cannot survive.

Today, let us resolve to do all of the above.  Let us start daily habits of reading the word at a given time every day.  Let us pray earnestly each and every day, during the day, as we start the day, as we end the day, as we receive gifts from GOD, as we eat our food. 

Let us join a small group of Christ followers.  All of this needs to happen.  And if we are not attending Church, let us do so each and every Sunday, no excuses.

That way our faith is fueled and it can grow!

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, I thank You that I have faith in YOU and Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  FATHER help me to grow my faith each and every day.  I humbly pray this in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay amazingly faithfully Jesus Blessed today!

 

The Spirit of Truth!

 Jesus, in this chapter of John is giving His disciples the instructions that will carry them through the trials and tribulations that He knew they would have to face because of their following of and belief in Jesus as the Son of GOD.

So Jesus first gives them the "good news" that He is sending the Holy Spirit, the Counsellor, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth to them.

Why would they need the Spirit of Truth?

Why do we all need the Spirit of Truth?

The Spirit of Truth is the Holy Spirit.  As we grow in our faith, we need to be constantly convicted of the Truth.  We need to move away from the lies and deception of the world around us.  This is especially true for Christ followers who are being or are going to be persecuted, as Jesus knew His disciples were going to be.

The Holy Spirit guides us and shows us the Truth.  He lives in each and every believer of Jesus Christ.  The more our faith grows, the more we know the Truth.  The more we begin to understand the character and nature of our FATHER in Heaven.

We need to listen to the Holy Spirit and we need to guided by the Holy Spirit and this should be asked for fervently in all our prayers.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, I thank YOU for my Redeemer Jesus Christ.  FATHER, I thank YOU that the Holy Spirit lives in me.  FATHER, please let YOUR will be done in my life through the conviction of the truth in me by the Holy Spirit.  This I humbly pray in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay amazingly Jesus Blessed today!

Abide in Jesus

 Jesus told His disciples to "abide in His word".  The word abide is quite an old fashioned word and we do not often use it today.

The Oxford Dictionary gives the meaning of the word abide as follows:

"Accept or act in accordance with (a rule, decision, or recommendation)."

Jesus told His Disciples therefore to act in accordance with His word.  And if they did so, then they would know the truth and the truth would set them free.

So what exactly was Jesus saying to His Disciples?

In effect, what Jesus was saying to them was that if they acted in accordance with what He had taught them and told them, they would be His Disciples and they would not be tossed about like the waves, to and fro.

They would know that Jesus is the Son of GOD.  They would know that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  They would know that no one goes to the FATHER except through the Son.

They would know how to spread the Gospel. They would know how to teach people about Jesus.  They would know how to treat each other.

This is a message for us all still today.  Let us abide in the Word of Jesus.  Let us act in accordance with it and not be tossed about like leaves in the wind.  Let us be sure that we believe in Jesus, that we know the Will of GOD for our lives and that we know we are saved through the redemptive Blood of Jesus spilled on that Cross for you and me.

But most of all, let us know that we need to repent constantly and ask GOD to forgive us, because surely we sin all the time.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, help me to abide in YOUR Word.  Help me to act in a manner that I show that YOU are Gracious, Holy, Merciful and Just.  FATHER forgive my sins as I forgive those who sin against me.  I pray this in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay graciously Jesus Blessed today!

Choose life in the Spirit!

 Dear Readers and fellow Christ followers, we live in a secular, carnally minded world.  We have "your truth" and "my truth".  We have people completely obsessed by the morality (or the lack thereof) and the things of this world.

What we need to be governed by the Holy Spirit who takes up residence in us when we repent and believe in Jesus.

This does not mean that we no longer live in this world and that we will not be subjected to the skewed ideology of this world, but what it will mean is that we put to death our desires and our carnally minded ways.

It means a repentance and a complete one hundred and eighty degree turn away from our old selves.

No longer should we use bad language.  No longer should we gossip and criticize others.  No longer should our focus be on attaining wealth and the material possessions of this world.

Rather our focus needs to be on presenting ourselves to the LORD one day, as pure and faultless as we can.

In every instance where we are tempted by the things of this world, we need to pray and ask the LORD to take away the temptations of this world and to give us wisdom and discernment.

No longer should we just watch any old TV show.  Rather we should choose what we watch so that we keep ourselves as Holy as we can and our thoughts as pure as we can.

Temptation lurks at every step and turn.  But we need to depend on the LORD to help us to put aside our old selves and to become new creatures in Jesus Christ.

This sounds easy.  It is not.  And the road is difficult.  But as Jesus told His Disciples, "the road is narrow, and few will find it"  Matthew 7:14.

Choose the narrow road every time you can.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER I thank YOU for YOUR grace and favour.  FATHER lead me through the temptations of this world by giving me wisdom and discernment to choose the path that leads me to YOU.  I humbly pray this in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay graciously Jesus Blessed today!

Steadfast in Jesus

 When we serve Jesus, we are to steadfast, says Paul in his letter to the Corinthians.  It is so easy to be tossed about today by all the negativity surrounding us.

If we are not loadshedding, then it is power outages or water outages or politicians just being themselves.

People are fickle in these times and nothing seems to be firm.

However, as Christ followers we are called upon to be steadfast and unmoveable.

That is what we have to be to shine the light of Jesus in this ever darkening world of ours.

This is what sets us apart.

And please, dear readers, I know that this is a difficult thing to do and a somewhat easy thing to say.

But we need to keep our eyes on the end prize.  Our eternal life with Jesus.  Then everything else pales into insignificance in comparison to that.

So let us keep the faith today and spread the Gospel, keeping our eyes upon Jesus.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, I thank YOU that I am redeemed by Jesus.  FATHER guide me to keep my eyes fixed on YOU today.  I pray this in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay graciously and optimistically Jesus blessed today!

Jesus the Light of this world!

 Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  But Jesus is also the Light of the World.

Sin is the darkness of this world.

When the Light shines in the darkness, then it is no longer darkness.

What we need to do is to accept the fact that without the blood of Jesus shed for us on that Cross of Calvary, we simply have no way out of our darkness. 

All the good works and all the good deeds cannot get us in the presence of our FATHER GOD.  Only Jesus can.

Jesus stands before our FATHER and we are justified by Him and through Him alone.

The Light of this world, gives us life everlasting. 

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, I thank YOU that I have my Redeemer, Jesus Christ as the only true Light in my life.  I thank YOU in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay amazingly Jesus blessed today!

Living Water

Jesus said to His disciples that whomsoever believes in Him, out of their hearts will flow rivers of living water.

This is an amazingly rich verse.  Because it tells us so much.

When we believe in Jesus, and are filled with the Holy Spirit, living water should be flowing out of our hearts.

Is this happening today?

Are we not letting the things of this world cloud our hearts and our minds?

Especially trying times are being experienced here in South Africa.  But not only here, throughout the whole world.

Christians are being persecuted and indeed martyred for their faith.

There are all these weird ideas about people choosing what they identify with. 

As Christians, let us dwell simply in the Word of GOD.

Let us make a lot of quiet time to pray, to read the Bible, to fellowship with other Christ followers, and to think about our eternal life rather than this time on earth.

And then let the living water that Christ has promised us, flow from us and let us be the light in this ever darkening and dying world.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, I thank YOU for YOUR grace in sending Jesus to this earth to save us.  I thank YOU that Jesus fills us with His living water.  Show us today, how to let this living water flow from us and fill those around us who are so thirsty.  I humbly pray this in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay graciously Jesus Blessed today!

Eternal life

 We are all going somewhere when we die.  We know that.  This life is not the end.  But it would be terrible not to go to GOD and to be with GOD for eternity.

The alternative does not bear thinking about.

On this earth, we have choices to make because our ABBA FATHER gave you and I free will to choose.

This is the enormous love that our FATHER has for each and every one of us.

All who believe in Jesus and repent, and are filled with the Holy Spirit, will go to Heaven.  All who choose to reject Jesus this side of the grave are going to hell.  It really is that simple.

Choose Heaven today!

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, YOU are so Gracious, Merciful, Holy, Just and loving.  I thank YOU that I believe in Jesus Christ.  I thank YOU in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay amazingly Jesus Blessed today!

The Ascension of Jesus into Heaven!

 Today is Ascension day and it is a truly Holy day for the followers of Christ.  Today is the day Jesus ascended into Heaven.  He has gone ahead of us to prepare a mansion for us in Heaven.

In His FATHER's House are many mansions.  And Jesus has promised us one there if we are faithful to believe in Him and to repent of our sins and to confess Him as our Redeemer.

If you are like me, a pre-millennial Rapture believer, I believe that Jesus will come in the clouds to fetch us.  First the dead, then the living and we shall be caught up to meet Him in the clouds in the twinkling of an eye.

Unfortunately those who are left behind will have to suffer the tribulation for seven years.

But we as Christ followers need to keep today Holy because today we celebrate the fact that the disciples witnessed Jesus ascending into Heaven.  They were eye witnesses of this event. (Psalm 68:18 and Ephesians 4:8-10).

Paul the Apostle quoted and applied Psalm 68 verse 18 and Ephesians 4 verses 8 to 10, in that Paul writes that Jesus is the Lord who was among the angels in Sinai who spoke to Moses there and from whom he received the oracles of GOD to give to Israel. Of Him it may be truly said that He ascended on high, far above the Heavens, the starry heavens and into the third heaven, the more glorious seat of the divine Majesty. 

Thank YOU HOLY JESUS for loving us and for going ahead to prepare a place for us.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, I thank YOU that Jesus is my Redeemer and that HE sits at YOUR right Hand right now.  FATHER I thank YOU that I can be among those who are raptured should the Rapture happen during my life on this earth.

I thank YOU in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay amazingly Jesus blessed today!

Come near to GOD

James tells us quite clearly here that if we draw near to GOD HE will come near to us.

GOD loves you and I.  GOD wants you and I to spend eternity with HIM.

But Jesus warned, the gate is narrow and few will find it.

Friends, GOD is continually reaching out to you and I through HIS Son Jesus.  We have every opportunity to spend time with GOD.  We can make time daily to read HIS Word.

We can attend churches freely in South Africa.  We can fellowship freely.  We can pray as often as we like.

So why don't we?

The answer is simple.  We need to prioritise GOD above all else.  The Ten Commandments deal with the character of GOD absolutely in the first four Commandments.

We are to love the LORD our GOD above all else.

We are to have no other gods but HIM.  This includes our family, friends, jobs, money, possessions.  All of these we can make into our gods.

We are not to make graven images of GOD.  This tells us that GOD is truly GOD.  HE does not want us to try to replicate anyone in Heaven, HIMSELF, Jesus or the Holy Spirit. 

We shall not take the Name of our FATHER in vain.

Therefore our FATHER wants us to love HIM above all else.  And if we do this, HE will draw near to us.

Make time to spend with GOD and learn to understand the Magnificent character of our FATHER in Heaven.  HE is awesome indeed!

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, I thank YOU that YOU are so gracious and just and Holy and merciful. I love YOU FATHER.  Fill me with YOUR Holy Spirit.  I thank YOU in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay amazingly Jesus Blessed today!
 

Do not fear!

 We are living in troubled times.  But as children of GOD and co heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven with Jesus Christ, we are assured that we are never alone during these trials.

Whatever trouble we are facing, be it sickness, debt, political uncertainty, uncertainty about where we are going and what is going to happen to us, we can be absolutely certain, Jesus is with us.

Going back to the Old Testament, GOD never left HIS people nor forsook them.  They left HIM often and forsook HIM more often, but HE remained and remains constant.

All we have to do is to put all our trust in GOD and Jesus.  We do this in the certain knowledge, that no matter what, we are not alone in this.  Jesus stays with us.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, I cry out to YOU and thank YOU that I am never alone.  I know that YOU are always with me.  For this I thank YOU in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay amazingly Jesus blessed today!

The Promise of the Holy Spirit.

 When we accept Jesus Christ and we repent of our sins, we are promised the Holy Spirit will come and take up residence in us.

What we are not promised is that if we ignore the Will of GOD, slowly the Holy Spirit "leaks" out of us.  We are extremely leaky vessels.  

So how do we fill ourselves up again?

We need to go on our bended knees, and truly ask Jesus to fill us up with the Holy Spirit.  Provided we are not sinning in our old ways again.  If we have slipped backwards, we need to repent.

But GOD has promised us that if we ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit, as believers in Jesus, we shall receive.

It is therefore important to remember to pray for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, today I humbly pray that YOU fill me anew with YOUR Holy Spirit.  I humbly ask that where I have sinned, forgive me FATHER as I forgive those who sin against me.  I humbly ask this in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay amazingly Jesus Blessed today!

Born Again by the Will of GOD!

What does it mean to be born again?  A lot of people are extremely cynical about the terminology.

In fact, what it is to be born again, is to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of our lives, and to be born into the family of GOD.  In other words we renounce our sinful birth, through the repentance of our sins.  We are then born again, not by the will of our earthly fathers, but through the Will of GOD.

When we accept Jesus as our Redeemer, and our sins are forgiven, we are then co heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven with Jesus.

Jesus becomes in effect, our older brother to our FATHER GOD.

Of course, this is a simplification.  Because Jesus is GOD.  But to explain the familial bonds I have used this analogy.

So do not think that the term "born again" means to become a "happy clappy".

In fact it is quite the opposite.  To be born again into the family of GOD, truly born again, comes with a massive responsibility.

No longer can we act off our own will, it must be our fervent prayer that the Will of GOD be done in our lives rather than our own will.  We give up the rights to decide for ourselves, and give everything to GOD for HIM to guide us.  No longer do we just make decisions.  We ask GOD to guide us.

And as our pastor said today, if we want to know the Will of GOD then read HIS Word.  Talk to HIM in prayer, and best of all, wait for the answers.  Do not rush ahead regardless.  So this is a complete change of life for us if we are truly born again.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, thank YOU that I have been "born again" by THY Will and now let THY WILL only be done in my life.  I humbly pray this in the Holy Name of my Redeemer, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay amazingly Jesus Blessed today!  

The love of GOD!

 God loves you and GOD loves me.  GOD also loves HIS only Son Jesus.  And yet GOD sent HIS Son to this world to be born of a virgin, to live a sinless life and to die on a Cross for your and my sins.

I simply cannot imagine the anguish both GOD and Jesus felt in having to do this dreadful thing.  GOD did not want to send HIS Son to die. 

But we serve a JUST GOD, a MERCIFUL GOD, a RIGHTEOUS GOD, a HOLY GOD. 

Would it be fair if a person who lives their whole life murdering others walked away scot free?

Would we feel it just if we were punished for small crimes and other got off from big crimes?

Exactly. And our FATHER knowing that we are going to sin in our lives, because of our sinful natures, had to devise a plan that could and would redeem us all for once and for all.  Because in our own strength, we simply are unable to meet the Holiness of our FATHER.  

All we have to do to accept this enormous GRACE of GOD is to believe that Jesus did come to this earth, added humanity to His deity, lived a sinless life, and died on that Cross.  And we need to know that GOD, in HIS Grace gave us a redemption of our sins through this. 

Along with the belief in Jesus comes repentance.  We need to repent.  And I have written about this in great detail.  We cannot repentant if we are not truly sorry.  Our FATHER can read our hearts.

Today, accept the GRACE of GOD.  Believe and repent. You will never regret this decision.  It is life changing indeed!

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, I thank YOU so much for YOUR enormous GRACE.  I thank YOU for my Redeemer Jesus Christ.  FATHER, I come before YOU with a truly repentant heart.  I am so sorry for all my sins.  I pray this in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay graciously GOD blessed today!

We need to confess our sins to GOD!

 Dearest Readers, our GOD is Omniscient (knowing everything), Omnipotent (GOD has all the power), Ominpresent (GOD is everywhere).  So why should we confess our sins if GOD knows everything, has all the power and is everywhere and sees everything?

Because when we confess our sins to GOD, GOD knows that we are acknowledging to HIM that we know where and when we have sinned.  This is so important.  GOD wants us to be repentant.  GOD wants to change our hearts to be soft and remorseful, to be more like Jesus, so that we no longer continue in our sin.

If we continually use bad language, that is not repentance.  If we continually hurt others, that is not repentance. If we continue to tell lies, that is not repentance. If we continually sin in a certain fashion, whatever it is, then we are not repentant.

This is why it is so vitally important to come before our FATHER, on our knees and confess our sins, accepting responsibility and desiring to change.

True repentance is a complete turning away from the sin that we habitually do.  

And if we are truly repentant, the Holy Spirit will convict us when we sin in the same way again, to stop it.  The Holy Spirit will convict us to confess these sins to GOD and to ask for forgiveness.

If this is not happening to you, then you need to ask GOD anew to forgive you and to fill you anew with the Holy Spirit. 

We must accept that Jesus died on that Cross and took all our sins with Him. He was punished for these sins.

If we continue to sin in the same fashion, over and over and do not ever ask GOD to forgive us, we are denying the act of the Grace of GOD through the crucifixion of Jesus to save us from an eternity in hell.  

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, I thank YOU that I am under YOUR Grace and favour.  FATHER, today I ask that YOU forgive me where I continually sin.  Fill me anew with YOUR Holy Spirit and let the Holy Spirit convict me to stop sinning.  I humbly pray this in the Holy Name of my Redeemer, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay truly amazingly Jesus Blessed today!

The Glory of GOD

 Dear Readers, as we all seem to be labouring under tremendous stresses, load shedding, economic hardships, friendships that are under strain, we sometimes feel disconsolate.

But what we need to do, is to look up.  Because the times are drawing ever closer to the time when Jesus will appear in the clouds to fetch us all home.

Jesus has gone to His FATHER's house to prepare many mansions.  And if we will but believe and repent, there is one there for you and I.

Paul must sometimes have felt at the end of his tether.  He was stoned, beaten and jailed many times.  So when he wrote this, he understood sufferings.

Yet, Paul wrote that the sufferings were not worth comparing to the glory that is going to be revealed to us when we finally meet our Saviour.

Maranatha! Indeed, Oh Lord Come!

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, today I thank YOU that through all the pain and suffering on earth, there is hope in YOU.  I thank YOU for this immense grace that YOU have shown to us in sending Jesus Christ to save us all.  I thank YOU in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay amazingly Jesus Blessed today!

The darkness has not overcome the LIGHT of the world!

 Jesus is the Light of the world.  Try as he might, the darkness have not overcome the Light. 

We are subjected daily to the issues of living a life on earth.  We have difficulties to overcome and we have to use all of our strength not to succumb to the darkness that surrounds us.

In these very trying times, we need to remember that Jesus is the Light of this world.  With Jesus on our side, we can do anything.  All we have to do is to believe and to know that Jesus has overcome this darkness on our behalf.

Once we have accepted Jesus, it does not mean that our lives get any easier, but it does mean that we can cast our worries onto Jesus.  Jesus will always be with us.  In every situation, no matter how dire, we find ourselves, we need to remember to pray to Jesus.

He gives us the peace that surpasses all understanding, if we will but believe in His strength and His power.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, I thank YOU that I have Jesus with me every minute of my day and my night.  I thank YOU that I am able to give my burdens to Jesus.  I thank YOU in the Holy Name of my Lord and my Saviour, my Redeemer, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay amazingly Jesus Blessed today!

The Word became flesh!

 Our FATHER sent us HIS perfect Son, full of grace and truth.  Jesus is THE TRUTH.

Jesus came to fill the earth with His Light.  Jesus is THE LIGHT.

Jesus came to show us the way to the FATHER.  Jesus is THE WAY.

Jesus came to give us eternal life in Heaven.  Jesus is THE LIFE.

And here is the thing.  There is no way to get to Heaven, no other religion, no other belief, no good deeds, nothing we can do to get to Heaven, except that we believe that Jesus is the Messiah.  We have to believe that Jesus is the Only Son of GOD.  There is no other way to get to Heaven.

Once we have accepted this truth and believe, we need to repent.  And that means we need to turn one hundred and eighty degrees away from our sins.  We need to be truly sorry that we sinned.  

GOD reads our hearts, and if we do not really believe or we not truly repentant, GOD knows and we will not get to Heaven.

Choose Jesus today.  Before it is too late.  Tomorrow may not come.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, I believe in Jesus as my only Redeemer.  FATHER I truly repent of my sins.  FATHER I forgive all those who have sinned against me.  I pray all of this in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay faithfully, repentantly Jesus blessed today!

The undisputable deity of Jesus!

 Dear Readers, in this passage above, John makes it blatantly clear that Jesus is GOD.  He knew Jesus and he spent a lot of time with Jesus.

This verse is so clear that in the beginning was the Word.  (Jesus).  And the Word spoke the entire universe into existence.

Jesus came to earth and added humanity to His deity to save us from our sins.

Jesus came with one purpose, the spill His blood so that all of us can be saved.

What do we need to do?

We need to believe in the deity of Jesus.  We need to admit that we are sinners and we need to confess our belief and our sin to GOD.  Then we are saved from a life in hell.

And there is only one way to get to Heaven and that is through Jesus.  There simply is no other way.

Today, believe, repent and confess and be saved.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER thank YOU for YOU grace in sending Jesus Christ to save me from a life in hell.  I thank YOU in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay truly Jesus Blessed today!

In the beginning was Jesus!

 We should never forget that Jesus came to this earth and ADDED humanity to His Deity.

Jesus is GOD and this is confirmed by the Apostle John.  John starts his Gospel by stating the facts.

In the beginning was the Word, (Jesus) and the Word (Jesus) was with GOD and the Word (Jesus) was GOD.

So Jesus is not a prophet, or a messenger sent to give us a prophecy.  Jesus, GOD, came to earth, born of a woman, but not of a man, because the Holy Spirit came over Mary and she conceived Jesus.

Jesus lived a sinless life on earth so that He could die a death of atonement.  Only by blood can atonement be made.  And the blood has to be that of a sinless person or animal.

Go back to the Old Testament laws.  The scapegoat, (a young unblemished goat) was sprinkled with the blood of a lamb and sent to the desert to atone for sins.

Jesus is the lamb.  But His blood was shed for you and me so that we might be forgiven.

And, goodness, we need forgiveness.  None of us can say we have not sinned.  None of us can say we are good.  So we could never get to Heaven without Jesus and without repentance of our sins.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, thank YOU for Jesus.  Thank YOU that YOUR grace and mercy have saved a wretch like me from my sinful ways.  FATHER forgive me as I forgive those who sin against me.  I thank YOU for YOUR grace in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay graciously GOD blessed today!

Follow Jeandre and Kelly in California at Sun Valley Community Church.

Dear Readers Jeandre Fourie, my son in law has taken over Sun Valley Community Church in LA as a fully ordained pastor.

As many of you know, Jeandre is an incomplete quadriplegic. This was due to an accident in 2015. Jeandre was playing professional golf and fell off a zip line and broke his neck. C6 was shattered and the spinal column suffered a lateral anterior tear 5 cm long.

During his first week in hospital, the Lord spoke to Jeandre and Jeandre gave his life to GOD.

From there, Jeandre's life has changed completely.

Through the grace of GOD, Jeandre walks with the aid of crutches and although he is an incomplete quadriplegic, he will tell you that this accident was the best thing that ever happened to him as he met the Lord.

He studied theology through SATS and is now a fully ordained pastor. Jeandre and Kelly have committed their lives to serving the Lord.

They were called to California by Pastor Anton Bosch and his Church. They have been there now for 7 months learning the ropes. Anton and his wife Ina have retired to Wisconsin and have left California on the 1st May and Jeandre has taken over the pastoral duties in the Church.

This whole scenario is a divine plan of GOD and I would invite you all to please share the following link with friends and family and please subscribe to the You tube channel set up by Jeandre for this Church in California.

https://youtube.com/@sunvalleycommunitychurchla

They also have a blog to which you can subscribe

https://jeandrefourie.org/.../testimony-update-from-los.../

Please let us support them in their Christ blessed efforts.

Take up our crosses!

 My greatest pleasure in life is Jesus.  I know that Jesus is always with me.  He is my rock and my salvation.

A few years back, our family went through tumultuous times.  I remember walking out one evening and looking up and talking to GOD.

Right there and then, I realised that without a shadow of doubt, I was not alone. Jesus is always with me.  GOD is always with me and I am filled with the Holy Spirit. 

The last few years have strengthened my conviction that without Jesus we are empty barrels, wondering about on earth with zero real purpose.  Waiting to live out our empty lives and then to die.

Once we realise that Jesus is always with us, we find that we want to know Jesus more and we want to know GOD more.

This is our true purpose in life. 

We need to die to self and to start living for Jesus. 

In order to take up our crosses daily, we need to feed our faith.  That is achieved through the reading of the Word of GOD.  We need to build our relationship with GOD, that is done through prayer.  

Lastly we need to use what we know about GOD and to tell others about Jesus and to show the world daily that there is hope for all of us.  Our hope is in Jesus!

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, thank YOU that YOU are always with me.  Thank YOU for YOUR grace and favour.  Thank YOU for my family and my friends.  Thank YOU for all my blessings.  Thank YOU for a home to live in and food to eat and clothing to wear.  Thank YOU most of all for loving me and for forgiving me of my sins.  I thank YOU in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay purposefully Jesus blessed today!

Truth in the Bible!

 Our FATHER in Heaven knows that we cannot live perfect lives, try as we might.

Throughout the old Testament, we read constantly about the sinning ways of all of humanity.  Despite the Israelites having been led out of captivity from Egypt by a messenger from GOD, they continued to disbelieve and sin.

GOD therefore put HIS perfect plan into place and that required that blood be shed to absolve us all from our sins.

Jesus was the perfect, unblemished lamb.  And to fulfil the old Testament prophecy recorded in Isaiah, Jesus was to be crucified.  No bones would be broken.  He would be pierced for our transgressions, and His clothing would be kept in one piece.

All of this was fulfilled.  And when it was done, Jesus asked GOD to forgive those who had caused this terrible suffering and subsequent death.

When I read this, I am filled with such sadness.  Jesus died for you and for me. 

Jesus suffered for you and for me.  Jesus is the only Truth, the only Way and the Only life.  And all of this for you and for me.

Prayer:  ABBA FATHER, thank YOU for Jesus and for YOUR grace in sending Jesus to save a wretch like me from my sins.  FATHER forgive me as I forgive all those who sin against me.  I thank YOU in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Stay truthfully Jesus blessed today!