Monday, January 27, 2014

Without love there is neither grace nor faith

John 3:  1 - 21
This famous passage links four related subjects into one theme: There is no grace or faith without God’s love for the world

(1)  If we are not born into the Kingdom of God by the grace of God, we cannot have faith. (1 – 13)

(2)  The faith that brings salvation comes from beholding the lifting up of the Son of Man. The term, "lifted up," refers to the cross, but it also refers to the resurrection and to the ascension.  Jesus will be lifted up on the cross, the great sacrifice of atonement. He will be raised up on the third day, conquering death.  His cross, his resurrection and his ascension are different facets of his glorification. (verse 14 – 15)

(3)  God loves the world, which prompted God's gift of the Son so that those who believe in him should have eternal life.  God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.  (verse 16)

(4) There is a judgement day for those who love the darkness more than the Light, and who for this reason do not in faith look to the uplifted Son for eternal life. (verse 17 – 21)

These four subjects are so closely related as to become one theme:
There is no faith without grace. Grace has no meaning in isolation from the judgment.  If we have no sin, we need no forgiveness.  If there is no judgment, we need no grace.  
Therefore there is no grace or faith without God’s love for the world.   



Monday, January 20, 2014

The Father’s House of prayer

In John 2:13-25 we read about the “cleansing of the temple” and we find an unusual picture of Jesus with a whip in his hand and with zealous words and actions against those who changed the temple, his Father’s House of prayer, into a market place.

The passage tells us that the key question about this strange incident is what grants Jesus the authority to disrupt both the worship and economic activities in the temple in such a harsh way?
The answer is clear.  It is his Father’s house. He was more than a pilgrim visiting the temple. He is the Son of the God who dwells in that temple and as such he has the authority to take control of all the temple’s activities.

Jesus appears in Jerusalem making a bold statement for his authority to represent and reveal the God of the temple, whom he knows intimately as his Father.  As the Son of God, Jesus will not tolerate the abuse of people’s need to worship and serve God for personal agendas and gain. Jesus will neither accept nor bless participation in God’s work which is the result of wicked self satisfying motives. 

The challenge for churches today is to follow the example of Jesus when they structure their own activities only in ways that sincerely and reverently serve to reveal God to the world and provide for a “God-hungry-and-thirsty-world” the opportunity to worship the Lord and have their spiritual needs met. There should be zero-tolerance for any other agenda than to provide to God’s people a house of prayer and a revelation of the love, grace and glory of God.


When non-believers look at how Christians participate as members of God’s household, what picture do they get of the God worshiped in that particular “house of God?”

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Only through faith

Only through faith
in the Lord we receive his salvation.
Only our faith creates true and sincere celebration.
We shall believe,
and all his mercies receive:
Trusting the God of creation!

Only our faith
in the Saviour assures of God’s favour.
It is through faith in the Son that we joyfully labour.
Through faith do right,
witness with power, with might,
love God with zeal, love your neighbour!

It is God’s Spirit
who grants us our faith through his teaching,
when by his grace and love into our deepest thoughts reaching.
Learning Gods Word,
only through faith we’re assured,
while we Christ’s gospel are preaching!

- Andries.
Copyright reserved

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

God is with us!

God is with us, because in the person of Jesus Christ, his eternal Son, he became one of us, never to leave or forsake us again.

God became a human being, namely our Lord Jesus Christ.  As he is with us and one of us, we have no reason for fear. "If God is for us (and with us), who can be against us?" asks Paul (Rom 8:31)?

Just before Israel fought the inhabitants of Canaan to take possession of the promised land, the Lord gave his people a comforting word of assurance: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of your enemies ..." Why not? "For the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you" (Deut 31:6). 

Because of God's presence in our lives, because God became a man when our Saviour Jesus  came to us as prophets promised God’s people over centuries, we  can be strong and courageous. We know that no evil is so great that the presence of God in our lives is not able to overcome it. Nothing can separate us from his love.

Luther said that the Lord is closer to him than the clothes that he wore.  He is closer to us than our best friend, spouse or children. Through his Spirit he fills our lives and intervenes on our behalf. He is Emmanuel, God with us.

Do not be afraid!
You are blessed if you walk with the Lord, in the light of his Word!
What a glory he sheds on our way, if we only could trust and obey!!

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Only by grace...

Washed with the blood of Christ,
cleansed with his Spirit’s flame,
only by grace was called to live,
and only by grace, I came!

Only by grace I live,
only by grace restored.
Only by grace my faith is real:
I’m only by grace adored!

Only by grace I love,
only by grace believe,
and by the Spirit’s gracious work,
a trusting heart receive!

Jesus has made me whole,
onto God’s heart engraved.
Father who chose me – praise the Lord -   
yes, only by grace I’m saved!   

- Andries.
(Copyright reserved.)

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Universal Prayer Priorities for 2014.

You are invited to pray with us these prayers throughout this year of our Lord, Jesus Christ, 2014!   The idea is to embrace these prayer priorities and through a six week cycle focus on all of them, repeating the 6 week cycle for the rest of 2014. 

The A section about the Church and God’s work has been developed for a 6 week cycle that runs simultaneously with a 6 week cycle for the needs of the world and humanity in Section B.


A Section.  Prayers for the work of the Church and for God’s work through us:

Gracious Father of all creation and our Father in Jesus Christ, through the work of the Holy Spirit,
we pray, o Lord of hosts, during this year of our Lord Jesus Christ:

(Week 1)
Enable Christians of all denominations and traditions to respect and honour each other and to work and pray in unity that the world may believe that our Lord Jesus Christ indeed is the Saviour of the world and the Prince of Peace and that his Kingdom is coming into our world!

Enthuse  all believers to carry forward the torch that saints have carried from generation to generation, since the beginning of the Church,  without compromise or fear, that the Light of the world, Jesus Christ our Lord,  will guide all nations to follow God’s reformation plan for their countries and for humanity. 

(Week 2)
Show through the witness of all believers to Africa, and to our beloved country, the only truth that reconciles, brings forgiveness and discovers growth and progress which is the biblical Christian Faith. 

Send the Holy Spirit to enable every Christian to proclaim the Gospel in the rural areas and amongst the poorest communities and to liberate through Jesus our Lord, the Truth, the Way and the Life, everyone from fear, superstition and false religion who is lost as the result of human wisdom, worldly leadership and manmade initiatives. May we all, because we are in need of salvation, put our trust in the only Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer.

(Week 3)
Unite all ordained servants of the Word and sacraments, all pastors and priests, all leaders in the church, all ordained and lay leaders, to, in harmony, selflessly seek to evangelise all who have not been reached with the Gospel – in every part of the world. 

Unite preachers of and listeners to God’s word, both the leaders and the members of all faith communities, to work together without envy, personal agenda’s or personal politics to accomplish their best endeavours for the work of God, sparing nothing and giving everything for the redemption of all people and the growth of God’s work in local churches and in the worldwide assembly of the faithful. 

(Week 4)
Send missionaries during this year to every province and country on earth to, with gladness and enthusiasm, announce that the Kingdom of God has come and that salvation, truth and love reign through King Jesus, our Lord. 

Inspire all Christians by the faithful proclamation of the Word of God, to dutifully serve the poor, the suffering and the lost.

(Week 5)
Call young people to a life of ministry and grant them the spiritual formation to pursue their calling, providing godly mentors and Spirit filled teachers. 

Call young people to accept the Lord’s invitation to surrender to Christ and to, with obedience, proclaim the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ for the rest of their lives.

(Week 6)
Inspire, through the power of the resurrected Lord, hope in the lives of all who experience pain, sickness, affliction and anxiety and may they see in the lives of your people the love of Jesus Christ that shows us the love of God, our Father.  

Grant God’s people Christian parents that keep their vows to pass on to their children the gift of faith in God the most holy, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, that the next generation will also benefit from the apostles’ teachings and become authentic members of the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, found in all truly Christian traditions and denominations. 



B Section. Prayers for the needs of the world and for humanity:

Almighty God, protector and provider of Your creation -
we pray, o Lord of hosts, to during this year of our Lord Jesus Christ-

(Week 1)
Grant us enough rain, good weather and a growing economy providing for the needs and advancement of all peoples.
Bless all endeavours for the protection of Your creation and our environment and natural resources.

(Week 2)
Grant peace to peoples worn out by civil war, violence, unrest and military threats to their countries.
Provide for generosity to refugees, all foreigners, all who had to abandon their homes and motherlands and Lord, protect their safety and dignity.

(Week 3)
Heal all who suffer from depression and are lonely, sad and afraid and grant that Your children will help them to see and experience the mercy and the love of God and his Church.
Call and help health workers who will bless community health programs, clinics and hospitals to provide for excellent care of all who are ill, treating those who are sick with respect and love.

(Week 4)
Provide jobs for the unemployed, make mentors and enablers available to them and restore their serenity, confidence and self-esteem.
Love all who live with disabilities and help them in all they need to enjoy dignified lives.
Sustain and protect the elderly.

(Week 5)
Grant respect for the rights and significance of women in all communities and strengthen, heal and protect all our mothers and sisters who are vulnerable and suffering.
Protect all children and heal those children who have been hurt, abused and neglected.
Help and enable all who work for the proper education of all children, repair dysfunctional schools and call teachers and mentors who selflessly, creatively and with passion develop the God-given talents of every learner.

(Week 6)
Restore all men to be strong, honest and kind men of God and help them to, with love, provide for and to protect their families and Your family, according to Your example, o gracious Father.
Defeat criminality, corruption, violence and those who cause it and are guilty of it. May wickedness come to a fall during this year.  Redeem and deliver those who repent and seek Your gracious forgiveness and bring to justice all who with hardened, unrepentant hearts embrace darkness and evil.

Our Father who is in heaven,
Glorify your Name and
may your Kingdom come and your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us each day our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us.
And protect us from temptation.

Father, have mercy on us!
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord!
Amen. 


After researching the prayer priorities of a couple of global denominations and prayer movements and as a result being inspired by them, these prayer priorities were compiled by Andries Combrink to be used as part and parcel of the prayer strategy of the Centurion West Presbyterian Church in Tshwane, South Africa.  He invites all Christian faith communities to utilise, adapt to your own circumstances and promote these prayer priorities in any way you are led by the Holy Spirit.
-      Andries.