Quiet Times (5) - Remember the power of prayer

Ephesians 6:18: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying, for all the saints.”

A time of personal devotion without prayer, is unthinkable, because

1. Prayer is God’s appointed way to receive from God what we need. The main reason why we lack God’s complete provision, is the neglect of prayer.

2. The holy men and women in the Bible regarded prayer as the most important activity of their lives. Give a prominent place to prayer during your Quiet Times.

3. Prayer occupied a very prominent place and played a very important role in the earthly life of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Follow his example.

4. Praying is now the most important part of the ministry of our risen Lord in heaven. Ask Jesus to pray for you.

5. Prayer is the means that God has appointed for us to receive mercy, and obtaining grace to help us in time of need. Remember to ask for mercy – “In your mercy, Lord, hear my prayer.”

6. Prayer in the Name of Jesus Christ is the way he has appointed for his disciples to obtain fullness of joy.

7. Prayer is the means that God has appointed that we may receive freedom from anxiety and the peace of God, which passes all understanding. Just tell him what scares you, makes you anxious and is the challenge you face.

8. Prayer is the means that Christ has appointed whereby we will not be overcome by the cares of this life. Tell God about your worries and concerns.

9. Prayer promotes our spiritual growth. It is fellowship with God. Also share with God what makes you happy and excited – thanking him for it.

10. Prayer brings power into our work for him. Ask for the guidance and the power of the Holy Spirit.

11. Prayer benefits the needs of others. Name the needs of those who's troubles and challenges are on your heart.

12. Prayer brings blessings to the church. Pray for the congregation you attend, the current agenda points you are aware of, the minister, the elders, all the leaders, members who asked for prayer - by name, for the children and youth ministries and for the outreach where the church is involved.

Pray in the Name of Jesus:
Jesus said: “And I will do whatever you ask in my Name so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my Name and I will do it.”

But what do we mean when we say we pray in the Name of Jesus?

It is like going to the bank of heaven when I go to God in prayer. I have nothing deposited there; I have absolutely no credit there, and if I go in my own name, I will get absolutely nothing; but Jesus Christ has unlimited credit in heaven, and he has granted me the privilege of going to the bank in heaven with his Name on my cheques; and when I go, believing I may draw on his credit, not relying on my own goodness, my prayers will be honoured.

Remember Hebrew 10:19 “ Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus….”

God is pleased with his Son, Jesus Christ. He always listens to him, and therefore listens to us, if we approach him in Name of his Son. Our prayers become the prayers of Jesus before the Father, when we pray in his Name.

Tips on praying:

· Speak to God respectfully, yet boldly, because you come to him not because you are just, but because Jesus is most holy and the Father loves his Son. Say to the Father: Father I come to you, because I am one with Jesus – please listen to me for his sake.

· Be sincere. Do not try to pray in the words of your spiritual hero’s – just tell God what is on YOUR mind, in the words YOU usually use to speak to your friends.

· Prepare your prayer: Make use of the prayer schedule provided by your church and other Christians. Speak to God about your needs, not forgetting the needs being brought to your attention by the church.

· Pray with the attitude of obedience. Ask from God what you understand to promote his honour, his will and the coming of his kingdom. Pray from your Bible reading journal, reminding God of the promises you came across in Scripture, asking protection as a result of the warnings you noted and answering God about the message you received through considering his Word.

Therefore Tip#5 for our Quiet Times is: Make use of the power of prayer in the Name of Jesus.

Jesus said: John 15:7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you’.
(Next week we have more tips on prayer in the Name of Jesus.)

Have you implemented Tips# 1 – 4 for your Quiet Times yet?

Tip#1: Always ask God to help you when you have your Quiet Time!
Tip#2: Always reflect.
Tip#3: Engage your brain with your heart!
Tip#4: Read the Bible well: systematic and with insight.

Then now also practice Tip#5: Make use of the power of prayer in the Name of Jesus!

Do not quit doing good!

(Gal 6:9) Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Whenever we are tempted to do less than our best in God’s work, or we are perhaps tempted to quit worshipping and serving God completely, we ought to remember this verse and the truths that it contains.
Whenever we find ourselves getting tired of or losing enthusiasm for the Lord's work, we need to remember these words.

Don’t quit! Pray not to become weary!
Be blessed with tenacity in working for God!

In preparing yesterday’s sermon, I came across this, from an anonymous writer:

People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centred.
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with the smallest pride.
Think big anyway.
What you spent years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.
Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you've got anyway!

Quiet Times (4): Read the Bible well!

Romans 15:4: For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

We are reminded of the wealth of education that the Scriptures contain. Being well versed in what God decided should be revealed to us in his Book, enables us to endure in the race for God’s work. Like an athlete prepares for his challenge, Scripture prepares for the testing of our faith and it remains the only encouragement that ensures that we remain in the hope of God, even under the most severe pressure.

Reading the Bible well will be of great benefit to us.

Therefore Tip#4 for our Quiet Times is: Read the Bible well: systematic and with insight.

While it remains true that our Quiet Times are not for Bible Study, it remains central to our conversation with God, our fellowship with him and our Spiritual growth through meaningful communication with our God to read the Bible well.

It means that we do not just dip into Scripture at random.
Follow a plan. Read through a Gospel, even if it is only about a third of a chapter at a time. One could also read according to many Bible reading rosters that are available; some follow a theme and others are designed to help us to understand the complete message revealed in the whole Bible. This prevents us from reading only from our “favourite” Bible Books or the passages we consider to be “easy”, as this method results in us missing a part of God’s message that will have a great impact on our lives, intervening and guiding us on our way. The point is: be systematic.

It has three benefits:

1. It creates continuity between yesterday, today and tomorrow.
2. It helps you get a fuller picture. When we read at "random" we tend to go to what we know all the time and never expand our horizons.
3. It broadens our general knowledge of God’s Word.

Here follows one method – a simple yet valuable and helpful one:

Read through a gospel (Matt, Mark, Luke or John) at the rate of at least one third of a chapter at a time. Then over two or more weeks read 10 psalms, depending on how long the Psalms are. Then turn to some of Paul's letters, or to Acts, and then go back to one of the gospels.

Once you have covered all of these, start with other books, (remember the Old Testament forms the largest part of our Bible) - but regularly come back to the Gospels, learning from the ministry of Jesus as your central source.

Reading according to a systematic plan is beneficial and builds a good foundation.

Making notes helps to remember what we read, and it deepens the process of reflection and enables considering what God is saying to me.

In your journal, have specific topics under which you note the messages over a period of time. Your Quiet Time journal may have the following “chapters” where you make the various notes:

Statements worth noting.
Warnings.
Promises and prophecies.
Messages that have a profound impact on me and my decisions.
Commands, decrees and instructions.

You end up with a personalised journal that you can go back to, to often find a message, a solution or a promise you really need at the time. This is how we ensure that we are educated and encouraged through the Bible reading during our Quiet Time.

We now covered the following tips on Quiet Times:

Tip#1: Always ask God to help you when you have your Quiet Time!
The Holy Spirit will help us to hear God’s message!

Tip#2: Always reflect.
Talk to your soul! Quiet down and ensure that God’s message reaches the control centre of your being.

Tip#3: Engage your brain with your heart!
Make your personal devotions a time of fellowship based on good understanding of what God says.

Tip#4: Read the Bible well: systematic and with insight.
Be educated and encouraged for your challenges and calling.


(Thanks to Theo Groeneveld whose devotions on this topic gave very specific direction to the thoughts in this series on Quiet Times).

Pentecost 2009

Yesterday was Pentecost Sunday. We desired and prayed for a passionate, powerful Pentecost and the Lord heard our prayers! We, his Chruch, were blessed through our Lord’s presence in praise, worship, prayer, preaching and touched and changed lives. Bring thanks and glory to his Name.

Before Jesus left his disciples and returned to heaven, he promised that he would send them a helper, the Holy Spirit. The word helper means, "one called alongside." He stands beside us to help us. Because of the Spirit, we who are believers in Christ, fight no battles and face no issues alone. The pouring out of the Holy Spirit should and does make a difference in our lives everyday.

A Spirit-filled people proclaim the Good News of the Gospel to a world lost in sin. God makes his gracious, saving voice heard through them.

And a Spirit filled people have the power of God in order to be faithful to their calling:
(Acts 1:8) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes ...

This power helps us to lead a victorious Christian life and pursue a life of Christian character. Through the power of the Spirit we are blessed with spiritual fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

May the Lord bless us all with Pentecostal grace!

Quiet Times (3) - Engage your brain with your heart!

We have shared two tips on quiet times already:
Tip#1 was: Always ask God to help you when you have your Quiet Time!
The Holy Spirit will help us to hear God’s message!

Tip#2 was: Always reflect.
Talk to your soul! Quiet down and ensure that God’s message reaches the control centre of your being.

And now Tip#3: Engage your brain with your heart !

Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the LORD. Psalms 107:43

The fact that our Quiet Times are about fellowship with God, sharing our innermost questions, desires and needs with him and listening to his comforting, loving and directing voice, does not mean that we should leave our brains, our thought-processes, our learning abilities and our insight outside! As much as we fully commit our hearts, emotions and passions, we should also commit our ability to concentrate and understand to this process through which we enhance our intimate relationship with the Lord!

The ancient Church leaders called on us to contemplate God. If "contemplate" is not part of your regular vocabulary, use consider!
Consider is a word that the Scriptures uses!

Psalm 107 is a psalm that recounts the history of God's dealings with Israel. The call to consider God's love comes at the end of the psalm.
In Psalm 8 the psalmist considers the wonders of the heavens and everything God has made, thinking about God’s greatness and the strange truth that mankind is more important to God than any of the natural wonders.
In Psalm 119 we are called many times to consider God's Laws.
In Isaiah 41:20 we are called to consider God's greatness compared to the futility of idols.
Jeremiah calls people to consider their ways in the light of God's awesomeness (2:19).
Jesus reminds us to consider the beauty of the lilies and thus learn about God's provision.
In Romans 11:22 we are urged to consider the kindness and austerity of God.
In Hebrews 12:3 we are urged to consider the example of Christ in the face of hardship.

We are to think about God! We are to think about his remarkable works of creation and his sustenance of everything, including ourselves! Most of all we need to think about what the coming of God to us in Jesus Christ means: God’s anger about our sins that Jesus carried, God’s grace by which we are forgiven in Christ, God’s power by which we are enabled to win through the resurrection power of our Lord, who owns all authority in heaven and on earth. We are to think about the meaning of being filled with the Holy Spirit and that the Spirit enables us to follow the example of God’s Son.

We are to think about God with our brains awake and sharpened. We are to consider his revelations in nature, in Scripture and most of all in Jesus Christ, and conclude that God is good and that we are saved and safe!

Remember now Tip#3 on Quiet Times: Engage your brain with your heart!
Soul seeking worship, engaged with our intellectual considerations, results in complete surrender of heart and mind to Christ. And Worship plus Consideration equals Contemplation!

(Thanks to Theo Groeneveld whose devotions on this topic gave very specific direction to the thoughts in this series on Quiet Times).

Good company brings true happiness!!

(Ps 1:1) Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.

The message of this verse is that the company we choose to keep, can affect our happiness. The people we choose to hang around with, befriend, work with, or even marry can impact our happiness.

Be warned by God’s Word about the kind of company that you keep. Those that you choose to hang around with, even casually, can so easily start you down the wrong path. You see, it is a fact of life that the environment we find ourselves in always has an effect on our life. So, take a hard look at your friends.

Let's say your faith life and prayer life and church attendance are not what they should be. If you hang around with people who do not pray and do not go to church, people who make fun of God, or simply never think about Him, your faith life and prayer life and church attendance cannot improve; in fact, they can only get worse. Bad company will result in us disappointing God even more and we will be less joyful and meaningful.

Quoting a well-known proverb, the Apostle Paul tells us that "Bad company corrupts good character" (1 Cor 15:33). Bad friends result in anything other than blessing and happiness.

Blessed, yes happy, many, many times over, are the those who walk in the counsel of the holy, who stand in the way of the righteous, who sit in the seat of worshippers.

Let me also quote from Psalm 119: 63: I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts.

Today is Ascension Day!

Today is Ascension Day! May you be blessed and comforted by the faith knowledge that our Head and our King was enthroned in heaven and was given all authority in heaven and earth!

Here follow a few questions and answers, helping us to understand the significance of his glorious rule in heaven.

1. What does “He ascended into heaven” means?
That Christ, in the sight of his disciples, according to his human nature was taken up from the earth into heaven, and continues to be there in a position of divine authority and power until he shall come again to judge the living and the dead.

2. Is Christ then not with as he has promised?
Christ is true man and true God. According to his human nature he is now not on earth but in heaven, but as our God, Saviour and King he is never absent form us!

3. What benefits do we have because Jesus Christ ascended into heaven?
Firstly: He is our Advocate in the presence of his Father in heaven, always praying for us.
Secondly: because he is in heaven as a human being, we know that he as our Head will also take us there.
Thirdly: He sends his Spirit to us by whose power we seek those things which are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God, and not the things on the earth. The glorious Christ, enthroned in heaven, pours heavenly gifts on us, defending us against all our enemies and protecting us from evil.

Praise the Lord, for He is glorious!
Never shall His promise fail.
Christ has made His saints victorious,
sin and death shall not prevail.
Praise the God of our salvation!
Hosts on high, His power proclaim;
Heaven and earth and all creation,
laud and magnify His Name.

Worship, honour, glory, blessing,
Lord, we offer to Your Name.
Young and old, Your praise expressing,
join their Saviour to proclaim.
As the saints in heaven adore You,
we would bow before Your throne,
As Your angels serve before You,
so on earth Your will be done.

Quiet Times (2) - Reflect!

Before I went on leave, I started a new series on practical tips for Quiet Times or personal devotions. While most of us know that we should have them, we often simply don't know how. We also know that we need them and that we need the impact it will have on our lives – yet we struggle to keep up the habit. We do not also see the fruit of personal devotions, because we rush through them and do not have any expectations around them.

Tip#1 was: Always ask God to help you as you have your Quiet Time!

And now Tip#2,today: After we've quieted our soul, praised God, and read His Word, we should always reflect.

Psalms 42:5: Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.

The psalmist, suffering from a “soul that is downcast” in other words “depressed”, has a “talk with his depressed, sad soul”.

My contemplation of what God has to say to me today, always should include a “talk with my soul”, reflection time, – even if I do not feel sad. Whatever the day or the week requires of me, God needs to speak to my soul through his Word in one way or another and I need to make sure that I don't restrain the message by storing it only in my mind, in other words, only dealing with it on an intellectual level. It needs to reach my innermost self – the control centre of my emotions, values, dreams, plans. I ( my thought processes) have to facilitate God speaking to my soul!

The danger is that it can become ego-centric: all about me and what I want and need.
This is why the Psalmist’s talking to "his soul" is helpful. It's a discussion that takes place about my-life-in-the-third-person, in the context of God's Greatness, his Word, his will, his plan and his feelings about me. I should talk to my soul in such a way that I ensure that the Lord is really talking to my soul, and therefore is truly talking to ME!!

Tip#1: Always ask God to help you as you have your Quiet Time!
Tip#2 : After we've quieted our souls, praised God, and read His Word, we should always reflect.

Set your mind on heavenly goals!

Col 3:1-2) ... set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. (2) Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Notice, the Bible tells us we have a choice: setting our hearts on things above or on earthly things. There's always an alternative. Every time you have the opportunity to rid yourself of sin, to receive God's forgiveness and to find strength and renewal in Christ, there is also an opportunity to remain in your sin and misery.

It’s a matter of focus, of priority and most of all, a matter of love – do I love God with all my heart and mind.

We can set our minds on earthly things or on heavenly things. We can pursue treasure on earth or treasure in heaven. We can first seek the things of this world - or the kingdom of God and its righteousness.

We have to make a choice between living for God and living to satisfy our sinful nature.
If I am saved, I now live for Jesus. Then we set our hearts and minds “on things above, not on earthly things."

Listen to God's Word in you personal quiet time...

Psalm 119:18: Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.
From Luke 24:32-45: 32 They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

If you look at the passages above they have two things in common: The verb "open" and the fact that "God does it".

We need the help of the Holy Spirit when we come to personal devotions, or as many people call it: “Quiet Times”:

- The Spirit can open our eyes, because we're often too preoccupied to notice Truth.
- The Spirit can open our hearts, because they can be hard.
- The Spirit can open the Scriptures to us, because they are God-breathed and not just human literature.

So.... Tip#1: Always ask God to help you as you have your Quiet Time!

After much thought and many questions around this topic, I decided to share some practical hints around having a daily devotional time. Many people call them Quiet Times. While most of us know that you should have them, they simply don't know how.

WHAT IS QUIET TIME: A simple daily time where we draw near to God.

PURPOSE: To worship God and recalibrate our lives.

ACTIONS: Slow down, Quiet down, Reflect on Truth, Worship and Pray.

KEY VALUES: Simple, Regular, Sustainable and Honest

A typical Quiet Time lasts 10 – 20 minutes and involves:

1. Slow down, stop the racing mind, become aware of God's presence.
2. Pray for God's help to hear Him and His message.
3. Read Scripture (not a book about Scripture – no other book is God inspired, only the Bible. Books about the Bible should be used for Bible study and not for devotions. Just read the Bible, God’s own Word to you, listen what God says - and reflect on it)
4. Reflect on where you are right now, hear what God is saying to your soul. Allow God to open your heart and your eyes.
5. Worship and Pray.

Expect God to speak to you. His Word is God-breathed and his Holy Spirit prefers to speak life into our lives through God’s book! Therefore, remember Tip#1 – Always ask God to help you as you have your Quiet Time!


(Thanks to the Rev Theo Groeneveld whose devotions on this topic gave direction to the thoughts in this series on Quiet Times)

New life by the Spirit, through the Word!

It is God’s plan to bring new life into our lives by the Holy Spirit and through the Word of God. Something mysterious and beautiful happens when we place ourselves under the Word: the Spirit produces faith and makes us born again.

God's people must put themselves under the Word. They must come to God’s place of worship. They must involve themselves in Bible Study. They must set aside a regular time for personal devotions. Our God is almighty. He can do anything. By the Holy Spirit and through the Word he brings life to a sinner whose spirit is dead and dry. He is able to bring his life to the most fallen of saints!

2 Tim. 3: 16& 17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man (and woman) of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Dear Lord, bring me into the glorious life of the risen Christ by your God-breathed Word! Amen.

EASTER SUNDAY: the Lord has risen indeed!

A few women, dear friends of Jesus, were numb with grief and filled with bitter disappointment after his death. They went to the tomb on Sunday morning and found the stone rolled away. They entered the tomb and looked around for the body of Jesus and could not find it.
Scripture tells us "they were wondering about this." They were confused and perplexed and had no idea of what happened - of what was going on.

Two angels appeared to them and told them that Christ has risen. The angels reminded the women of Christ's predictions about the cross and the grave, the crucifixion and the resurrection. "Remember?" they asked. Then they remembered his words and understood what Jesus had said to them: that He must die and must be raised. Then they believed that Jesus truly is alive. (Luke 24:8)

On Easter Sunday the veil is lifted. Finally people can see and believe the message of Christ, the message that: (Lk 24:7) the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.

"Remember how he told you," said the angels. Then the women remembered and understood the full message of salvation. Only then did they believe and their sorrow was changed into joy.

The message of Easter always turns sorrow into joy, death into life, defeat into victory. For the disciples of Christ, Easter was a wonderful, beautiful, exciting surprise.
Surprise, death! Surprise, sin! Surprise, mourning disciples! Surprise, modern man! Surprise! He's alive! Christ is risen. He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

(Rom 4:25) He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Jesus buried

Today is Maundy Thursday. Maundy literally means “washing feet” and refers to the night when Jesus and the disciples were together for the last time, when he and they stood in the shadow of the cross, when he washed their feet and instituted the Holy Supper.
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On this Thursday night before Good Friday, we traditionally celebrate the “Tenebrae Service”. Tenebrae is the Latin word for darkness. We meet tonight at 19:00 (7pm) at the Centurion West Presbyterian Church for this beautiful and meaningful service with lots of symbolism.

Tonight we will be asked to meditate on the meaning of the suffering of Christ for our lives through an experience that relates to the gloom he faced and endured. The gradual extinguishing of the lights during this service is symbolic of the advancing darkness that came over Jesus: with the flight of the disciples, the bitter hate of his enemies, the looming shadow of the cross. The moments of total darkness during the service recalls the time when he was in the tomb. The relighting of the central candle is a prophecy of Easter so soon to dawn.

On Good Friday we meet again, at 09:30, to remember his crucifixion and death for our sake when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
Looking forward to share this spiritual pilgrimage over the next four days with you!


Devotion for Maundy Thursday.
Jesus is Placed in the Tomb

Luke 23:50-54: Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph… This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid. It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning.

The burial of Jesus makes it absolutely clear that Jesus really died on the cross. It also explains the place from which Jesus was raised.

The Sabbath was beginning, Luke wrote. Jesus “rested” in the tomb, because all his work of suffering for us was done. It may seem that everything is lost, but he would rise again.
It was on the Friday that he died.
But Sunday is coming…

We died with Christ and our old sinful man is buried with him. A new man, the new day, is imminent.
The resurrection Sunday of our life in Jesus, is soon to dawn.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, we remember that you really died. You experienced the ultimate penalty for our sin, for my sin. Your real death opened up the door for me to experience real life. Faced with such a merciful mystery, I cry: "Amazing love! How can it be, that Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?" Amen!

Jesus died on the cross

Luke 23:44-47: It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this, he breathed his last. When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent.”

Because Jesus was innocent, not just of crimes that deserved crucifixion, but of all wrongdoing, he was able to make many righteous by dying for our sins. He became the spotless, atoning sacrifice for all – yes for me.

We should learn of Jesus how to die! The Saviour committed his spirit into the hands of his Father in death, because he, the spotless Lamb of God had been in the Father's hands all through his life!

At death you also can commit your spirit into the hands of God, but only if you have already committed your spirit to God during life. Have you done this? Have you committed your spirit, the control centre of your life, into the hands of God? For only then, at the last hour, are you also able to say, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."

Calvary’s mournful mountain climb;
there, adoring at his feet,
mark the miracle of time,
God’s own sacrifice complete;
it is finished, hear Him cry;
learn of Jesus Christ to die.

Ps. Join us tomorrow night (19:00) when we will during the beautiful Tenebrae service, full of symbolism and an emotional experience of Jesus’ suffering and death, learn of Jesus to love God sacrificially and to die in peace.
Also attend the Communion Service on Good Friday (09:30), because the Master said: Do this, until I come again, in remembrance of me.
Then our hearts will be prepared for the joy of Eastertide, the pure bliss of the believer who can sincerely say on Easter Sunday: Jesus has risen indeed!

Jesus on the Cross, His Mother, and His Disciple

John 19:26-27 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

This cannot merely be a word to a distressed Mary. A deeper meaning is suggested by the verse that follows: "Later, knowing that all was now completed ..." (vs 28a). These words and actions of Jesus completed the work that the Father has given him to do. Making Mary the mother of the Beloved Disciple and making the Beloved Disciple the son of Mary somehow and in some way completed the work that the Father had sent Jesus to do.

Notice what happens. Jesus is on the cross. Below Him are two of those who still believe in Him. Beneath the cross of Jesus a new family is created. The blood of Christ forms a new home. Through his redemptive work upon the cross Jesus forges a new family of the redeemed. We know it as the Church!

Now you and I should do two things. First, we must praise God for the blessed family of believers formed beneath the cross of Jesus! Second, we must do whatever it takes to make the church into more of what Jesus wants her to be: a family of true believers who loves, cares for, and supports each and every one of us.

Jesus Promises His Kingdom to the crucified Thief

Luke 23:43: One of the criminals who were hanged said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

The crosses were only a few feet apart. The Lord immediately heard the cry of the repentant man. Remember the promise of Christ, "whoever comes to me I will never drive away" (Jn 6:37).
We see here that this promise is the truth. The thief asked Jesus to remember him, but Jesus said, "you will be with me."

I urge you to turn to Jesus in repentance and in faith. We know the power of Christ the Saviour. Even then, even there dying in pain, he had the power to redeem from hell and open the gates of Paradise. Never doubt the ability of our Saviour to save you. If a dying Saviour could save so powerfully, how powerful is a Saviour who rose from death in triumph, never more to die!

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for your mercy. Thank you for hearing my cries and responding, remembering even me. Thank you for the promise I have of Paradise beyond this life. In your presence there will be fullness of joy. Amen.

HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SERVICES AT THE CENTURION WEST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH:
Maundy Thursday 9 April – Tenebrae Service at 19:00
Good Friday 10 April – Communion Service, English at 09:30

EASTER SUNDAY SERVICE - 12 April, 09:30!You are challenged to complete the pilgrimage from Thursday night to Sunday Morning by attending all the services and see what the Lord will do to help you grow spiritually, being more intimate in your walk with Him, from day to day!!
All who desire to worship Christ, following Him on the way of the cross, are more than welcome to join us!!!

(186 Aletta Ave, Raslouw, Centurion, South Africa)

Jesus Crucified!

Luke 23: 33 : When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.

Jesus was crucified at "the place that is called The Skull". The other Gospels mention that it was called Golgotha, the Greek transliteration of an Aramaic word that means "skull." We get the English word "Calvary" by way of the Latin “calvariae locum”, which also means place of the skull.

Jesus died for my sins. The death of Jesus really happened, in a real place at a real time. There the Lord of Glory suffered and died for the sins of the world - and for my own sins. I yearn to experience the truth of Jesus’ death more profoundly. The images of the Via Dolorosa invite me to follow Jesus to the cross, that I may experience deeper gratitude for the blessings I can so easily take for granted.

Prayer: Gracious Lord, how can I ever thank you for dying on the cross for me? Your death has given me life. Your sacrifice has led to my blessing. Yet I confess that I can sometimes take your death for granted, forgetting what you did for me and neglecting its significance. Forgive me, Lord. And even though I can't go to the actual place of your crucifixion, may the reality of your sacrifice presses itself upon my mind and flood my heart. All praise to you, merciful Lord, for your cross! Amen.

Jesus meets women on his way to Calvary

Luke 23:27- 28 A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.”

Jesus did not die as a helpless victim of Roman or Jewish injustice. He chose to die on the cross in faithfulness to the Father's will and to bear the sin of the world. If anyone is to blame for the death of Jesus, we are, because we have sinned. Thus in looking upon Jesus' death, we join the women of Jerusalem in weeping, not for Jesus, but for ourselves. In the death of Jesus we see what we deserve, and we rightly feel appalled.

Prayer: May my weeping over the suffering of Jesus be the result of my sorrow over my own sin that caused your pain. Turn it to joy when I recognize the majesty of your mercy. Amen

Simon of Cyrene helped to carry the cross

Luke 23:26: As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus.

Jesus beckons to us, calling us to take up our cross, offering abundant life in return. “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. (Luke 9:23-24).

Self denial and losing our lives for the sake of the cause of Christ may be the hardest call on our lives. But the truth is, it carries the most awesome promise: that I will see glorious realization with Christ in glory – and my life will be saved for all eternity.

Prayer
Dear Lord, I am also to take up the cross and follow you. I sometimes resist this call, even though I know that in dying to myself, I find true life in you. So help me, Lord, to carry my cross and to give my life away, so that I might receive the abundant life of your kingdom. Amen.

Jesus takes up the cross

For quite some time Jesus had predicted his suffering and death. The first time came right after Peter confessed him to be the Messiah. Jesus responded: "The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised" (Luke 9:22).

Even though the Roman soldiers led Jesus out to crucify him, they were only doing what he had said they would do.

So, though "they led him out to crucify him,"(Mark 15:20) Jesus was no passive victim. Jesus took up his cross and walked to Golgotha, because he had chosen the way of suffering. He believed this was the will of God, the way by which he would realize his messianic destiny. Jesus chose to suffer and die so that he might fulfil Isaiah's vision of the Suffering Servant of God, the one who was "despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity." As this Servant, Jesus "has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases."

Be blessed as you accept in faith that Jesus was “wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed". (Isaiah 53:3-5).

Prayer:
Dear Lord, you chose the cross. The Jewish leaders accused you, Pilate sentenced you and Roman soldiers led you to Golgotha. But they were simply working out what God had willed and you, Lord Jesus, had freely and painfully chosen.

How can I thank you for this costly choice? Because you took up the cross, I can take up life in all of its fullness. Because you were led to die, I can be led into the eternal life. Because you carried my sin, I can enjoy forgiveness. How good you are to me, dear Lord, my Saviour!
Amen.

Jesus crowned with thorns!

And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. They kept coming up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and striking him on the face - John 19:2 & 3

What cruel irony! Jesus finally received the words he deserved: "Hail, King of the Jews!"
What incomprehensible irony! Jesus, the true king of Israel, endured the pain and mockery of the crown of thorns as part of his humiliation for us and our salvation. What was the result of his torture?

Paul puts it this way in Philippians 2:5-11:
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death — even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Because Jesus humbled himself, because he endured humiliation, including the crown of thorns, God exalted him to the highest place. For Jesus, the path to glory as King of kings included the path of disgrace. Because he wore the crown of thorns, Jesus received from his Father the crown of universal worship and adoration.

Simply page through the Bible, or newspaper, and you will see that Christians are not being dragged out of their sad circumstances in order to receive salvation. It is in the mud and dirt of our humanity that Christ came. In the mess of a cattle shed Christ was born among labour pains and stresses of life. He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death. He was crowned with thorns to represent us before the throne of mercy, as we struggle to be humane, even Christ-like, in a chaotic, cruel world.

When we look at all that Christ has done for us on the Via Dolorosa and the many ways that he has gone against our earthly expectations, we begin to see that honouring, loving and worshipping the thorn-crowned King is appropriate. Christ is King in the manger, when he is mocked and scorned, on the cross, in the grave, and in our messy lives.

He is a King crowned with a thorny bush, to convince us of his strength amidst our own scorn, ridicule and pain.
When we begin to see strength in perceived weakness and calamity, we are able to see our true eternal King: saving, redeeming, delivering his people amidst every perceivable situation.

PrayerGracious, merciful Lord, how hard it is to read of the abuse you suffered even prior to your crucifixion. I can't even begin to imagine what you felt physically, emotionally and especially in your soul. What can I say in response but "Thank You" for walking the path of grief, suffering and shame for my sake. You took the abuse that I deserved, and gave me your glory in return.
Help me, dear Lord, to always honour you as my King in all that I do. May my words and deeds reflect your sovereignty, celebrate your glory and venerate your love.
Amen.

HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SERVICES AT THE CENTURION WEST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH:Sunday 5 April – Palm Sunday celebrations
Maundy Thursday 9 April – Tenebrae Service at 19:00
Good Friday 10 April – Communion Service, English at 09:30

(186 Aletta Ave, Raslouw, Centurion, South Africa)

Jesus sentenced

Pontius Pilate is a paradigm of the person who fails to take responsibility for his actions. Pilate issued the verdict that sent Jesus to the cross. Yet he did so in a way to appear innocent of the blood of Jesus. He did not take responsibility for what he had done.

Matthew 27:23-24 “What crime has he committed?" asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!" When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. "I am innocent of this man's blood," he said. "It is your responsibility!"

How often do we blame our sins on others? How often do we fail to take responsibility, preferring to hold others responsible for whom we are: the way we were raised, society for mistreating us, the weaknesses of church people, our unfair boss, or spouse or even our kids?

When blaming others when I do wrong, I won't confess what I have done as sin. This will keep me from experiencing the grace of God, enjoying the fullness of God's forgiveness.

When tempted to be like Pilate, we will do well to remember these verses from 1 John: 1: 8 - 10
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Don't try to wash your hands of what you have done wrong. Be blessed when you tell God the truth about your sins, and experience his forgiveness through Christ Jesus.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to acknowledge my sins, both to myself and to you, rather than justifying myself through immature and pointless excuses and defences. By your Spirit, guide me to see clearly where I have missed your mark, that I may confess truly and experience the forgiveness you offer in Christ Jesus. My hands will only be clean, Lord, when I am washed in the blood of the Lamb! Amen.

Only by grace I'm saved

Only by grace I’m saved!

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


Lyrics by Andries - Copy Right Reserved
Sung to “Breathe on me, Breath of God - see Songs of Fellowship 51.

Peter denies Jesus

Luke 22: 56 - 57 Then a servant-girl, seeing Peter in the firelight, stared at him and said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.”

Why did Peter deny Jesus? He was one of the first to follow Jesus, leaving so much behind to walk the uncertain road of discipleship. He had seen mighty wonders as his Teacher and Friend healed the sick, cast out demons, and even raised the dead. Peter had even walked on water for a few brief moments. So why did Peter, of all people, deny Jesus? Because he was afraid.

Fear startles us in the middle of the night and keep us awake for hours. It prevents us from reaching for our dreams or from reaching out to others in love. Fear cripples our souls and binds our hearts. It locks us in prison and throws away the key.

Peter was afraid and understandably so. All that he had hoped seemed to be crumbling before Him. The One he believed to be the Messiah, the Saviour of Israel, was now arrested. Jesus’ death seemed certain. Moreover, seeing his powerful Master so helpless must have confused Peter. Why did the One with the power to still the storm not use that power now? And if Jesus was helpless to defend himself, what did that mean for Peter? How could he escape a fate like that of Jesus: arrest, abuse, and perhaps execution?

I can understand what this might have been like for Peter, because I also have experienced the blinding blast of fear. If Peter felt anything like what I felt some gloomy days in my life, then I can understand why he denied Jesus. In saying this, I am not defending his behaviour. Not at all. What Peter did was wrong. But I can understand what he might have been feeling, and why he did something that he later found so horrifying and inexcusable. Fear has the power to make us do or say what we later regret.

Though you and I might not deny Jesus in such a blatant way as Peter did, I do suggest that we indeed deny him in less obvious ways, because of fear. Have you ever sensed that the Lord was urging you to do something for his sake, but you did not, because you were afraid? You must know what it's like to downplay the significance of your faith in a conversation, because you were afraid of what people might think of you? Have you ever let fear keep you from experiencing the fullness of life in Christ? Being filled with the Spirit may sound frightfully strange: can I really trust God so much that I fully surrender to his will and plan for me, his work and my calling?

What is the remedy for such fear?
It is in trusting God, believing the Word of Christ. It is in knowing what divine love is, because of what Jesus did for me on the Via Dolorosa, the way of grief. 1 John 4:18: There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

We don't conquer fear through rationalization or mind-control. We overcome fear by leaning more fully into the loving care of God, knowing that he will never let us go.

Prayer: Forgive me, dear Lord, when I let fear get in the way of my relationship with you. Forgive me for all the times I have fallen short in my discipleship, because I've been afraid. Forgive me for failing to trust you when you've proven yourself to be completely worthy of my trust. Amen.


O sacred head with grief weighed down,
with thorny bush your only crown!
How pale you are, abused and scorned,
your countenance, now blood adorned!

What shall I say, dear heavenly Friend?
Your shame and suffering, I cannot mend!
But let me never faithless be,
your dying love – it was for me!

O sacred Christ, so cruelly crowned –
no greater love nor mercy found.
O Jesus let me worship thee,
so scorned, so mocked on Calvary!

Jesus condemned by the Jewish Council

Luke 22: 66-69: When day came, the assembly of the elders (the Jewish Sanhedrin), both chief priests and scribes, gathered together, and they brought Jesus to their council. They said, “If you are the Messiah, tell us.” He replied, “If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I question you, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”

Jesus was condemned by the Sanhedrin, because he claimed to be the Messiah who would share in the glory and the power of God!

Only days earlier Jesus had made a mess of the temple, interrupting its sacrifices and labelling it as a "den of robbers." So, Jesus was seen by the Jewish officials to be speaking negatively about God himself. The temple was after all the place where God had chosen to dwell. How could he be the promised “Son of Man”?

In his trial, Jesus claimed that he would be "seated at the right hand of the power of God". This was perceived by the council, beginning with the high priest, as clear evidence of Jesus’ blasphemy. This activist, temple-destroyer, and troublemaker was as far as the Sanhedrin was concerned, an obvious liar and blasphemer.

We, like the Sanhedrin, also get things confused.
We tend to limit the saving work of God’s Messiah to our personal salvation only, rather than the transformation of the whole universe and all of life by Jesus to whom was given all authority in heaven and on earth.

Yet, we are blessed, when we as followers of Jesus who acknowledge him as personal Saviour, seek to do the works of his kingdom, expecting the reign of God to occupy all of our world, looking forward to the day when it will be completed. In the words of Revelation 11:15, put to music in Handel's Messiah, we should celebrate the fact that:
The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ,And he shall reign for ever and ever and ever. Hallelujah!

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, help me to understand what it means when I confess you as the Christ, the Anointed of God and glorious King of everything. May this confession lead me to a life of complete faithful discipleship in everything I do. Let your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. And let this happen in my life today! Amen

Is it with a kiss that we are betraying Jesus?

Luke 22:47-48: While Jesus was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him; but Jesus said to him, "Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?"

From where we are in the history of the church, it's easy to condemn Judas. Few people in history have been loathed more, and certainly Christians in New Testament times - and now, have good reason for doing so. After all, using a sign of respect for your teacher to betray him, is the utmost deed of malicious treachery. It was the custom that a student would greet his teacher with a kiss in Biblical times – to show respect and to show submission. It would be similar to the kiss of a son given to a father today!

Yet, by heaping still more shame on Judas than the church did over centuries, may con us into overlooking the chance to confront the Judas that remains in us as well.
What about our own mixed messages to Jesus?

How many times do we Christian people, who respectfully confess Jesus as Saviour and Lord, betray him? No, not visibly and literally - but in our hearts and in the intentions of our actions?

How many times did we reverently confess Jesus as Lord, yet we are continuously reinforcing ourselves as the real lord of our lives?

How many times have we worshiped Jesus, saying and singing that we are in awe of his sacrifice - with our mouths - not with a kiss but with words, only to again abandon him in our souls and in our works?

Do we not also betray the Saviour with a kiss? Outwardly respectful, reverent, pious and in awe - yet in reality crucifying him with our selfishness and our deceit, because inwardly we are more often renegades rather than champions of his Kingdom.

Yes, I know we all want to be devoted to Jesus. But as we reflect on the kiss of Judas – do we not detect a prowling Judas in our hearts, tempting us to stab Jesus and his cause in the back when it serves our personal agendas?

A spirit of dissention, a word of doubt, a slackness when passion is required and a silly excuse when we should be broken up by remorse - yes – I have to admit, I too can betray my Saviour, my Lord – with a kiss!

“O Lord, as much as I hate to confess it, there is a bit of Judas in me. Forgive me for the times when I pledged allegiance to you, made promises to you, (even in church with the congregation as witnesses) only to discard you in the way that I live.
Help me to see where my message to you is a mixed one, where worship and praise and betrayal and deceit live in the very same heart. Deliver me oh Lord, for what I do, is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do, this I keep on doing!
What a wretched person I am! Rescue me from this body of death, through Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen."

Jesus on the Mount of Olives!

"Father ... take this cup from me," prayed Jesus in Gethsemane.

We see Jesus struggling with the will of God, because Jesus feared the wrath of God as a result of the sin of mankind. He wished to avoid the path of suffering, to escape the cup of wrath. Scripture tells us about the anguish and pain of the struggle: "his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground." It's only human to fear God’s anger and judgment. Who among us, if healthy, welcomes suffering? Don't forget, Jesus was (and is) human just like you and me. And, in every healthy person exists the urge to continue life and to avoid death. Jesus also wanted to live, he didn’t want to suffer, he feared the terror of an Almighty God’s wrath and punishment for our sins.

What did Jesus do as he struggled with the will of God? Jesus prayed alone and he prayed on his knees - with humility and obedience: (Lk 22:42) "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

Jesus prayed that God's will be changed and he prayed that God's will be done.
But after struggling with God in prayer, he was ready to enter upon the road to the cross and to follow it to the bitter end. After fighting fear and anguish in prayer, he actively accepted the will of God and decided to willingly drink the cup of God's wrath. Why? Why? Why would he have done this? Why would this have been God's will for him?

It's for us! Jesus willingly drank the cup of God’s wrath for us. He drank it in our place. It should have been us drinking from God's awful cup. Instead, it was Jesus who drained it to the dregs.

Oh what a blessing – never to fear the anger and judgement of a holy God again!

“Lord Jesus, we can face a new week knowing that on our knees, when we humbly seek your will, your strength will be our strength, because you drank the cup of judgement to make us righteous in your Father’s sight. Your loving, merciful will be done, your glorious kingdom come – also in my life!”

Song: Only Jesus can...

ONLY JESUS CAN!
I cannot save myself o God,
- no one can, my Lord!
There is no one, to take away
all my guilt, unrighteousness!
Just Jesus can,
can achieve God’s gospel plan.
Yes, Jesus can,
o holy God,
only Jesus can!

A Saviour pure, I need, o God,
- sinless man and God,
to carry all my punishment,
satisfy your will, your wrath!
Pure Jesus can,
sinless Christ, the Son of man.
Lord Jesus can,
the Son of God,
only Jesus can!


Lyrics by Andries - Copy Right, publication; Sung to the music of I WORSHIP YOU, ALMIGHTY GOD. Songs of Fellowship 282
Based on these Scriptures:
Ex 20: 5 and 23: 7 I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me. 23: 7 I will not acquit the guilty.

Rom: 3 – 4 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

1 Cor 15: 21 – 22 and 25 – 26 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

2 Cor 5: 21 God made him who had no sin, to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Today is Ash Wednesday!

Today is Ash Wednesday!
A Christian Holy Day, although not a traditional “holiday”.

For at least 1 300 years Christians gather on this otherwise unremarkable Wednesday, to remember that:

· They are mortal and therefore have to contemplate eternity.

· If we are Christians, we also remember that we have “died for sin”, meaning that we died with Christ in order to become new people that follow Jesus and seek God’s will.

· And when we ponder all of this, we know that we are guilty of allowing the old, disobedient person to surface much too often and therefore we wish to repent, longing for forgiveness.

It all started with a tradition that developed during the 2nd century to baptize new converts to Christianity on Easter Sunday.
Christians then, as we should still do, took Paul’s teaching very seriously, that a new “me” is “resurrected” when through baptism I am ordained into Christ’s priesthood, to become a praying, serving child of God, sacrificing my whole life to his service.

Converts were prepared for the new baptized life for 40 days (excluding Sunday’s). During this time spiritual discipline was, with teaching, an important ingredient of this preparation, that started on a Wednesday. This 40 days became known as “Lent”. And so our Christian fathers thought that if we on Easter Sunday will celebrate that we rose with Christ into a new life, we should also be reminded that the old sinful “me” has died with Christ. Remembering all of this culminates on Good Friday, when we remember that Jesus died – and even Still Saturday, that Jesus was dead, in the tomb. But it starts on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, the season to remember Christ’s suffering and death, contemplating our death, our sins, our need to repent and our expectation to be raised to a new Easter Life in Jesus our Saviour!

On Ash Wednesday baptized Christians remember that we died with Christ. We remember that the old, lost, impure and ungodly person has died. And in faith, through prayer, fasting, contemplation and learning, seek the new life in Christ more fervently and focused than before. This is why Ash Wednesday prepares us for a time of humble repentance for our own sins, and for that of our congregation, our leaders, our denomination, our country.... As such it becomes a time of reconciliation – with God, our neighbour, our family, friends, children... It is a time to make peace with God, man, ourselves and our environment. We receive this peace in Christ Jesus, who suffered and died to set us free.

It is a season to listen carefully to what God says to us about our lives and to look carefully to the needs of those to whom we should be a neighbour!

On Ash Wednesday we get into the frame of mind, into the right attitude, to desire the death of sinful life and the resurrection of God glorifying life! On Ash Wednesday, at the Table of our Lord, we see and taste that God is good in that One died for all, that we may live for Him! On Ash Wednesday many Christians will also wish to “give up something for Lent”, in order to encourage the discipline that will lead to a closer walk with Christ, repentance and to desire the fullness of Christ’s resurrected life!

Join us tonight at Centurion West Presbyterian Church at 19:00 (7pm) for our annual Ash Wednesday Communion Service. We put more emphasis on music this year – worshipful, repenting songs and hymns, than in the past. It is music to touch the soul, that encourages the desire to know with certainty that it is well, truly well, with my soul!!

2 Cor 7:10: Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

Ash Wednesday starts the “fasting” of Lent on the right foot: we realise how badly we need God, yes, how hungry and thirsty we are for Jesus, our Saviour!

O SACRED HEAD... (Paul Gerhardt, 1607 – 1676.)
O sacred head, sore wounded, defiled and put to scorn;
O kingly head, surrounded, with mocking crown of thorn:
What sorrow ruins your grandeur? Can death thy bloom deflower?
O countenance whose splendour, the hosts of heaven adore!

In thy most bitter passion my heart to share does cry,
With thee for my salvation upon a cross to die.
Ah, keep my heart thus moved to stand thy cross beneath,
To mourn thee, well beloved, yet thank thee for thy death.

What language shall I borrow to thank thee, dearest friend,
For this thy dying sorrow, thy pity without end?
Oh, make me thine forever! And should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never, outlive my love for thee!

Nothing is more important than my relationship with Jesus!

Nothing, absolutely nothing, is more important than knowing Jesus, listening to him and submitting to his will for my life.
There is only one important thing in life, and that is having a personal love relationship with Jesus, our Lord and Saviour.

Absolutely nothing else can even be compared to this. A productive career or booming business, a new car, an immaculate house, happy guests after a brilliant dinner party, a relaxing vacation, invigorating exercise, a winning cricket season, a handsome boyfriend or beautiful girlfriend, high marks – or even a fulfilling vocation in church life – all of these are not even comparable to and are much less important than Christ himself.

Remember what Jesus said? "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?" (Mt 16:26). Only Jesus is the pure and sinless, both human and divine, Mediator between me and God. Only Jesus can save me!

Therefore, be blessed when you spend enough time getting to know Jesus better and to listen to his voice. If we do, we have chosen what is better. If we do, we have chosen the best!

At our Ash Wednesday Service, this week at 19:00 on Wednesday, we will listen to a song that says:
I cannot save myself o God,
- no one can, my Lord!
There is no one, to take away
all my guilt, unrighteousness!
Just Jesus can,
can achieve God’s gospel plan.
Yes, Jesus can,
o holy God,
only Jesus can!

O Glorious Father - a song!

O Glorious Father!

O glorious Father, O glorious Son,
you gave us your Spirit, and he made us one!
Creator and Ruler, who wants us to be
in Jesus one body, your own family!
Chorus:
Jesus reigns, we are one,
we are one in the Lord!
And redeemed, yes we’re saved,
and we trust in God’s Word!
We worship and praise the Almighty today,
who made us his people to serve and to pray.

O glorious Saviour, O glorious Lord,
break down ev’ry barrier, destroy ev’ry sword.
Make all of Gods children one body to be,
that all through our loving your mercy may see.
Chorus:
Jesus reigns, we are one,
we are one in the Lord!
And redeemed, yes we’re saved,
and we trust in God’s Word!
We worship and praise the Almighty today,
who made us his people to serve and to pray.

O glorious Ruler, o glorious God,
Lord, summon your justice, make valid your Word.
In Jesus we hear and obey what God said:
Preach freedom for all, as my Spirit has led!
Chorus:
Jesus reigns, we are one,
we are one in the Lord!
And redeemed, yes we’re saved,
and we trust in God’s Word!
We worship and praise the Almighty today,
who made us his people to serve and to pray.

Sung to the music of: To God be the glory, great things he has done… (SOF 559)

Jesus: Cosmic King and Head of the Church

From the very beginning of his ministry on earth, Jesus preached (Matt 4: 17) "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." After Jesus conquered death, sin, the grave, our weak nature and our fierce enemy, Jesus was given all authority in heaven and on earth, both as our cosmic King and as the Head of the Church. And he remains with us, always.

The command of King Jesus is that we should (Matt 6:33) “first seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness” and all the things that we worry about and need, will be given to us in his grace, under his authority and through his power.

Seeking, proclaiming - and submitting to - the Kingship of Jesus refer, amongst other things, to:

A change in one’s allegiance. If Christ is the King, he deserves our honour, loyalty, and obedience. We submit to his authority and power.

A change in one’s expectations. Jesus made extraordinary promises with regard to his kingdom. The kingdom may not yet be fulfilled completely, but it has been established and will last forever.

A change in one’s values. The values of Christ’s kingdom reflect what matters to the King.

A change in one’s priorities. Jesus challenged his followers to bring the values of his kingdom into their day-to-day lives. “Seeking first the kingdom” puts Christ’s perspective on all one’s works and its outcomes.

A change in one’s lifelong mission. Jesus affects the outlook of a person’s life. He gives us purpose and a mission, promoting kingdom values in every aspect of life, extending his message to the ends of the earth, providing to all the opportunity to give their allegiance to Jesus as their Saviour and King.

Be blessed when you, as the highest priority in your life, seek the Kingdom of God, submitting to King Jesus, and when everything you need is given to you by our gracious Sovereign, our eternal Saviour.

God's choices are the best for you

Do you ever wish you were somebody else? Have you ever wished to handle a ball like a Protea or a Springbok, or make a speech in the way a professional does, or play the organ and piano as well as René (our organist / pianist) does? (I know I would love to be able to play that well!) Do you feel as if you received the short end of the stick when it comes to gifts and talents? If so, take heart - God has good news for you.

The Corinthian church was made up of various peoples. In addition to that, God gave each of the Christians in this church a variety of special gifts – Spiritual gifts. The purpose of the gifts was to help others in the church develop to full maturity in Christ and to grow the congregation to its full potential. But instead of using the various gifts as God intended them to be used, the Corinthians argued about who’s Spiritual gift was the most important or gave the person who received the gift, the highest status in the congregation. This is why Paul wrote to them in 1 Corinthians 12:18: But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be.

God gave each church member in Corinth exactly what he wanted them to have, but some failed to use the gift given to them, while they were envious of the role someone else had in God's work.

It still happens in the church today. We seem to forget that if God called and equipped us to serve him in a certain way or capacity, that task is the most important that we can ever do. If we try to fulfil someone else’s role in the church and neglect our own, we are bound to fail twice – firstly in our own calling and secondly in the calling we are not called to do and therefore cannot expect the Lord’s blessing on that work or the gifts of the Spirit to do it.

Has God gifted you in a certain manner? The only way that you can have true joy in the Lord’s work, is to allow God to get from you, what he had placed in you. The Lord has tailor made a gift and role for you in his work. It is his choice for you, and God's choices are always the right choices. Do not fail twice by desiring someone else's gifts and role; take pleasure in your own, fulfil your commission and serve the Master in the way and for the purpose he called you. Your work for the Lord will be blessed and you will be fulfilled as you live and work according to his divine will.

Prayer: Help me, Father, to recognize the gifts and calling you gave me in order to serve other Christians and your church well. Do not allow me to desire what others are called to do for you, but instead make me diligent in serving your Kingdom faithfully according to your will for my life.

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord

Ps 103:2-3: Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases ...

I am afraid that we, Christians, can get so used to the treasures of forgiveness and healing that we forget to give thanks. We become so accustomed to redemption, salvation, renewal, forgiveness, healing and miracles, that it no longer stirs us, moves us, or excites us. We become able to express a firm belief that we have been forgiven, and healed, without being in awe of Gods grace.

God wants praise and thanksgiving from us who have been given salvation, the greatest of all possible gifts. In fact, to neglect the response of thanksgiving, is to steal from God of the glory due to him for his healing, deliverance and saving mercies.

It is true that God does not need our praise and thanksgiving - but he does want it.

May you be blessed when you in song, prayer and worship, and more importantly through a life committed to Gods service, only seek the glory of God. When you truthfully with the Psalmist say to the Lord :

Praise the LORD who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. (Ps 103: 4,5)

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Amen.

A Creed that rhymes

O Father, God, Creator!




O Father, God, Creator, Provider and our trust!
You gave your Son, Lord Jesus, your Christ who made us just.
He is our dear Redeemer, who gave his life, his blood:
Magnificently Conqueror, our Saviour from the flood!

O Jesus, Lord, who loves us, and teaches us each day,
who graciously redeemed us, and in who’s Name we pray.
Send us your Holy Spirit, and bless us with his power,
to unify - and help us - in ev’ry testing hour.

O Spirit, great and holy, conform us to God’s will,
Yes, sanctify and seal us, to feast with you until
our glorious LORD is honoured by every friend and foe,
and we, believing, worship: God’s ceaseless splendour know!

Lyrics by Andries
To the music of "The Church's one Foundation"

The Lord's Table for Sinners

Christians should regularly celebrate the Lord's Supper. We must always prepare ourselves for the Lord's Table. Before we go to the Lord's Table, we must come to the point where we say, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

In Luke 18, when Christ looked at some worshippers in the temple, he saw that some relied for their salvation on their own righteousness, on their own works and on their moral purity, rather than on the mercy of God. (Luke 18:9) To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable.

To destroy this wicked self-confidence, Jesus told them the story of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. (Luke 18: 10 – 13): "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'”

They are part of a crowd of worshippers. But before they or any of the worshippers can pray, a lamb is first offered on the altar as an atoning sacrifice for sins and incense is sent up to heaven.

Jesus draws our attention to a Pharisee. The Pharisee not only acts like he is better than all other men, but he also says he is better than all other men. Here is a man who prides himself on his more than perfect life. He congratulates himself. He also condemns a nearby tax collector. This man is convinced he is a notch above all other men. He believes he has made himself right in God's eyes. This Pharisee has no awareness of sin; he sees no need for repentance; he doesn't think he needs grace. The Pharisee says and does all of this right after a lamb has been slaughtered, cut up, and sacrificed on the altar in order to atone for the sins of the people. He is saying, then, that the atoning sacrifice is not for him because he doesn't need it.

In Jesus' parable a tax collector also went into the temple to pray. Scripture tells us he stands "at a distance." He stands apart, because he does not think he is worthy to stand before God or with God's people.

The words of his prayer indicate his sorrow. The man prayed, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner." A lamb had just been slaughtered, cut up, and sacrificed to make atonement for the sins of the people. Incense is burning and prayers are being offered up to God. "I am a sinner," says the tax collector, "and I need this lamb's atoning sacrifice."
He prays this not because he is a law-abiding man, but because a lamb has been sacrificed for his sins and he therefore begs forgiveness.

Jesus has a hard-hitting conclusion. "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God." The Pharisee was wasting his time and breath in the temple. This good man with nothing to confess returned home unjustified in God's sight. Ironic that his trip to the temple made him more in need of the atoning sacrifice than ever before.

The tax collector went home right with God and justified in God's sight. He approached God with a broken heart. He approached God as an unworthy sinner. He approached God not trusting in himself but in the grace of God, because he saw the atoning sacrifice of a lamb. And he went home justified.

When we receive the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper in church, we will see represented before us, in the bread and the wine, the atoning sacrifice of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

Will we go dressed up with our own righteousness, or will we be clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ? Will we go because we think we are good enough, or will we come because we need forgiveness?

If you come to the Lord's Table with even a hint of the Pharisee’s self earned goodness, you will leave the Table empty and will go home unjustified.

No, come to God realizing and confessing your sin. Come to God confessing your need for the Saviour. Come to God confessing your need for the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, and, by the grace of God and through the work of his Holy Spirit, you will leave loved, forgiven, cleansed – yes even justified before God.

Christian fellowship is important

During winter heavy snow falls hit groves of tall, young trees along a high way. The branches were bowed down with the heavy snow - so low that branches from one tree were often leaning against the trunk or branches of another.
Where trees stood alone, however, the effect of the snow was different. The branches had become heavier and heavier, and since there were no other trees to lean against, the branches snapped. They lay on the ground, dead and alone in the cold snow.

Remember Paul. He never travelled alone. He had problems with John Mark. He had an argument with Barnabas. He could have said, "Forget this community stuff. From now on I'm travelling alone. It is easier that way."
But no! He always took someone with him. He needed Christian community to be faithful to his calling. If anyone could have been working in isolation from other Christians, it was Paul. But he knew better.

And in every town and city in which Paul gained converts for the Lord, he established a community of believers.

In John 17: 20 - 23 Jesus prayed for all the believers of all ages. He prayed that we will always remain safe, and efficient in our calling, because we experience community with Jesus and his followers. Jesus said: “I pray for those who will believe in me through the message of my disciples, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

May you be blessed as you serve God in fellowship with Jesus and his friends. May the branches of your “minis-tree” lean against the branches of another’s, that they may never snap - and die alone…