God, if we describe this limitless being in one word, is love. This is the great revelation of 1 Corinthians 13. As God is love, so the enemy is the very opposite, since God is identified also as light, which the darkness does not comprehend, is it any wonder then that love possesses the power to destroy the works of darkness? Love is about God’s heart working through people to bring the lost to Him and liberate them from spiritual darkness, bringing them into a relationship with Jesus Christ.

So what is the enemy doing in the churches today in the seemingly petty squabbles and politics that so infest every institution of people and the churches often most of all? Are these really just people being people or is there the gentle scent of brimstone behind it? It is a subtle thing, but the best way the enemy has of beating us is not in what we perceive to be the big things, but in undermining and poisoning our love.

Christian love, I believe is something that terrifies the enemy and he pursues its destruction relentlessly. The Lord reminded me of the last few years in my own life and the enemy’s constant pursuit to destroy my ability to love.

“And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:10-12 NLT).

For many in the Body of Christ, there is an ongoing vicious battle, with many people wrestling with issues of forgiveness and justice. So many feel slighted by something someone else in the church did or said, or is rumoured to have done or said, and the seeds of bitterness are planted. If we have pride, we keep those seeds in the warm darkness of our hearts and nurture them there, hidden by deceptive words like “Oh, I HAVE forgiven so-and-so for this or that, but I won’t forget!”

What we forget so often is the warning we are given as to the real enemy in the Word:

“We are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against the mighty powers in this dark world, and against the evil spirits in heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12 NLT).

The enemy uses real living people to fight against us, though, so it’s not always easy to remember who our real enemy is. We have to be actively on our guard against that spirit of pride and remember the exhortation:

“Look after each other so that none of you will miss out on the special favor of God. Watch out that no bitter root of unbelief rises up among you, for whenever it springs up, many are corrupted by its poison.” (Hebrews 12:15 NLT)

I look back at how I came to South Africa on fire for the Lord to spread His word and how human interaction and petty politics got under my skin and made me feel wronged. It matters not at all whether I was in fact wronged or not, the moment I claimed my right to myself, I ceased to be any use to the Lord – the love died and the fire went out. We have a right to ourselves, but we give up that right when we choose to serve Jesus Christ – the problem is that we forget that fact quite easily.

This battle for our love will not end while the world remains; the enemy is not going to  give up one of his most effective strategies with demonstrated success.

We, however, can stop being petulant children and nurture awareness of the reality of the battle in which are as soldiers engaged – and, if we lose from time to time, or even regularly, we can determine to learn from each one and thereby grow.

God’s love is limitless:

“I am convinced that nothing will ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow – not even the powers of Hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below – indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39 NLT).

How deep is the Father’s love for us? His unfailing love is as high as the heavens and reaches to the sky (see Psalm 57:10). It is unconditional, the only love we do not have to earn in some way. That’s why we struggle to accept it, because our own love is mired in conditions – unless the Holy Spirit grants us the supernatural power to love as God does. He grants that power to every true Christian, it is the very badge and emblem of one who truly follows Jesus:

“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples”. (John 13:25)

Can YOU offer that proof to the world?

We interrupt this broadcast to bring you …

A Special Report From Jerusalem

There were no newspapers, magazines, radios, televisions or reporters two thousand years ago. What would it have been like if there had been broadcasting back then? For a few minutes lets imagine there were reporters. We’ll turn on our radio so we can hear the news events of that time. Ready?

The listening audience is involved in their usual routines — the housewife humming to the music as she clears the breakfast dishes from the table; a businessman has the radio on in his office downtown; and in a nearby restaurant people eat breakfast as music plays softly in the background. Suddenly the music stops and the announcer says,

“WE INTERRUPT THIS BROADCAST TO BRING YOU A SPECIAL REPORT.”

The housewife turns up the volume, the businessman listens intently and a hush falls over the restaurant as the announcer continues,

“This is David Ross in New York with a special report from Jerusalem. The Feast of the Passover, which is of great importance to the people of Jerusalem, has begun. However, this is not the most significant occurrence in Jerusalem at this early hour, nor is it the reason people are lining the streets. We have received reports that before dawn this morning a man was arrested and charged with attempting to overthrow the government and set himself up as king.”

“Ironically this man has had multitudes openly following him for about three years. Now these same people want him punished immediately.”

“Reporters are on the scene in Jerusalem. First, here is Steve Pierce in the Hall of Judgment. Good morning, Steve.”

“Good morning David, and radio listeners. The man who was arrested is called Jesus of Nazareth. Rumors say the religious leaders have been planning for some time to kill him, and were in fact among the crowd that took him prisoner. Witnesses say Jesus was taken to the High Priest’s home where he was blindfolded, his face and head beaten, he was spit upon and slapped around … all illegal, kangaroo court actions.

“At daybreak he was tied and actually carried to Pontius Pilate, the Governor, who is standing beside me. He has agreed to answer some questions for us. Governor, what happened after Jesus was brought to you?”

“Well, the accusation was made that he claimed to be the king of the Jews. I asked him if this was true, for we have no king but Caesar. I asked three times, but he would not answer. I was amazed that he would not speak in his own defense when given the opportunity. In fact, no one spoke in his defense although this is a very serious charge.”

“Then what happened, Governor?” the reporter questions.

“I proclaimed I could find no fault in him. Then according to custom, I asked the people who they would like to be released for the Passover Celebration. Someone is always allowed to go free and all charges against them dropped as part of this celebration. I assumed they would ask for the release of Jesus since everyone had been saying he went about doing good. Instead the whole crowd screamed, ‘RELEASE BARABBAS!’ “I then asked the crowd, ‘Why, what evil has this man done?’ But they yelled all the louder, ‘RELEASE BARABBAS! RELEASE BARABBAS!’ “

“Who is Barabbas, Governor?” Steve interrupts.

“He is a notorious murderer, proven guilty! Then I asked the people, ‘What should I do then with this Jesus, who is called Christ?’ They all shouted, ‘CRUCIFY HIM! CRUCIFY HIM!’ All evidence indicated he was innocent and it was against my better judgment to inflict such punishment. In fact, we learned that some who witnessed against him were giving false testimony. My wife had even tried to persuade me to free the man because of some dream she’d had, but the people demanded that he be put to death. I didn’t want his blood on my hands, so I publicly washed my hands of the whole matter. Then, I did according to the wishes of the people and released Barabbas. I had no choice. The people had spoken and I had to set him free.”

“Where is Jesus now, Governor?” the reporter asks.

“He was given the death sentence and the soldiers have led him away to be crucified.”

“Thank you for speaking with us, Governor. We now go to Betty Simpson, who is standing by on the road leading to Golgotha Hill, the route the soldiers will use to deliver Jesus to the site of his scheduled execution. Good morning, Betty.”

“Good morning, Steve. In spite of the brisk weather here, people are lining up as if to watch a parade. There are mixed feelings about this man, Jesus. I heard a man laughing, telling about a royal robe and a crown Jesus was made to wear in the Common Court. Others are weeping and grief stricken, as if attending the funeral of a loved one. While we wait for the soldiers to bring the man this way, I’ll step across the street and speak with some of them.

“Sir, I could not help but notice you are crying. I assume you know this man, Jesus?”

“Yes, I know him,” the man replies. “I was very sick and had no hope of recovery. I had prayed to die. I couldn’t even stay with my family! You see, Ma’am, I had Leprosy. I had to live in a horrible Leprosy Camp. But one day Jesus came to my town and he touched me. That’s all he did! He simply touched me! And my Leprosy departed! Lady, Jesus IS king of the Jews. They won’t really crucify him … will they?”

“There is a lady to my left who is wiping tears from her eyes. Do you know Jesus?” Betty asks.

“Oh, I know him well,” the lady responds. “I had spent all my living trying to find a cure for an issue of blood that I had suffered with for twelve miserable years. I heard that Jesus was in town and many people had been healed by him. So I went to find him. I was terribly weak, but somehow I managed to push through that crowd and get near enough to touch the hem of his robe. Immediately I was healed! (sigh) I don’t want him to die …”

“Sir, do you know him?” the reporter asks.

A deep voice chuckles, “Yes Ma’am, I know him. Thanks to that man, Jesus, I can see that blue sky, those white fluffs of clouds, those green trees and all these people here. Ma’am, I was born blind! One day Jesus passed and saw me begging on the street. I heard someone spit on the ground, and someone whispered, ‘What’s he doin’ with that mud?’ I felt fingers gently plaster damp dirt on my eyes, and his voice told me to go wash it off in the Pool of Siloam. I did. And for the first time in my whole life…Ma’am, I could SEE! Ohhh, its so wonderful to be able to see! But Ma’am, I don’t want to see them put him to death!”

The chuckle had changed to crying and the man’s weeping is heard over the radio. The housewife rips off a paper towel and dries her eyes, the businessman sits back in his seat, staring at nothing, and in the restaurant no one is eating.

The reporter continues softly, “They are coming now with Jesus and a hush has fallen over the crowd as the people watch him. He is carrying what must be an awfully heavy wooden cross, for he is bent over from its weight. He…is moving slowly, obviously in an extremely weakened condition. He appears to have been beaten and he is covered with blood. Some say his beard had been yanked from his face and indeed there are gaps in his remaining beard. It is caked with blood. He is almost in front of me now and I can see his crown — a hideous crown made of twisted long thorns. It is pushed down over his forehead. His face is streaked with flowing blood where his flesh is torn.

“A lady just now wiped his face and eyes with her skirt-tail, but a soldier pushed her aside. He is directly in front of me now … and … I …”

After a short pause, David Ross tells the audience from New York, “Ladies and gentlemen, we seem to have lost contact with Betty Simpson on the Golgotha Road in Jerusalem. Betty, are you there? Can you hear me?”

“Yes, yes David,” Betty answers and her sobs are heard over the radio. After another pause she says, “David, when directly in front of me, Jesus looked … sob … straight into my eyes. David, I tell you, this man is innocent!

“I believe, David, that I have seen the Messiah! OH NO, he has completely fallen beneath the weight of the cross. He can’t get up! He seems to be drained of strength. The soldiers just asked a strong looking, dark skinned man to carry the cross for him. My view is blocked … sob … I can’t stop crying, David. (Sniff) I’m sorry …”

“Thank you for your report, Betty,” David Ross says from New York. “We now switch to Bob Meade atop Golgatha Hill. Bob, can you see Jesus yet?”

“David, the soldiers are now atop Golgatha Hill, but Jesus is slowly ascending, almost crawling. I heard Betty’s description of him, but I had no conception of how badly he was beaten until now. I’ve heard he was whipped with thirty-nine lashes to his back and bearing the cross appears to have irritated his open wounds. His back is severely gashed and bleeding and there are toothpick size splinters sticking from his skin.”

“Behind me the scene is equally repulsive. Two men, who are thieves according to official reports, have already been crucified and are hanging there atop Golgatha Hill. The man who carried the cross up the hill for Jesus just now laid it down, looking sad and somber as he walks away. Perhaps the soldier standing by me can tell us about a sign written on top of the cross. Sir, why is the sign there?”

“Pilate wrote that,” the soldier explains. “It says, ‘JESUS OF NAZARETH, KING OF THE JEWS,’ and it’s written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. We wanted the wording changed, but Pilate decreed that what he had written would stay that way. I don’t know … maybe he believes this man really is king of the Jews.”

Bob’s voice, a higher pitch than before, interrupts the soldier’s words and he is heard saying, “I can’t believe my eyes! They are preparing to NAIL Jesus to the cross! The nails are like railroad spikes, at least seven or eight inches long and probably an inch thick!

“Soldiers are holding his arms down, outstretched, and …

CLANG!

“Now they are moving to his left … YES! The hammer is again raised …”

CLANG! CLANG!

“Good heavens! This is too gruesome to watch. It looks like they intend to secure both his feet with one long nail. While this inhuman task is accomplished, I’m stepping to my right to speak with a lady who is absolutely overcome with grief. This seems to be hurting her as much as it is him. She is crying uncontrollably. Excuse me, Ma’am, are you related to Jesus?”

“MAKE THEM STOP! PLEASE! MAKE THEM STOP! HE NEVER HURT ANYONE IN HIS LIFE,” the lady screams.

“I’m sorry, Ma’am. I wish there was something I could do. Have you known him long?”

“I AM MARY … sob … his mother!”

CLANG! CLANG!

“OH … DEAR GOD!” the woman cries brokenheartedly, her weeping heard around the world.

“My heart goes out to this mother and I’m sure everyone’s does,” Bob says. “Its strange that he hasn’t cried out. The agony is evident on his face. David, I would like to let the listeners hear some remarks as I move among the people here. Listen closely.”

“You said you could tear down the temple and rebuild it in three days. So now, save yourself!”

“He saved others? He can’t even save himself! HA! HA! HA!”

“If he is king of Israel, let him come down. Then I’ll believe him!”

“If you are the son of God, then come down off that cross!”

“He trusted God. Let God deliver him now, if he will have him!”

“David, most of these remarks came from the Elders, the Chief Priests, the Scribes and the Pharisees. Jesus is dying, severely beaten, nailed to a cross, a crown of thorns puncturing his flesh, bleeding all over … and the religious leaders MOCK him!

“He moaned that he was thirsty and they gave him vinegar soaked in a sponge. Strangely, even in his suffering and perhaps his dying condition, his concern is for others! He was very concerned for his mother, and a man named John just now led her away. Even in his pain and distress, his focus is on others! He’s praying for the forgiveness of these people, saying they don’t know what they are doing. Its the most remarkable thing I have ever witnessed! I think they DO know what they are doing. Wait a minute. Let me step closer to the cross. Jesus is crying out something. Listen …”

A man’s voice is heard, saying, “My God, why have you forsaken me?”

Loud static shocks the listening audience as Bob Meade continues, “Something strange is happening here in Jerusalem. It has been a bright, sunny morning, but darkness is dropping over us real fast. Some soldiers were gambling for the robe that Jesus wore, but suddenly it got so dark that now they are just sitting, watching. Torches are being lit. It is so dark that …”

BOOM! … SSST! … CR-RACK!

The voice of David Ross is heard again from New York, “Bob? Are you there? Can You hear me? Due to technical difficulties, we have temporarily lost our sound in Jerusalem.”

After a short pause, Bob Meade is heard still speaking, unaware the static had interrupted his report, “…mass confusion here … CRACKLE … ssss … Jesus is dead. He cried with a loud voice, “IT IS FINISHED … CRA-A-A-CKLE … and died. The soldiers broke the legs of the other two thieves to hasten their death, but Jesus was already dead. Still, they pierced him in the side.

“Then the earth started trembling and shaking, rocks and boulders tumbled down from Golgatha Hill and toppled to the ground. Buildings below are swaying like wheat in a strong wind. THE EARTH IS CRACKING OPEN! David, we … are in the midst of an … earthquake!

“I am sitting at the foot of the cross. It seems to be the only place of safety! I’m not sure how long … CRAC-C-CKLE … can stay on the air … not even sure how long we can stay alive!

“Did you hear what the Centurian said a moment ago? Sir, would you repeat … SSST … for our listening audience, because Sir, I am inclined to believe you!”

In a near whisper the Centurian says, “Truly, this man WAS the son of God!”

Suddenly only static is heard on radios everywhere. Listeners are speechless. All over the world lives have been touched and many changed forever.

Only one news event was EVER more significant. It occurred three days later, at the empty tomb of Jesus, when the angel said,

“HE IS NOT HERE! HE IS RISEN!”

Scripture References: Matthew 26-28; Mark 14:32-Mark 16; Luke 22-24 and John 18-20

© 1980 Judith Biddle

At the age of 33, Jesus was condemned to the death penalty.

At the time crucifixion was the “worst” death. Only the worst criminals condemned to be crucified. Yet it was even more dreadful for Jesus, for unlike other criminals condemned to death by crucifixion Jesus was nailed to the cross by His hands and feet, rather than tied …

Each nail was 6 to 8 inches long.

The nails were driven into His wrist. Not into His palms as is commonly portrayed. There’s a tendon in the wrist that extends to the shoulder. The Roman guards knew that when the nails were being hammered into the Wrist, that tendon would tear and break, forcing Jesus to use His back muscles to support himself, so that He could breathe.

Both of His feet were nailed together. Thus He was forced to support Himself on the single nail that impaled His feet to the cross. Jesus could not support himself with His legs for long because of the pain, so He was forced to alternate between arching His back and using his legs just to continue to breath. Imagine the struggle, the pain, the suffering, the courage.

Jesus endured this reality for over 3 hours.

Yes, over 3 hours! Can you imagine this kind of suffering? A few minutes before He died, Jesus stopped bleeding. He was simply pouring water from his wounds.

From common images we see wounds to His hands and feet and even the spear wound to His side …

But do we remember the many wounds made to his body. A hammer driving large nails through the wrists, the feet overlapped and a nail hammered through the arches, then a Roman guard piercing His side with a spear. And … before the nails and the spear, Jesus was whipped and beaten. The whipping was so severe that it tore the flesh from His body. The beating so horrific that His face was torn and his beard ripped from His face. The crown of thorns (two to three inch thorns) cut deeply into His scalp. Most men would not have survived this torture.

He had no more blood to bleed out, only water poured from His wounds. The human adult body contains about 3.5 litres (just less than a gallon) of blood.

Jesus poured all 3.5 litres of his blood; He had three nails hammered into His body; a crown of thorns on His head and, beyond that, a Roman soldier who stabbed a spear into His chest.

All these without mentioning the humiliation He passed after carrying His own cross for almost 2 kilometers, while the crowd spat in his face and threw stones (the cross beam was almost 30 kg of weight, to which His hands were nailed).

Jesus had to endure this experience, so that you may have free access to God.

So that your sins can be “washed” away. All of them, with no exception!

Don’t ignore this.

JESUS CHRIST DIED … FOR YOU!

Do not believe that He only died for others (those who go to church or for pastors, bishops, etc).

Accept the reality, the truth, that JESUS IS THE ONLY SALVATION FOR THE WORLD.

God has special plans for YOU!

May God bless you!

Are YOU on a mission from God?

WHAT is your mission?

How will YOU implement it?

We live in a dark world. But it has always been so since the fall of our historical parents, Adam and Eve. We look around and moan and complain that things have never been worse than they are today – that there is more crime, more poverty, more pollution, more irresponsible teenagers, more out of touch grownups, more materialism, more immorality, more general rottenness – than ever before. But Solomon knew that every generation would understand when he wrote in Ecclesiastes:

That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done. So, there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

The forces of darkness are strong but they have always been that way. Satan has been given many names, but the one which I think most aptly describes him is “The Prince of Darkness.”

This is not some fairy tale, some poetic rendering, some old wives tale – this is a description of a real being – not just a “force” – a being who is right here, right now – wherever you are. Whatever you do there are around you those who have eyes, hearts and minds which have been darkened by the “Prince of Darkness.” They go by names like “Ron Wheeldon” and those of each and every one of you that reads this. The book of Romans tell us, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23 ) We have all been polluted by his darkness.

And so the world we live in carries on – darkened and in despair.

We know the truth of THIS:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:1-5)

The darkness did not comprehend the light. Neither could the darknesst overwhelm it, nor snuff it out. It could not control it, change it, pervert it, twist it, maim it or claim it. For darkness hates light, and with light, there is no darkness.

Luther’s great hymn, A Mighty Fortress is Our God. And, being a person who needed all the help he could get – be it regular OR extra credit – I readily accepted the challenge. And I’m glad I did, for the words of some verse of this great hymn of the faith come back to me nearly every day as I struggle against darkness and call upon the light to push it back:

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,

We will not fear, for God hath willed his truth to triumph through us.

The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him; his rage we can endure

For lo, his doom is sure; one little word shall fell him.

And what is that word that can fell him who rules the world with darkness? It is the word of light, that of the great I AM who spoke Let there be light! and there was light. And when he spoke from the beginning of time that he would bring His light into the world over which the darkness would not – could not – overcome, he was speaking of that Light of the World each person needs to know.

This God who spoke light into being and who from the beginning – the very beginning – ordained that Jesus would come to banish darkness forever, is the very same God who Paul spoke of in Second Corinthians:

For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6)

So, with this light we have hope, we have the promise of the banishment of darkness, but we also have a challenge. Jesus gave us the challenge in three consecutive verses in the Sermon on the Mount, words about light that offer you – those who are at the stage of your life where you are or will soon be earnestly seeking with all your hearts, minds and souls, what it actually IS that God wants you to do with your life – he offers YOU the greatest challenge that has ever been laid down:

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under a bushel, but on the lamp stand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)

You are on a mission from God.

There it is – delivered to you directly from the mouth of God the Son – this flaming sword of truth, this challenge that I set before you again today. This mission is critical, but it is not one that necessarily calls you to full time ministry. Nor indeed is it exclusively the mission of the Minister of this church, or the Ministers and missionaries of all the churches.

There is a problem reaching those who are in the thrall of the Prince of Darkness, because they need to call on the name of Jesus to be freed:

For WHOEVER WILL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD will be saved. How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? (Romans 10:13-15)

Note that it is not “preacher” with a capital P. Actually, it is preacher with a capitol U.

That’s right. YOU. Because where are those who do not believe? Where are those who are in darkness? Where are those who do not see the light? Are they only in churches where pastors preach? Are they only in villages where missionaries toil and testify? Are they only in youth groups where young leaders try to get through to the teenage mind?

No. They are at Wonderboom airport. They are at Cresta and Killarney and Monte Casino, playing at the Barnyard. They are reading journals about architecture, magazines about sports cars, surfing the internet, they are walking into doctor’s offices learning how to treat their diabetic child or hearing they have only months to live when that devil cancer is eating away at their liver.

All of those people need to see the light. Most will never darken the doors of a church with their shadow. All of the full time Christian ministry workers in the world will not bring them to understand Christ because they are not where those workers are. They need the light, but how shall they hear without a preacher who comes to them?

You see, YOU are the preacher – even when you don’t say a word. It is an old cliché, but it is absolutely true: You are the only Bible many people will ever read. Your life is the living Word, Christ in you is the Christ they see. And God is preparing each of you – all of us – to be exactly where someone needs the light.

THAT is your mission. It is the call to live your life in such a way that it brings the light into the darkness.

Over a century ago, Robert Louis Stevenson devised a number of rules to help people live happier, more productive lives.

These rules may be a century or more old, but they are still excellent guidelines.

• Make up your mind to be happy. Learn to find pleasure in simple things.
• Make the best of circumstances. No one has everything, and everyone has something of sorrow.
• Don’t take yourself too seriously.
• Don’t let criticism worry you. You can’t please everybody.
• Don’t let your neighbours set your standards. Be yourself.
• Do things you enjoy doing, but stay out of debt.
• Don’t borrow trouble. Imaginary things are harder to bear than actual ones.
• Since hate poisons the soul, do not cherish enmities and grudges.
• Avoid people who make you unhappy.
• Have many interests. If you can’t travel, read about places.
• Don’t hold post-mortems or spend time brooding over sorrows and mistakes.
• Don’t be the one who never gets over things.
• Keep busy at something. A very busy person never has time to be unhappy.

A pastor had been on a long flight between church conferences. The first warning of the approaching problems came when the sign on the airplane flashed on: Fasten Your Seat Belts. Then, after a while, a calm voice said: “We shall not be serving the beverages at this time as we are expecting a little turbulence. Please be sure your seat belt is fastened.”

As the pastor looked around the aircraft, it became obvious that many of  the passengers were becoming apprehensive. Later, the voice on the intercom said: ”We are so sorry that we are unable to serve the meal at this time. The  turbulence is still ahead of us.”

And then the storm broke …

The ominous cracks of thunder could be heard even above the roar of the engines. Lightning lit up the darkening skies, and within moments that great plane was like a cork tossed around on a celestial ocean. One moment the airplane was lifted on terrific currents of air; the next, it dropped as if were about to crash.

The pastor confessed that he shared the discomfort and fear of those around him. He said: “As I looked around the plane, I could see that nearly all the passengers were upset and alarmed. Some were praying. The future seemed ominous and many were wondering if they would make it through the storm. Then, I suddenly saw a little girl. Apparently the storm meant nothing to her. She had tucked her feet beneath her as she sat on her seat; she was reading a book and everything within her small world was calm and orderly. Sometimes she closed her eyes, then she would read again; then she would straighten her legs, but worry and fear were not in her world. When the plane was being buffeted by the terrible storm when it lurched this way and that, as it rose and fell with frightening severity, when all the adults were scared half to death, that marvelous child was completely composed and unafraid.”

The pastor could hardly believe his eyes.

It was not surprising therefore, that when the plane finally reached its destination and all the passengers were hurrying to disembark, the pastor lingered to speak to the girl whom he had watched for such a long time.

Having commented about the storm and the behavior of the plane, he asked why she had not been afraid.

The child replied: ”Cause my Daddy’s the pilot, and he’s taking me home.”

There are many kinds of storms that buffet us. Physical, mental, financial, domestic, and many other storms can easily and quickly darken our skies and throw our plane into uncontrollable movement. We have all known such times, and let us be honest and confess, it is much easier to be at rest when our feet are on the ground than when we are being tossed about a darkened sky.

Let us remember: Our Father is the Pilot. He is in control and taking us home. So … Don’t worry!

One of the suggestions that was made re. our website was about having a Congregational Calendar available online so that we could be better informed about upcoming events etc.

Well, we’ve heard you and have created a google calendar for LPC Events here.

This calendar features all regular events as well as other events that will be taking place within the congregation from time-to-time.

If we have MISSED ANYTHING please let us know.

One of the most consistent comments offered on our new website has been the question about the “banner” – the picture – which runs along the top of the website. I have heard some interesting comments such as: “Why is there a picture of the Western Cape coast on our website?” In fact the picture was of the Irish North Coast, but was a default picture that was connected to the wordpress.com template that were are using.

THIS HAS NOW BEEN CHANGED.

Per kind favour of Kevin Somerville we now have our own local banner as you can see. This picture was taken right here in our area and I hope that it will suffice as our new banner.

If, however, anynone wants to send us pictures that we can use for future updates of the banner, please make sure they are of  an appropriate size and that you give us, or have permission to use the picture on a public site.

If we take the name “Christian”, we’re called to give ourselves to God as a “living sacrifice.” This is what the scripture says in Romans:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)

Dying to “Self”

The world speaks of the rights of people and it does this continuously. In our natural selves our feeling of self worth is tied up in pride, and it is our pride which is most easily offended. It was written that men seek first the respect of other men and then to be desirable to women (or should that be the gender of their choice?). The same source says that women want to be envied by other women. There are legions of books on the subject, but the fact is that it is our pride that is the thing most easily hurt. It is also the sin of Satan that cost him his place with God, and thus the beginning of all sin.

So, how do we truly present ourselves to God as a living sacrifice? We must identify with Christ in his death, accept that we no longer have any “right” to ourselves, we have to regard the self as crucified. This is how “The Message” Bible, a new work which was aimed at catching and expressing in modern English the idiom of the original Greek expresses Galatians 2:20:

“Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

“Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.”

So how do we do this in practice? The ideal is reflected in this anonymous poem …

”When you are forgotten, neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you don’t sting or hurt with the oversight, but your heart is happy being counted worthy to suffer for Christ;

That is dying to self.

When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinion ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence;

That is dying to self.

When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any annoyance; when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility, and endure it as Jesus did;

That is dying to self.

When you are content with any food, and offering, any raiment, any climate, any society, any solitude, any interruption by the will of God;

That is dying to self.

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation or record your own good works or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown;

That is dying to self.

When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met, and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy, nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and you are in desperate circumstances;

That is dying to self.

When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself and can humbly submit, inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart;

That is dying to self.”

If we were all dead to self, then there would be very little strife and infighting in the church of Christ. The truth is that, somehow, most of us have not put self to death and remain locked in the flesh – even as the Corinthians were:

“You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarrelling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?” 1 Corinthians 3:3