Pictures of Jesus taken from a sermon by David Platt.
Saviour. Jesus means "the one who will save us from our sins"
Messiah. Christ means "the promised one"
Son of David. He comes from the kingly line of David
Son of Abraham
Centre of history
Fully human
Fully divine
Sovereign over the wise. Wisemen come looking for him and they bow at his crib.
Shepherd of the weak
Jesus inaugurates a new exodus
Image from Google images
11. Jesus will end the mournful exile 12. Jesus loves his fiercest enemies. He loves sinners like you and me.
13. Saviour king 14. Righteous judge 15. Filled with the God the Holy Spirit 16. Loved by the God the Father 17. Jesus is the new Adam. He resisted temptation fully, when our first father Adam succumbed to temptation
18. True Israel, Jesus was the faithful son unlike Israel 19. Jesus is the light of the world 20. Jesus is the hope of all nations
David elaborates on each of the points on the links below:
"Nathan has just been shot in an attempted hijacking. On his way to hospital... please pray for him." This is the message I woke up to on the 27 August 2014. It was 5am in Dubai meaning that it was 3am in South Africa, my sister is likely to be asleep and I cannot ask her for more details. I was devastated. I cried. And cried. And cried. Trying to get back to my scriptures so that I can get my mind off the "What ifs" until I can speak to my sister for answers. I shared with my flatmates and then waited for a more decent time to call. By 7am I couldn't bear not knowing, so I called my sister. It's 5am in South Africa. She might not be awake. She tells me that she is also not home. She has to make her way to the airport to get a flight back to Johannesburg from Durban. He is in hospital. He is stable. They did a CT scan and will let us know later today if he needs surgery on his leg. She will keep me updated as soon as she has more information. I am so grateful for friends who pray. I sent a message to my friends asking them to pray for no surgery, quick recovery for the leg and for normal use of the leg. I asked them to pray for the Holy Spirit to comfort him and my sister. I asked them to pray for the criminals. The ones who are deceived and in need of Christ.
I was broken. I got to the office and asked my manager for a flight back home. My thoughts were all over the place, I was not normal. Nothing was making sense. How could this happen? Why did it happen to us? How did Nathan feel at the time? Did he feel alone? There were so many questions...
I read my bible. I listened to God exulting, Christ-centered, bible saturated music. I needed to fight the words that were trying to occupy my mind with the truth of God's word. The song that really helped is called Anchor by Hillsong United. The words are absolutely amazing...
I have this hope As an anchor for my soul Through every storm I will hold to You
With endless love All my fear is swept away In everything I will trust in You
There is hope in the promise of the cross You gave everything to save the world You love And this hope is an anchor for my soul Our God will stand Unshakeable
Unchanging One You who was and is to come Your promise sure You will not let go
Your Name is higher Your Name is greater All my hope is in You
Your word unfailing Your promise unshaken All my hope is in You
I also came across a brilliant sermon by Carl Schultz of Hillsong, New York. You can see the link below. He gives three ways to deal with difficult circumstances - very appropriate for what I was going through.
Expect it. Jesus says in John 16:33 "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." Trouble will come. Expect it.
Go through it. Jesus says in every circumstance we face, He will never leave us nor forsake us
Shake it off. The problem that you are going through is not just for you. There is someone who will hugely benefit from your testimony. Don't give up!
Thank you to my church family, my Gift's group, my flatmates, my family, my friends and my work colleagues for standing in agreement with us. My brother is okay. His leg will heal and we are trusting for a full restoration of mind, body and soul.
God's grace in Nathan's situation:
He had just dropped off my nephew at his grandparent's car before the incident happened
They shot him through the passer seat where the baby seat was. The baby seat took the bullet and deflected it from his chest to his leg
He ran away from them, but they did not shoot him as he was running
He is alive
"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.." Now we wait for more good things to unfold.
The world hates women is a post my friend Siya shared on Facebook, it shows the violent abuse of women across different countries around the world. It must have been chilling for her to see considering that she's got a little girl.
The bible says that God created man in his own own image; both male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27). The scripture goes on to say, God looked at what he had created and it was very good. Sin has entered our world and it has distorted the beauty that God created. This has affected the world we live in, the relationships we have and the way we live. Women have not been exempt from the effects of sin, it can be seen in the way women see themselves and the way men see women.
Listed below are some of the extreme cases of abuse against women and girls:
Girl children are being aborted, abandoned or killed because of their God-given sex. The United Nations estimates that in Indian and China there are over 200million girls who are missing as a result. In the clip below, we hear from a woman who has killed 8 children at birth because they were girls.
The value of girl is being determined by how much a man is willing to pay for her. God says priceless and man says the highest bidder wins
200 girls in Nigeria are abducted and it's over a 100 days and they are nowhere to be found
Genital mutilation is an evil that aims to steal the gift of sex from women
The United Nations estimates that 1 out of 3 women has been beaten, forced into sex or abused during her lifetime. This film is very graphic so if you are sensitive do not view it. It communicates a real account of brutal and violence stories against women and babies.
I am sure you can add more films and stats to the above, but those stories just show how prevalent the problem is.
Before you say but that's not me, we need to look at ourselves and how we contribute to this culture that hates women:
Do you call someone lucky because he has a boy instead of a girl? The desire to have a boy is a beautiful desire but do not let it enslave you. The enslavement comes in the form of person's relentless pursuit of a boy either by the spouse bearing more and more children until they have a boy or a man marrying other women until he has his son (I won't even rant about how he is the "problem"). A healthy baby is a privilege that some parents do not have.
Do you pay women less than their male counterparts for the same qualifications and same job?
Do you tease people by referring to them as girls? This is highlighted so beautifully in this ad by ALWAYS
Do rape cases focus more on the woman's dress code than the man's behaviour?
Do men in a work environment get punished by their companies and the law for the sexual harassment of women?
Do you talk inappropriately about women? Or do you allow the objectification of women by people around you?
Do you pollute your mind with images that objectify women and then expect the women in your life to live up to those images? Do you expect your spouse to perform for you because that's what you see in porn? Do you tell her how fat she is because you consume too many images of perfection in media?
Do the men you hang around with value their wives and children?
Again, the questions that you can add to this list are endless.
The link below is one of my favourite poems by Jon Jorgenson, it's called "Who you are?". I pray that we can be women who believe that we are awesome and that we raise girls who know that they are. Girls whose self-worth is not determined by their circumstance by a deep knowing that they are worthy of love and that they are LOVED! Because LOVE is a beautiful place to make world changing decisions.
This is not a usual feel good woman's day post. My hope is to raise awareness of woman's issues so that those who are touched may be moved to action. Doing something may require a big change like leaving your comfortable job to join an anti-human trafficking organisation or it can be small like ensuring that we speak well of all women not just those we love like family. May woman's month celebrations include the men and women working tirelessly to make my hypothetical future daughter feel loved, worthy and always enough.
Names are pregnant with purpose...What stirs within the recesses of your soul when you
hear Jesus' name. An enigma personified...Took on the lowest name so slaves can reign as Kings.
Morning session
Pastor Billy Hybils message was based on Luke 5:1-11, where Jesus calls his first disciples. Bill Hybils studies Jesus and speaks about 5 leadership tests that a leader must employ when choosing his team.
Bias towards action test
Do you chose leaders who have a bias for action?
Jesus solves an immediate problem by getting into Peter's boat. Peter allows Jesus to do so without complaining.
Can you follow directions test
Peter has been fishing the whole night and has not caught anything yet he say to Jesus "because you say so I will". Peter followed Jesus' instructions.
Who deserves the credit test
In Luke 5:8 Peter gives all the credit to Jesus. Credit hogging does not contribute to positive team dynamics. Don't compare yourself with others. The ultimate glory belongs to God.
Grander vision test
Jesus gives them a bigger vision - I will make you fishers of men (Luke 5:10). Jesus shows that the value of a dollar versus the value of human destiny. God loves people. They are his treasure.
Will you leave it test
They left everything and followed him (Luke 5:11). The grander the vision the higher the price tag. Peter and his fellow fishermen were willing to leave everything for the grander vision. Change your vision from dollars to a grander vision.
Jesus left heaven for a grander vision - the salvation of all.
Q&A with Pastor Bill Hybils conducted by Pastor Brian Houston
On leadership:
There is a season for everything - Ecclesiastes 3. Sometimes it's good to let people go. Change in teams is good but you must invite people into your life for that season. Get involved. Treat people like family. Leadership pipeline is important so someone can take over the role. When you decide to leave, leave well. Ensure a thorough handover so that the person taking over is well-equipped. A leader is an incurable listener and learner.
On crisis management:
Storms will come. In the middle of a crisis that is when you character is revealed.
What's a prevailing church?
The church as described in Acts 2:42-47. The lost are found. The poor are taken care of. The found are growing spiritually. There is unity by the power of the Holy Spirit. Bold prayers are prayed and God answers. Communities are transformed.
"The church is meant to disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed" Brian Houston
On accountability
We are all accountable to God. What is your gift? Are you using it for God's glory?
Session 2 by Pastor Brian Houston
Romans 10:13 "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.". Acts 10:9-15 "What God has cleansed, you cannot call unclean or common"
The message of Jesus is all inclusive - Everyone is invited. Pastor Brian shared a story from Jonah 3:2-6,10. Jonah was asked by God to preach to the people of Nineveh and ask them to repent from their sins and return to God. Jonah's message is so powerful that the people of Nineveh, including the king, turn from their evil ways and return to God. When they repented, God's anger subsided and he relented of the disaster that he was going to give them. Instead of being happy about this, Jonah is angry with God. In Jonah 4:1-2 we read - But it displeased Jonah exceedingly and he was angry. And he prayed and said to the Lord and said "O Lord, is it not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made hast to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and relenting from disaster." As a church we are called to be outposts of grace just like our God. Jesus loves all people the same. God does not show partiality - everyone is invited. Jesus is the only judge.
Image from Google images
Masterclass: Reading the bible effectively
Reading effectively:
Be consistent. Make it a habit.
Fruitful bible reading is lived and walked in your neighborhood
Pray before you read the bible
Ask questions: Where? Why? When? How? What?
Studying the bible
Use the right tools (Good bible translation, study bible, commentaries, bible dictionaries, theological dictionaries, concordance/lexicon, survey of OT and NT, manners & customs books, online tools/sites, books)
Identify what's infront of you (what's really there?)
Recognise it in it's context
Know what to do with what you find
Apply it - the bible demands application
Read the bible like this:
GOD (What was God saying?)
THEM (What was he saying to the people present then)
US (What does it mean for us now)
ME (Relevance for me)
One of the outflow of regular bible reading is an overflow of thankfulness.
Image from Google images
Word from the local pastor
We are made in the image of God. God spoke and created. Yet on the 5th day he made man, he came down to earth to create man. God gave him a breath of air and it became human. People have intrinsic value. If the angels were sitting in heaven trying to describe what an human being is then would liken it to something they were familiar with, they would say "humans hold the image of God". You are incredibly valuable to God and no one can take that away from you.
Evening session
Pastor Louie Giglio together with his wife, Shelley, started Passion which is a movement that ministers to college students. Louie was running a very powerful youth ministry in a town far away from his family. His father got terribly sick but he and his wife felt compelled to stay in the town they were in. After 7 years of praying they decided to move closer to home. Louie's father passed on before they could make it back home. However, he had already resigned from his job so he moved closer to home inspite of the devastating news. He says that he does not know why things happened the way they did. He does know that the Passion movement would not have existed. He was comfortable in his youth ministry. But God... God was calling him to something bigger than he could have ever imagined. Years later as he was preaching in a stadium full of young people he got to stand on the Chick fil a logo. The Chick fil a logo that Louie was standing on whilst preaching at the Passion conference, was the logo that his father designed for the franchise. It was an incredible moment for him. You can strive on our own but working together with God, you can achieve great heights that you thought possible!
Image from Google images
He started by congratulating Brian and Bobbie Houston for building Hillsong. He said "It is amazing. God is amazing. But God uses people." He thanked them for being God's vessels!
Louie spoke about the name of Jesus being a brand. The PR company that is hired to make much of this name is the PR of God, God and God - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. He says that God is more committed to the idea that "there is no other name". God will make much of the name of Jesus. It is up to us to decide whether we want to join this winning movement. When you and I chose to join the movement of "no other name", we are signing up to God's team. When you know that God is making sure that the name of Jesus is proclaimed world-wide, we can rest with an assurance that God is on it. The PR company of God, God, God is working to make much of the name of Jesus.
Jesus is the God of my life. Jesus is my everything. God is very particular about his name - Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Sin is settling for a lesser name. The Holy spirit reveals and exalts the name of Jesus.
The program for the Hillsong Conference was packed with activities. The doors opened at 8:30am with the first session starting at 9:30am. Then we had a 30min break before we had the "Let's talk church" session. This is when the teens known as "Young and Free" moved into to the youth program. We then had a 30min break before going to our masterclasses. The masterclasses were smaller groups which focused on 3 main streams LEAD, HELP and CREATE. I had chosen the Help stream when I registered for the conference but I could chose any masterclass that appealed to me. We had 30min break between the two master classes. At 5pm the main doors open for the evening session. The session started at 6pm and ended with a worship concert!
Morning Session:
Pastor Brian Houston's sermon was titled "No other name". He spoke from Acts 3:1-10. This is the story of Peter and John who were on their way to the temple and came across a man was lame from birth. He was brought to the temple gates to beg. The lame man asked them for money. Peter addressed him "I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!" (Acts 3:6). And leaping up he stood and began to walk and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God (Acts 3:8). People who were disabled were not allowed into the temple, so this is the first time ever that this man is entering the temple - it's a significant moment. His healing brought him into a new life, he was able to walk into the temple and praise God. Pastor Brian then said, when you do things in the name of Jesus, you can go and do things you have never done!
He spoke about the saving power of the name of Jesus. He read from Acts 4:7-12. He focused on Acts 4:12 "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved". The gate to salvation is narrow (Matthew 7:13-14). In John 14:6 Jesus said "I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.". He then corrected the misconception that the path must also be narrow. He says that following Jesus is a difficult path but it leads to a big and abundant life! He says we serve a God who enlarges our path (2 Samuel 22:37). We serve a spacious and roomy God (Colossians 1: 19 MSG). We serve a God who gives us a wide-open and spacious life (2 Corinthians 6:11 MSG). We serve a mighty and powerful God (Acts 3:12) who displays his glory through ordinary men and women (Acts 10:26). As carriers of the name Jesus we are called to do more. His parting words were "Don't be consumers of the name but be contributors of the name." And he read this blessing over us Numbers 6: 24-27: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them."
"Let's talk church"
This session was targeted toward church leadership but was relevant for everyone who leads. The topic was Culture and Pastor Brian Houston focused on 10 cultural traits of Hillsong Church.
I am a "can do" person. He says don't let experience hinder you. He spoke about people who kill good ideas because they did them in the past and they didn't work!
This is not my job, this is my life. "A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don't belong to him and he isn't their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock" (John 10:12).
I will serve the Lord with gladness. I do not think in minimums e.g. Do I have to?
Empowerment starts with me. You can even empower upwards. This allows you to set your boss free so they can focus on visionary ideas.
I am not on the gossip train. The target is "last to know..". "The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life" (Proverbs 10:11).
I am one of them. It's not an "us vs. them" with my team.
I will bring those around me on the journey. He spoke about not dumping the worries on his family but sharing his triumphs as well so that they feel like they are part of the journey.
What I'm a part of is bigger than the part I play. Be teachable. "And Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,"You lack one thing; go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; come and follow me." (Mark 10:21). Do you have someone who loves you enough to tell you what you don't want to hear?
I delegate but I don't dump. Most people give the stuff that they don't want to do to people reporting to them, he says be considerate.
My spirituality is attractive.
Masterclass 1: Anti-Human Trafficking with Nick and Christine Caine
These are some of the things I learnt about human trafficking:
It's the fastest growing crime in the world. It's very attractive because it gives high returns and low risk. Only 1 in a 100,000 European traffickers are convicted. A perpetrator who was caught was asked why he traffics humans instead of guns for instance. His response was "Human are easier to move. You just kick them and they move themselves."
People are being trafficked mainly for forced labour and sexual exploitation
Almost 30million people are trafficked and the rescue rate is only 1-2%
Children as young as 12 years old are trafficked with the age getting younger as the demand for minors increases.
In some instances, people are sold by people they know. We heard a story of a girl who was trafficked by her boyfriend. They went on holiday together and he sold her. Poor parents sell their children to put money on the table. Young girls are handed over to a life of prostitution so they can feed their parents and siblings.
In Greece, it's customary for a boy to be taken to a brothel to welcome him into adulthood. This is done by family members - mom, dad, grandparents.
You can do something about it! The demand for porn fuels human trafficking as different people are kidnapped to provide different kinds of porn. You can donate to A21 campaign. You can be a volunteer. The are 21 ways that you can help! Check out the link here !
This is modern day slavery an injustice that needs to be stopped. Every person rescued is a win!
Masterclass 2: Women in Leadership
The speaker was Julia A'Bell. She had such a presence and a warmth about her. I could have sat and listened to her the whole afternoon.
1. Be secure and comfortable with who you are.
She used John 3:22-36 to elaborate on this point. John was a prophet with multitudes of people following him, repenting and getting baptised. Jesus comes and many start following him, repenting and getting baptised. John's disciples come to him to tell him that they are losing people to Jesus. In John 3:30, John says to them "He must increase, but I must decrease." John understood that he's awesome but it's not about him. It's about Jesus. Julia then said - You are awesome! And if you don't believe it say it to yourself until you believe it! But it's not about you. It's about God. An all loving and powerful God. Sometimes you may have to move from the limelight and give God the glory. Know your identity in Christ. Know that you are a child of God. Leaders are givers. And you can only give what you already have. Do not limit yourself based on your circumstances. If God opens up an opportunity then step up and take it. Don't shy away from positions of leadership because of your circumstance rather appoint capable people around you to ensure best results. She spoke about women not taking great opportunities at work because of good reasons like when you are trying to fall pregnant. She says take the job. The company will work around you when you do finally fall pregnant. Be aware of holy discontentment and use this to change direction. Wise decisions are made when you feel comfortable and secure in who you are. Comparison is a dead end road. Don't go there!
2. Be prepared to change and evolve!
She used a well-know theologian - Madonna (LOL). Madonna has manage to stay relevant in over 3 decades, because she understands the need to change and evolve. She says you must be willing to be part of the change or give yourself a "sell by date". There is nothing better than you changing and growing to become more like Jesus. Things to help you with the change - Be prepared to empower others on what you are currently doing. Prepare for your next position by training someone to take over your role! Try something new. Have a positive attitude towards change because it's the only constant. She says Brian and Bobbie Houston have been able to build Hillsong to what it is today because they embrace change. She says the overall effect of being able to change and evolve is LONGEVITY!
3. Be the keeper of the Golden rule
"So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them" (Matthew 7:12).
Speak in a way that builds others
Make kindness your everyday task
Listen more than you speak (speak with your eyes)
Sleep on it before you make a big decision
Confront with the other person's best interest at heart and mind
Do what's best for the organisation not just for yourself
Have an open door policy
Do not give up! You will reap what you sow
Word from a local pastor:
Chris Mendez spoke about our identity in Christ and knowing the character of God. He said, if you know who God is, then you can have faith in him. He read from Mark 11:22 where Jesus says "Have faith in God." He then read Hebrews 11:6 "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him".
Evening session:
The Pastor who headlined the evening session was Bill Hybels from Willow Creek. His topic was TIME. His verse was Ephesians 5:15 "Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise". He asked various questions: "What would your schedule look like it God really ruled it? Is your current schedule working for you? Should your weekly schedule include non-work items? Is the Holy Spirit included in your schedule? He says that a schedule must be less about what I want to get done and more about who I want to become. So if you want to be a good parent, how much time have you scheduled into your weekly planner to spend with your children? He says we should ask ourselves "What investment of my time would it take for me to be a great___________ (fill in the blank - mother, friend, daughter).
He then asked "Who do you want to become?". He read from Luke 4:16 "He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went to the synagogue, as was his custom." He says that Jesus had a custom. He arranged his life in such a way that he didn't miss going to the synagogue for Sabbath. He understood that spending time with God was important so he shifted his schedule to allocate that time. He says we need to spend time with God daily. 15mins a day will make a massive difference. He shared a story of an advertising executive who came up to him after a service and told him that he is too busy and does not have the time for a meeting with God. Pastor Bill's response was "I always made time for stuff I value." I found the story Bill shared online so you can listen to it below:
Matthew 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you."
I went to the Hillsong Conference for the first time in 2014. When I saw the title 'No Other Name' and watched the poem (put link) I knew I had to go. Natasha and I got the wheels rolling and then Ronel (who should be organising things for a living) decided to join us and she practically organised the details. She's really good! Alex and I helped with the swing votes on the organised itinerary!
I have had this burden since coming back from the conference. The burden I carry is that I cannot go to something so life changing and come back the same. I cannot be the same Nolitha Sithole who didn't have all this knowledge. This burden overwhelmed me when after a whole day of praising & worshipping Jesus, I switched on Facebook and my friends were not praising and worshipping Jesus. They were exactly where I left them before the conference. I pray that the Holy Spirit can help me to resist the temptation to go back to who I was. I pray that I may grow even more in love with Jesus and the people he loves so much.
I will be doing highlights from my week at Hillsong. I don't want to compress all that I've learnt into one post so I'll give you day by day update. I learnt that Hillsong is intentional about influencing culture. They don't want to be the best in Christian music, no, they want to be the best music producers. They want to be influential in music, a massive undertaking but worthy of being applauded! They were awarded for this with Oceans (where feet may fail) receiving accolades beyond Christian music. They pursue excellence in creativity, I honestly didn't expect to be entertained like I was at a concert but I was. The opening ceremony was spectacular! All the executional elements that make brilliant concerts were there and it just worked. On stage we had talented people showcasing their God given talent through singing, dancing, playing instruments and presenting. People were honoured. People were celebrated. Speakers listened to each other and spoke about what they personally learnt from the other speakers. The men and women who spoke were different in style and tonality, but they all brought the glory back to Jesus!
So I knew it was going to be a great week when the opening verse was my favourite verse about Jesus from Paul:
Colossians 1:15-20 ESV
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
I thanked Jesus right there and then for making this moment possible.
Pastor Brian, the founder of Hillsong church, invited various local pastors to speak every evening. They would share the word before the guest speaker. The first pastor spoke about the baptism of Jesus. He said it was one of those beautiful moments where the triune God head is present. God the Father speaking; Jesus in flesh and the Holy Spirit being represented by the dove. He shared Luke 3:22 when Father God said this about Jesus 'You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.' God affirmed Jesus before he started his ministry. He was announcing to the world 'I love you and I'm proud of you' - words every child longs to hear. Notice that God was well pleased with Jesus before Jesus did anything! He then brought it to identity saying "when you don't know the love of the Father then you compete". He said you have one opponent and that's the adversary. He ended with words that stuck to me throughout the conference, "You will be hearing brilliant talks over the week, don't be so caught up in the talk that you miss Jesus".
The guest speaker was Pastor Steven Furtik of Elevation Church. This young man is anointed. His sermon was from 2 Corinthians 3:12 ESV "Since we have such a hope, we are very bold,". His talk was titled - the problem with Pintrest. He says the problem with Pintrest is that we get caught up in a life of comparison. I guess that's social media in general. He says we must stop consuming other people's perfection. He taught me about Pintrest fail which is all the failed attempts at replicating something learnt from Pintrest. There are some hilarious disasters! He spoke about getting vulnerable with others. Tweet worthy line - Don't just show your progress only, show your scars for people to grow. He says he marvels at God - how God can know me so well yet still love me so much? He spoke about the importance of being known. He said it's important to remove the veils that we put on and be fully known - warts and all. Where the spirit of the Lord is there is freedom!
Some key take outs:
1. Stop hiding! Unveil yourself
2. Stop having comparisons with other people's perfection. Compare less and contemplate more
3. God heals us from glory to glory not from shame to glory. Share your shame, bring it to the open and let God replace that with his glory!
My testimony:
When I was young something happened to me that changed the way I viewed life. I have always been a works person, you know, work to get people's affection. After this incident it was intensified, I would bring a school report so I could hear my parents' words of praise. I thought the results determined how much love I could get from them. In hindsight so silly but sometimes I catch myself doing it with loved ones even today. Sometimes, my reason for doing good is not a generous heart but a validation in waiting. People are the worst place to get validation. They are so busy walking through their own issues they don't know you need them. My sins, compiled with my need for validation and my negative self perception left me with an appearance of confidence. I was so worried I would be caught out. People will know me and they won't like me. For a person who relied on people for affirmation it would have been the worst thing to happen.
God pursued me. He brought me to a place where I had no one to rely on but him. The more I told him I needed him. The closer he came. God made me cry a lot when he was removing my veil. He showed me my obsession with comparisons. In high school, I had the brightest friends ever. Nthakoana is a genius. She would read over her work and know it. She didn't study but read through her notes and understood. She got 100% for mathematics - enough said. Sisi excelled in accounting. My worst subject. She tried explaining it to me but I didn't have the clarity that she had. So I did what most South African do with mathematics and science. Do enough papers and crammed my way to passing. I got exposed in Matric trials. I got 30% in my accounting exam. I nearly died. My teacher refused to allow me to drop to standard grade. I did get B for my finals so there is a good story to tell! An answer to my prayers of just a pass Lord! That's one side of the story the one my negative side focused on - not measuring up to my bright friends. God in his infinite wisdom gave me the best parents. Every year I showed my report to my parents and they would want everyone in the family to know how well I was doing at school! They would celebrate my report. My babomkhulu was a doctor, when black doctors were not meant to exist, inspite of the high obstacles the government put on them he persevered and became a much loved doctor in Soweto. He saw my matric final results and said I should have applied to be a doctor because my results were excellent. I did well. But I was left feeling sad because I never got my academic colours. I missed the celebrations. And sadly this is one example of many.
Jesus started cleaning me. He exposed things. There was a lot that I had to ask forgiveness for and people I had to forgive. I started my journey of being known. My healing required me telling my story so I told Starla, my pastor's wife. Then the Holy Spirit prompted me to unveil myself to my parents. I wanted to do it face to face so I bought time. I was hoping that I could convince God to change his mind. I remember praying that if I tell my parents know who I am and they don't like me anymore God has to be there to catch me. I spoke to my parents. God gave me the most amazing parents. My relationship with my father was strengthened from me unveiling myself. I had a privilege of praying with him recently for a problem he was dealing with for over 5 years. God answered and the problem was resolved according to my father's desire. My mom (in English she's called stepmom) and I are praying for God to do the impossible in our family. Our human efforts have failed and God specializes in the impossible! We are trusting him for big miracles. My mom and I are becoming better friends, we are more open and more involved in each others life.
I thank Jesus for the cross. On that cross Jesus took all my sins away - past, present and future. He took my shame and replaced it with glory. Being fully known, shame and all, means I can now move from glory to glory. My identity is in Christ. The old is gone. I am a new creation. I am loved. I don't have to earn that love. It has nothing to do with me and everything to do with what Jesus did on the cross. I am free. Thank you Jesus.
I have decided to keep my hair natural, it's not a hair stance but for practical reasons. When I was young an inexperienced hair dresser decided to wash my hair before applying a relaxer. To say my head was on fire would be a grave understatement, I was in excruciating pain. I cannot stress enough the importance of educating stylists!!! I never went back to that lady and for years I have not even thought of that incident. It came to mind when I started getting a terribly itchy scalp about 3 years back. When I checked with a dermatologist he didn't see anything but was quick to point a defect on my face that he can fix (which I kindly declined, I mean really stay focused doctor). I decided to cut all my hair off and start afresh.
I have been enjoying my natural hair and the different styles I have been playing with. I once decided to comb my Afro out but then decided to add shine using a water-based moisturiser and got painfully reminded about shrinkage! I will straighten my hair with a hot iron and for two days it will be manageable but day 3 I don't even recognise it. It's been fun with a bit of panic on some mornings! In the office I am surrounded by various nationalities and the comments I've had on my natural hair range from "Is this your hair?"; "how do you make it look like that?"; "can I touch it?"; "why does your hair stand like that?"; "your hair looks like cotton candy" or "your hair looks like bath foam". And the question I will be asking God one day "why doesn't your hair grow?" Yes I have heard it all...
I recently decided to do a weave, because I didn't want to straighten my hair I got the one that covers all your hair. The response has been equally enlightening... Some people flat out told me to stick to the other styles "this everyone has hair like this the other one is more different". A lady asked whether I finally have my natural hair and other comments include "this doesn't look like you". I have also had some weird compliments "you look Indian" and "you don't look African" (I think it was meant to be a compliment). I have also gotten a lot of advise on how to manage my weave, "go to a hairdresser and ask them to cut the ends it will make it look more natural" or "you should style it this way ma'am". I must say I didn't realise that people felt that they had authority over my hairstyles.
Image provided by Ivor Van Graan (IVG photography.com)
I could get mad but I choose to laugh and be grateful that my hair is able to be a conversation starter. Plus, I have the privilege to educate people about black hair along the way.
I know that Solomon built the most extravagant and beautiful temple for the Lord however I did not realise the amount of preparation that King David did to make sure that he lays the groundwork for the temple.
David had the desire to build the temple for the Lord, however before he pursued the desires of his heart he checked whether this is aligned to God's will. God responded saying his son Solomon will build the temple (1 Chronicles 17:1-15). For me, this highlighted the importance of praying about your desires, even desires that are aligned to the will of God.
David was not fit to build the temple because he was a mighty warrior that had shed too much blood. God wanted his temple to be built by Solomon as his legacy would be one of peace and quiet. God wanted his heart to be revealed, he is a God of peace and rest (1 Chronicles 22: 8-9).
David understood Solomon's inexperience and prepared the resources needed to build the temple (1 Chronicles 22:2-5; 1 Chronicles 28: 2). David's preparation was so well in advance that he gave Solomon the plan for the temple (1 Chronicles 28: 11-19). If you have children, how are you preparing your children for the destiny that God has in-store for them?
David spoke God's vision over Solomon in private and in public. He spoke God's vision to leaders so that that they may support his son when he is no-longer there. Whenever David mentioned the temple of the Lord to his son and the leaders, he informed them about God's will to have the temple built by Solomon. (1 Chronicles 22: 7-10; 1 Chronicles 22: 17-19; 1 Chronicles 28: 1-4; 1). Do you speak the promises of God over your children? Do they know the destiny God has in store for them?
David spoke words of encouragement over his son. He asked Solomon serve the Lord God with all his heart and with all his might. He asked him to obey the statutes that were given to Moses by God. He told him not to be fearful or discouraged but to be strong and courageous. David also asked God to provide Solomon with discretion and understanding. (1 Chronicles 22: 11-13; 1 Chronicles 28:9-10).
Image from Google images
Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it.
Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished."
I feel honoured to have been a small part of this story. Natasha shared her story with me as she was going through a tough time last year. And then when her breakthrough came, she wanted me to share her testimony with people who might need encouragement. I asked to share it on my blog and here it is. I hope that as you read this you don't miss God's faithfulness. I pray that you may know that if God can do that for her surely he can do ________ (fill blank) for me . I hope that you see God's love and his goodness in this testimony.
Natasha's testimony:
So last year my husband had a brain tumour and he was operated on 01 August 2013. We were told it was not to be a successful operation but they had no choice but to operate. They were even speaking to me about life as a widow. To make matters worse, my company had major retrenchments. My whole team was affected and we all had to re-apply for alternate roles. So my husband was in hospital and I had to drive up and down from work and the hospital. They did not give me time off. They also made it seem like I was not to get a role because I asked to work flexi time and I was seen as someone who was not committed. All of a sudden- my line manager decided to give me a really hard time and tell me that I was not good enough to be there.
I was at work from 6am till 2pm. I would go to hospital which was an hour drive away. Then I would visit my husband from 3pm- 330pm. And then I would sit in the waiting area and dial in and work till 7pm. I would then go into ICU from 7-8pm and then drive home and get into the house by 9/93pm. All not knowing how his recovery was going to be. I also didn’t know if I was safe with my job. And we needed my job because if my husband was disabled- I needed to work to care for his bills. The stress was unbelievable. And I also ended up getting migraines that would leave me not having any movement on the left side of my body. The devil is very able to tramp you and blind you. There were many moments when I got so angry at my situation that I even stopped believing in God. My biggest mistake. Needless to say- I was in my lowest pit. And I cried out to God- even though I was unbelieving.
My husband is now back at work full time despite having brain surgery. I have stopped the hectic meds for the migraine and have been migraine free for the past 3 months. I ended up getting an alternate role at my company but then another company approached me and provided me with a massive increase. Now when I pray- I am seeing God make the changes immediately. I had to learn how to pray within God’s will and not my own.
The biggest lesson I had to learn was that this hardship was in God’s will, he needed me to go through this and to come out in awe of all the miracles he has done. I needed to understand his love. That despite me having no certainty- he knew my future and He has always been faithful and provided. I needed to believe the verses where he would take care of his children. Not just read and not understand the depth and breadth of God’s love.
I take time to bounce back. This is what I'm learning about myself. Those statements about "If you don't try you've already failed" never used to bother me because trying meant that there was a possibility of failure. And because it takes time to recover from failure, not trying meant I never had to find out. That's what fear does, it robs you and robs those around you. Your talents and gifts are buried as you learn enough and do enough to prevent failure. Fear meant that I halfheartedly gave of myself in relationships, I was always leaving lots of room for disappointment. I hardly shared myself with those I loved.
Some of the things I've learned.
1. I had a false identity
I did not know who I was and why I was created. I imitated or showed parts of me that I felt were likable. I hid myself a lot. I avoided conflict and I ran from situations where I felt I could not express my true feelings. I was a coward, choosing to run instead of facing difficult situations I should have tackled directly. I preferred large group of friends because I could be hidden in the crowd and not have to show who I really was. It was all linked to an incorrect perspective of who I am. By God's grace even the decisions made from a place of fear have been redeemed. I now know who I am and what purpose I was created for. I am a child of God (Gal 3:26). I am made in the image of God (Gen 26:1). The creator of the universe calls me by name (Isai 43:1). I am co-heir with Christ (Roms 8:17). I was created to love the God with all my heart, my mind and my soul. This love I give to God is an outpouring of a heart grateful for the love poured unto me by Him. I am made to love others. Because I am loved unconditionally. God's love compels me to love others.
2. Believing lies
I chose to believe that lies that I was not capable instead of soberly evaluating what I am good at and doing more of that. God cares. Yes, even the mundane things matter to him. Even little things like my eating and drinking point to his provision for me (1 Corinthians 10:31). There will be times of failure but even those moments are part of God's divine plan. My seeking God during my disappointment and heart-ache is part of the plan. It's not something I do when I am travelling to the ultimate goal. It's such a comfort knowing that God is with me. He promised never to forsake and leave me so he is right there by my side celebrating the victories and asking me to look at him during the difficult times.
3. Short-sighted view of life
Did you know that this life is short. Some people are blessed with just over a 100 years of life but most people die before that time. The failure experienced in this short time will not matter as time goes by. The problems that weighed heavily in my heart at 22 I cannot even remember now at 30. We can be headed in on direction and then change our minds. We have the freedom to chose. Looking back at my life journey, I have realised that God always seems to use the ruins of my story to create His beautiful story. The best part is that my failures today will be minute in comparison to endless joy of being in the very presence of Jesus.
I would love to say I am healed completely of my misconceptions. It's a process. The default setting of fear creeps in at times. I have to actively replace the lies with truth. I am taking ownership of my thoughts, actively raging a war against the thoughts that hold me captive and replacing them with truth. I know that I am created for a purpose. Jesus came so that I am have life and have it in abundance. I am learning to voice my opinions even the unpopular ones. And I always remember that God asks me to be faithful. Everyday I pursue to show the love of God to those around me. I give myself to those I love. My prayer is to endure this marathon called life so that I may hear the beautiful words of Christ - "well done you good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21).
You make me brave by Amanda Cook and Bethel Music.
I love Easter. It's always been my favourite time of the year because it's a time to reflect on God's relentless love. With an added bonus of a long weekend (well back home) and spending time with loved ones.
I become amazed once again about what Jesus actually did on the cross. How the sins of man and the schemes of the Satan were defeated in what looked to human eyes like a dire situation. It's a moment when an innocent man suffered to the point where he was unrecognisable to reconcile us to God. It's a time to when darkness thought it had won as the King of kings was nailed to the cross. It's a moment filled with sadness as my Saviour is betrayed, tried and found to be innocent yet still crucified. It's a moment of heart-break as my Lord is whipped, given a crown of thorns, mocked, ridiculed and made to carry a heavy cross. It's a moment of sadness as he is nailed to that cross. And to make sure he was really dead, his accusers pierced his side so that water and blood poured out.
It's a time where I thank Jesus for his humility, how being the very nature of God, he did not take this equality as something to be grasped (Philippians 2:6) and came to die for all people. It's a time to glorify Jesus because even in his own suffering he still thought of others, asking Father God to forgive his accusers. It's a time to praise God for devising a plan for the salvation of all mankind that that could not have been conceived by human thinking. The story does not end there! It culminates with a celebration! As we celebrate that Jesus is alive! Jesus is alive! The tomb is empty! Jesus is alive. Jesus rises, defeating Satan, sin and death. Jesus removes the sting of death as he gives eternal life to all who believe.
I pray that as we get closer to Easter time, you can take time off the Easter eggs & bunnies, and remember the true meaning of this season. A King who left the riches of heaven, became poor, lived as a human but without sin. A King who died so that you and I may be reconciled to a loving God. A God who loves us so much that whilst we were still sinners he pursued us. Jesus realised that he was limited in his body so he ascended to heaven and left us with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives in all who believe. Rejoice Christian as you remember that the same power that conquered the grave lives in you!
Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty." Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."
After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter" and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest. At the second tree a woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship. When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree so I'll take this one", and he cut it down."
When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for.The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree.
The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it.When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.
The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined.
We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.
Today I woke up with a heart overflowing with gratitude.
Thank you Jesus for my family. Thank you for opening my eyes to how they shower me with love. What is more astonishing is that they are but a shadow of the love you pour out to me everyday. Thank you Lord Jesus for revealing yourself to me. I am blessed to serve the one true God, the creator of heaven and earth. Thank you for renewing my mind. Thank you for giving me a new heart. Thank you for for replacing my heart of stone with a heart of flesh. Thank you for surrounding me with God-fearing friends. Thank you for Tuesday prayer meeting and how much they have grown. Thank you for my friends who continue to show me love inspite of the distance. Thank you for 5 years of bliss with my God-fearing boyfriend.
Thank you for my job. Thank you for my managers. Thank you for giving me opportunities in a field that I enjoy. Thank you for a salary that meets all my needs and gives me a little extra for "wants".
Thank you for the time you have given me to soak in your word. Holy Spirit help me to live out the life-giving words in the Holy Bible. Thank you for giving me that conviction that all scripture is God breathed. Thank you for reminding me that all good things come from God the Father. Help me to never lose sight of the love shown on the cross where Jesus died. Thank you for your love Lord Jesus. I am most grateful for you in my life.
