The young man gave us a short testimony of his life. We could only
praise God for His faithfulness and love. He grew up without his dad.
Since the age of 5 he was in a boarding school with a very strict
disciplinarian as a teacher. When at the age of 7 his mother could
no longer afford to keep him in school this same teacher took him in
as her own and he stayed with her until grade 9. Then he went back
home and did his grade ten from home. He then went on to university
and got his degree. What is so amazing is his conduct as future
husband. When you listen to him you would think that he had the most
wonderful father who taught him how to treat his future wife. Which of
course he did have since he was born again.
During the long weekend he went home to make sure that his extended
family understands that he will not partake in any ancestor worship or
allow it to happen at their traditional wedding. It caused quite an
uproar in the family but he gently stood his ground and said: "You all
know that I am born again and that Jesus is my and my future wife's
only mediator between us and our heavenly Father." (See 1 Tim. 2:5.)
He asked them gently to respect his as well as his wife's wishes. She
then had to go through the same with her extended family. We are so
proud of them and so blessed by the work God has done in their lives.
We do not always realize the cost for our black brothers and sisters
when they become born again and have to say no to a tradition that is
deeply rooted in their culture and an integral part of their religion.
It can be confusing to distinguish between honoring your parents and
being obedient to God, because the ancestors are seen as mediators
between the people who are still alive here on earth and God. They
have a deep respect for their ancestors and therefore are seen as
rebellious when they do not want to participate in ancestor worship.
Some are even cast out of the family and many times a curse is spoken
over them for abandoning traditional customs. When they say they are
born again, they truly are and acts accordingly.
Therefore, Dr Solomon's line diagram is such a powerful instrument to
illustrate what happens to us when we are born again. We praise God
and thank Him again and again for this ministry. Please pray for us as
we minister to these lovely young people.
Love in Christ
Hendrik and Nehlsie
Things are going so well with Johan Els's group. There are 140
people doing the course. On Sundays Johan or Dirk, the co-pastor,
brings a message related to the topic we have covered during the
sessions of the past week. Johan also develops a guideline for
discussion in the cell groups. In this way he makes sure that those
who do not attend the course are also exposed to the content of what
the rest of the church is learning at the Conference Training.
The pastors and their wives are living the Cross message and are
inspiring the congregation to do likewise. The past weekend I spent
time with Black Pastors' wives in Pretoria. It was a feast!!! I was
blessed to find that through Isaac and Rachel's influence these ladies
have come to the Cross, accepted their true identity in Christ, and
have moved on to be with Christ in the heavenlies above all power,
principalities, and names. I have hope for South Africa with young
women like that.
To say the truth I am thankful to be part of this plan of God. We will
be going to the North Province in April where Hannetjie Myburg has
started a satellite center for Exchanged Life Training. She has
trained 10 women, and we will be going to do the last section of
practical training. We rejoice that God is building His Church and
that we can be these tiny little wheels in His big network. Thank you
for guiding us and leading us and equipping us.
May God always surround everyone of us with His wall of favour.
Love in Christ,
Hendrik and Nehlsie
Since discovering my identity in Christ, I am on a constant discovery journey--discovering more and more Who is He that lives in me.
John 13:1-4:
Now before the Passover Feast began Jesus KNEW ( was fully aware) that the time had come for Him to leave this world and return to the Father.
Jesus KNOWING ( fully aware) that the Father had put everything into His hands, and that He had come from God and was returning to God got up from supper, took off His garments and taking a servant’s towel, He fastened it around His waist then He poured water into the basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the servant’s towel with which He was girded. ( Amplified Bible. Capital letters and bold mine)
O, what a change this brought into my life!
The disciples had an identity crisis. "Who is the most important among them?” was their question. Jesus answered their question with action.
To me He demonstrated what identity really is.
He KNEW three things:
1. Where He came from.
2 What He received from His Father.
3. Where He was going to.
Do I know where I come from ?
O Lord , how have you revealed to me through the years how I was born in Adam. I know because of where I came from and what I have received; I was dead, I was in enmity with God, I was blind, full of unrighteousness, alienated from God, hard of heart, proud. And I know I was going to hell.
But, my Father, you called me: “ Where are you?!” and you delivered me out of this darkness and brought me into the Kingdom of the Son of your love (Colossians 1:13)
Now I know I am your daughter, I come from You.
Now I know what I have received.
I have received ALL spiritual blessings in Christ(Romans 8:31, Ephesians 1: 3). What was given my Lord of which I have received also? According to the beginning passage, I was given His humility, His knowledge of His identity.
O, how do I need your humility, Lord. How do I need for your humility to be worked out in my soul!
And now my Father, I know it is time for me to stand up from the meal I have been enjoying with my brothers and sisters; the place I was comfortable, safe, accepted, nourished. I must get up and take off that which covers me and stand naked before You. Then you will clothe me the cloth of humility, willingness to be who You ask me to be in order that Your love and grace can be seen.
Father I do not even want to begin to try in my own wisdom and understanding to fathom what it means. Jesus Christ lives in me and He will serve.
I am willing, because I know who I am, what I have received, and where I am going to, therefore I will take this servant’s towel and wipe the feet of those whom You have send across my path.
I am His
God, my Father, started my year with the message: You are Mine.
Since we started our walk with God many many years ago at Oyster Bay my song, taken from Song of Songs, I sang to the Lord went like this:
He is mine, and I am His ( 2:16)
I am His, and He is mine ( 6:3)
I am His, and His desire is towards me ( 8:10)
This year my Beloved overwhelms me with message upon message delivered to me in one week.
I t is the same when we are placed in Christ. He is the altar. He consecrates me ―puts me aside for God.
Since I was saved, I was consumed with sanctification; did I strive to be sanctified: do, do, do, do, ad infinitum! When we came to the Cross, however, it dawned on me that I am a new creation, totally new. Already sanctified. Yet, the striving seemed to remain to a certain degree.
But now it is written on my heart: I am His! Consecrated to be His; only His.
But my Beloved was not finished yet.
When a garden is enclosed, there is not only a wall around it, but there is also a gate which is locked (the Hebrew word means barred).
In other words, this garden is there only for the pleasure of the owner.
He will decide who shall enter.
He will decide who shall enjoy His fruit, flowers, herbs and spices.
Not even I myself can decide who, when, and how. Only He will determine that, because I am His.
What a relief.
I no longer worry about "outreach," "touching someone's heart," "serving," "love," "minister to," "being a witness."
My job is to remain in Him, and allow Him to cultivate, nurture, tend , and ENJOY His garden.
The rest is His prerogative. Blissful surrender!
With the message of the closed, barred garden, the spring shut up, a fountain sealed, He puts an exclamation mark after the message He wants to bring home: "You are Mine! You are Mine alone!"
The living waters are His to let gush forth as He pleases.
But the Closed fountain is also not a public place any more for people and wild animals to come trample underfoot what belongs to Him (Ez 34:18;32:13)
If I allow what people says about me, be it I thoughts, action or words, to affect me, I am allowing them to come past the Gate (or over the wall) to come and pollute His water.
All these are just a commotion outside the gate. The water cannot be polluted again.
For a long time I thought it was lost, but suddenly in these days I found it, and my Beloved talked to me again!
Through a very bad accident in which he was seriously injured, Henry came to the understanding of a God with unending love. From out of this place he could live and be the person God ordained him to be.
"The great spiritual task facing me is to so fully trust that I belong to God that I can be free in the world — free to speak even when my words are not received; free to act even when my actions are criticized, ridiculed or considered useless; free also to receive love from people, and to be grateful for all the signs of God's presence in the world. I am convinced that I will truly be able to love the world when I fully believe that I am loved beyond its boundaries.
I understand now that 'making known' is not primarily a question of words, arguments, language and methods. What is at stake here is a way of being in the truth that tries less to persuade, than to demonstrate. It is the way of witness."
But clear above the noise I hear : "You are Mine!"
Ek is Syne
Hierdie jaar het Vader my jaar begin met die boodskap: Jy is Myne.
Van Oesterbaai af al sing ek my lied:
Hy is myne, en ek is Syne( Hooglied 2:16)
Ek is Syne en Hy is myne( Hooglied 6:3)
Ek is Syne en Sy begeerte is na my.(8:10)
Hierdie jaar oorval my Geliefde my met boodskap op boodskap wat binne een week aan my afgelewer word.
Eers is daar in Hannah Whitall Smith se boekie, The Christian's Secret to Happiness.Die hoofstuk handel met totale oorgawe. Net een sinnetjie het 'n hele wêreld van vreugde vir my laat oopgaan. Sy sê ons moet na die offerhandes van die Ou Testament kyk om ons toegewydheid ("consecration") aan God te verstaan Die dier wat geoffer word is nie heilig nie; kan nooit heilig wees nie. Sodra dit op die altaar geplaas word, is dit heilig— toegewy aan God; eenkant gesit vir Hom, Syne. Net so is dit wanneer ons in Christus geplaas is. Hý is die altaar. Hý heilig my— sit my eenkant vir God.
Van ek "gered" is STREEF ek na heiligmaking: doen, doen,nie-doen-nie,doen, ad in finitum! Nadatt ons by die Kruis uitgekom het, het dit tot my begrip deurgedring dat ek totaal en al 'n nuwe skepsel IS. Klaar heilg. Tog het die strewe tot 'n mate gebly.
Maar nóu is dit op my hart geskryf.Ek is Syne, afgesonder vir Hom alleen.
Maar my Geliefde is nog nie klaar nie.
Die Heilige Gees laat my weer 'n artikel lees in Prepare the way: I am my Beloved's and He is mine. Die skrywer is Müller. Hy gebruik Hooglied 4:12-16:My beminde is 'n geslote tuin, 'n bron wat afgekamp is, 'n geslote fontein ( My eie vertaling deur kombinasies van verskillende vertalings)
Wanneer 'n tuin gesluit is, is daar nie alleen 'n muur om nie, maar die hek is gegrendel( Hebreeus).Hierdie tuin is m.a.w net daar vir die Eienaar. Hý sal besluit wie kan van Sy vrugte, blomme, en kruie geniet. Niemand, nie eers ek self, kan bepaal hoe,wie,waar en wanneer nie. Net Hy sal dit bepaal, want ek is Syne.
Wat 'n verligting. Ek bekommer my nie meer oor"uitreik","liefhê, "bedien", "getuie wees" nie. My werk is om ín Hom te bly en Hom toe telaat om Sy tuin te bewerk en te GENIET. Die res sal Hy doen. Salige oorgawe!
Met die beeld van geslote bron en verseëlde fontein plaas Hy uitroeptekens agter die boodskap wat Hy wil tuis bring: JY IS Myne!
Dié lewende water is Syne om te laat stroom soos Hy wil en wanneer Hy wil.
Maar ook is die fontein nie meer 'n openbare plek vir mense en wilde diere om te kom vertrap en bemodder nie ( Ez 34:18;32:13)
As ek toelaat dat dít wat mense oor my sê , hetsy deur hulle gedagtes oor my, hulle uitsprake oor my, of hoe hulle my behandel, laat ek toe dat hulle by die Hek verbykom en die water kom besoedel.
Alles wat gebeur is 'n gedoente buite die hek. Die water kan nie meer besoedel word nie.
Lankal al soek ek na my boekie deur Henry Nouwen,Reaching Out, in my boekrakkie. Skielik kry ek hom en my Geliefde praat met my.
Deur 'n ernstige ongeluk kom Nouwen tot 'n besef van God se oneindige liefde. Dit is nie ál nie. Hy kom tot die besef van die plek vanwáár hy moet leef. Vanuit hierdie plek kan hy leef en die persoon wees wat God hom bestem het om te wees.
The great spiritual task facing me is to so fully trust that I belong to God that I can be free in the world — free to speak even when my words are not received; free to act even when my actions are criticized, ridiculed or considered useless; free also to receive love from people, and to be grateful for all the signs of God's presence in the world. I am convinced that I will truly be able to love the world when I fully believe that I am loved beyond its boundaries.
I understand now that "making known" is not primarily a question of words, arguments, language and methods. What is at stake here is a way of being in the truth that tries less to persuade, than to demonstrate. It is the way of witness.
En nou is Die Gees besig om my te leer . Dit is een ding om hierdie dinge te ontvang. Nou werk die Gees dit in my hart in deur ervaring heen te midde van woelinge buite die hek, stortvloede van boodskappe:"Jy is 'n mislukking". Maar bokant dit alles uit hoor ek: Jy is Myne.
