Family

God placed family structure as a principle. 

Taking out family you take out the purpose of things.   Family is our first priority. 

God wants to teach us about family before we understand the truth of family. 

The meaning of family is to understand love, not neceserely life. 

We keep on breaking up our family, taking the responsibility of our family and giving it to the state or someone else.  

Family raised and defined you.

Your fight is against enemies not family, it is not the family that brings division, it is things that effect family.

Because there is a purpose to family, 'family' has function. You picked up a function because you love "the" family and the purpose of it. 

Jesus accepts us as family not as workers, not as members, not as partners. 

By His choice and my submission, I  can step into His family. 

Die gawe van Christus.

In hierdie tyd van vakansie, ontspaning en geskenke word ons herinner aan dit wat regtig belangrik is.  Ek wil nie so boodskap vandag gee nie, ek wil graag vir jou net ‘n ander perskektief gee oor jouself.  Ons weet almal dat ons Jesus se geboorte herdenk op kersfees en dit wat gebeur het in die stal.  As ons vandag daaraan dink is dit so mooi prentjie, die krip, donkie, wyse manne, skaapwagters en om te dink aan die wonder wat die Here gedoen het om alles so te laat uitwerk net soos Hy dit beplan het.  Dit is altyd makliker om terug te kyk na wat gebeur het, en dan te kan weet presies wat daar gebeur het. Die waarheid is dat daar nie so baie mense was wat die geboorte van Jesus aanskou het nie.  Die meeste van die mense was besig en geïrriteerd oor die stad wat so besig was.  Almal en alles het aangegaan die volgende dag soos wat elke dag maar is.  Dit sou eers jare na die geboorte van Jesus wees waar Jesus as die Verlosser sou rondloop en wys wie Hy regtig is.

Jesus was Jesus van dag een af.  Hy was Jesus die hele tyd, soms in my gedagtes as ek dink aan Jesus was Hy gebore en daarna het Hy wonderwerke gedoen…

“Wat van die dae waar daar nie wonders was nie? “

Partykeer dink jy te min van jouself omdat daar nie groot dinge in jou lewe gebeur nie, wel nie altyd nie.  Ons is vinnig om te vergeet wat gebeur het omdat ons lewe vir ‘n volgende oomblik.  Jesus was Jesus altyd… Jy is jy altyd….

Jou kinders, jou vrou, jou vriend, jouself is altyd. 

Is dit moontlik dat ons dalk tussen mense is wat ‘n wonderwerk is maar omdat ons dit nie sien nie of nie daar was in die ‘stal’ oomblik nie, vergeet ons dat daar soveel beloftes, antwoorde op gebede, en herstelde lewens rondom ons is.

Sal jy braaf genoeg wees om jouself te kan sien as ‘n geskenk, al voel jy dit is die laaste ding wat jy is.  Jesus het jou gegee vir die mense in en om jou lewe.  Jy is die geskenk! Dit het Jesus se hele lewe gevat, elke dag was voorbereiding, om uiteindelik gereed te wees om jou te kon bekostig.

As ek ‘n opinie kan lig sal dit wees: om net te wees wat Hy sien en nie noodwendig wat ek dink ek is nie.

So'journ - A temporary stay

So’journ – A Temporary stay.

Everyone of us have a life!  The fullness of that life is displayed by the stories we tell.  A story reveals our character and courage that we possess to try something, it can range from trying to change a habit to climbing a mountain, every story is your life, it represents time, effort, will and endurance.  

I learned that it is not necessarily the big stories that make an impact on peoples lives but rather the simple things that have a greater impact on others.  Greeting people, smiling, looking in somebodies eyes when you talk to them, all these things is your life on display and reveals what you believe.  I believe that everyone of us can have an impact on somebodies life, it always start with a first step.

Every one of us had a ‘first step’ before we walked, now you can run, climb, play rugby, etc. as a result of that first step.  Your first step was in fact a step of confidence.  It gave you the confidence in your own legs to carry you, just as your life has the potential of great stories.  This is your life and God entrusted it to you.  He trust you with it!!  I believe that this is truly our power source, in living.

That was my inspiration when I started ‘So’journ’.  That everyone started somewhere with a first step and if I listen closely I will find the courage to take another step of my own.

   

The meaning of So’journ according to me:“What is the impression that we leave on each others lives in the time we have together?” 

Maybe in eating together, slowing down and listening we might find that Jesus is still Immanuel (God with us).  He is close.

 I want to capture that first step somebody took, that escalated into a big thing.  I want to hear their personal struggle and their break through.  By making videos of these stories I want to break down walls that keep people apart and maybe we might again be people that stand in relationship with each other.

I want to invite you to listen to some of these stories on our website.  CLICK here

VIR LEWE

Was jy al ooit naby 'n ongeluks toneel of in 'n hospitaal wanneer die deure oop gegooi word, mense val uit die pad uit en gil wat volgende moet gebeur.  Dis asof alles nou tweede plek kry, selfs maniere is nie belangrik op die oomblik nie, almal in die omgewing is bewus van iets anders, almal weet en niemand se dit nie.  Hulle is besig om te veg vir lewe, alles anders is nie belangrik nie.

Ek het gedink oor 'n skrif in Joh 10:10 waar Jesus sê hy het gekom vir lewe, en dit in oorvloed.  Hierdie lewe waarvan Hy praat was iets van voorspoed of ek wat hardloop op 'n grasperk met wit klere aan en 'n groot glimlag en se "dis nou lewe." Dis asof daardie woord nie heeltemal vir my 'n prentjie kon gee van Jesus se hart nie, ek verstaan ons almal wil lewe maar hoe voel Hy daaroor?  Hoe belangrik is lewe vir Hom?

Dit is waar ek hierdie prentjie van die hospitaal beleef het...  As 'n dokter alles in sy vermoë sal doen om lewe te red,iemand klap, skree, wegjaag, sag praat, ens. 

"Wat sal Jesus doen wanneer Hy na my kyk?"

Ek wonder soms hoe lyk ek voor hom, deur die oë van lewe?  Dat Hy met die selfde intenisteit met my werk as daardie dokter wat lewe wil red, die kleinste kans wat daar is gebruik om lewe voort te bring.

Ek glo dat Hy die waarheid is en dat hy Sy beste gegee het sodat ek kan lewe. Dit is vir my 'n beter prentjie  as iemand wat iets vir my hoop maar nooit iets self daaraan doen nie, of wil he ek moet dit self reg kry.

Die Here weet presies wat om te doen om lewe te red, Hy weet ook hoe om jou te stabiliseer sodat jy kan herstel en te lewe.  Jesus is VIR LEWE, Hy kan nie dink aan 'n ander plan om nie lewe voort te bring nie.  Selfs om te sterf het dit lewe vir ons gebring.

Mag ek glo dat daar nie twyfel in Jesus se hart is oor wat Hy doen nie, al twyfel ek in my eie, gee dit my nie die reg om te dink hy is soos ek nie.  

"laat dit met my wees, soos U wil want U is vir lewe"

Making desciples

I love the Word of God!  Not only do I think that every word is inspired by the Spirit of God, I believe that this Word is the essence of God's life.  This Word is what He sent to the earth to save it, this Word  is the thoughts and intentions of God made known to us.

This is Jesus whom was generated by God in His thoughts and spoken into existence.  Jesus walked according to this Word making sure that nothing was left hidden about Gods intention towards men.  Jesus had to manifest Gods intention, making sure that His heart was shown, not spoken but displayed.  

I want to invite you on a journey of discovery, a journey of listening, of hearing what God revealed about His intentions toward us.

Let's start with Ephesians.

This is a letter, not statements or wise sayings, the intention for a letter is that it should be red in one go.  We are not going to do that but it means that you should keep track of what was said to understand the progression of the letter. 

Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for the spiritual blessings that Christ has brought us from heaven! (Christ brought something, he didn't come empty handed, there's a gift)

Before the world was created, God had Christ choose us to live with him and to be his holy and innocent and loving people. (Gods intention for man: chosen, holy, innocent and loving, His heart never changed towards us, Never punishment, distance,disease or hatred) 

God was kind and decided that Christ would choose us to be God's own adopted children. God treated us with undeserved grace because of the Son he dearly loves, and so we should praise God. (Praise God for what? Undeserved kindness, His decision not our reward or works, thats how He will always treat us) 

Christ sacrificed his life's blood to set us free, which means our sins are now forgiven. Christ did this because of God's gift of undeserved grace to us.(the price was blood,the gift is grace)

God has great wisdom and understanding,(God knows exactly what He is doing, He understand the effect of His actions, He is responsible. We serve a God with intelligence, He did all of this without us interfering or our council.)

   and by what Christ has done, God has shown us his own mysterious ways( it is not cause and effect, His ways are guided by His character and kindness, His understanding of love not punishment). 

Then when the time is right, God will do all he has planned(His plan is that everything He thought about and said will be found in that word,his plans is revealed in His Son), and Christ will bring together everything in heaven and on earth(That His will be done, His Spirit in all.  Our inheritance is sonship). (Ephesians 1:3-10 CEVDCUS06)

God always does what he plans, and this is why he appointed Christ to choose us. He did this so we Jews would bring honor to him and be the first ones to have hope because of him. Christ also brought you the truth, which is the good news about how you can be saved. You put your faith in Christ and were given the promised Holy Spirit to show you belong to God. The Spirit also makes us sure we will be given what God has stored up for his people. Then we will be set free, and God will be honored and praised. (Ephesians 1:11-14 CEVDCUS06)

So if we except that what God gave us in Christ, His power that raised Christ from death, the Holy Spirit, which is the foretaste of what is stored up for us, His People, then we will bring honor to God.  Living trough faith, in a life God planned by taking Him on His Word.  Just believe Him.

I have heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people. So I never stop being grateful for you, as I mention you in my prayers. I ask the glorious Father and God of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will make you wise and let you understand what it means to know God. My prayer is that light will flood your hearts and you will understand the hope given to you when God chose you. Then you will discover the glorious blessings that will be yours together with all God's people. I want you to know about the great and mighty power that God has for us followers. It is the same wonderful power he used when he raised Christ from death and let him sit at his right side in heaven. There Christ rules over all forces, authorities, powers, and rulers. He rules over all beings in this world and will rule in the future world as well. God has put all things under the power of Christ, and for the good of the church he has made him the head of everything. The church is the body of Christ and is filled with Christ who completely fills everything. (Ephesians 1:11-23 CEVDCUS06)

You

condensed in skin and bone

a gift that was sent.

so many opinions, so many thoughts

so many experiences.

What did you hear when you asked

who do you say i am?

Peter said: You are the Christ.

why did that make you so happy, 

why do you bless him for knowing

who you are?

You are the only one who understand this 

gift for us.

You are the only one who saw Gods face 

when he sent you to us

you are the only one who knows the plans that 

God made for us.

you are the only one who saw everything when it

was made, the original intention of God, what he was thinking

what he planned.

Yet you say we are blessed if we know Jesus the gift, the one.

who are you?

what a big question...

God in the centre

God in between

God of love

Love from God

Words that form a language

Words that influence nations by just talking

How great a mistery these words are, they are hidden

in everyday talk.  Eternal words hidden within our own mouths.

No one except a God whom created everything through Himself could create a space

to hide among words.

Het jy geloof in wat jy sê?

Trots kan veroorsaak dat jy jou woord hou teenoor ander, maar hou jy jou woord teenoor jouself.

Jou kosbaarste besitting is jou woord.

Maak jouself so kosbaar dat n besigheid enige prys vir jou sal betaal.

Maak jou merk hoog, jou standaard.

Gaan vir daardie merk.

Moet geen dag laat verby gaan waarin jy nie jouself verbeter nie.

Neem voorraad opname, keer op keer en kyk waaroor jy beskik.

Kyk of jy meer werd is as n jaar gelede.

Onthou dat dit waarna jy smag jy honger voor is , jy het die vermoë om dit te doen, as jy wil.

Almal het vermoë

Miskien glo jy dit nie, miskien dink jy dat net party mense het werklik vermoë en dat die res van ons aan die massas behoort.

Wel dit is onmoontlik om enige persoon uit te kies en te vind dat hy/sy nie een of ander vermoë het wat hom besonders kan maak nie.

Hierdie is vir die ambisieuse persoon, nie vir diegene wie te lui is om dit wat binne in hom is te ontwikkel nie.  Dit is vir die persoon wat nie tevrede is met niks minder as die beste nie.

Daar is min mense wat ontwikkel het tot die heel beste vlak van hulle vermoë.