Just a few pictures from Monday....George decided we should
take our lunch to Debegeni Waterfall just 15 minutes from our home. :o)
It was such a beautiful South African day!
Friday, August 31, 2007
Chocolate Soldier....Part THREE
Sorry this is a bit long, but I wanted to give you the rest of this article today....copied from C.T. Studd, Chocolate Soldiers.
The Chocolate Christians of today can at least boast of having an ancient pedigree.
There are Chocolates à la Reuben, who have great searchings of heart, and make great resolves of heart too. But somehow they still sit among the sheepfolds, listening to the pipings of their much loved organs, or the strumming of their guitars. It is good to have great heart-searching. It is better to make a great heart resolve. But if, instead of obeying, we squat among the sheep, leaving our few hard-pressed brothers to tackle the wolves by themselves, we are only Chocolate Christians. You made a great resolve to go to Africa for Christ a year or two ago. Where are you now? Still in the West? In Britain? Yes! Yes! Lollipop! (Judges 5:16)
Chocolate Demas left fiery, hard-hitting Paul for an easier path. He said he thought Paul should wink at or slobber over sin instead of rebuking it. "He was so very fond of the knife, you know. He never would use sticking plaster, because he said it never healed the sore, but made it burrow underneath and become bigger, worse and dangerous" (2 Timothy 4;10).
Mark joined the Chocolate Brigade once. He left Paul and Barnabas in the lurch, and went back to Jerusalem for a rest cure - a religious retreat. Thank God he got sick of it before long, and re-enlisting in God's army became a useful soldier. (Acts 13;13)
Many fine youngsters are turned into Chocolates by old prophets. Old prophets who have lost their fire, or who fire off words instead of deeds, usually become great Chocolate manufacturers. That poor young prophet! He did so well when he obeyed God only, but it was all over with him when he listened to another voice, even though it was that of an old prophet. Did not the old prophet say he was a prophet? And say that he had got the message straight from God? What a damnable lie! The floor of Christendom and elsewhere is littered with WRECKS made by old prophets. God won't stand nonsense from any man. Every man has to choose between Christ and Barabbas, and every Christian between God and some old prophet. Better be a silly donkey in the estimation of an old prophet than to listen to his soft talk and flattery, and afterwards became a wreck. "This is My beloved Son, hear HIM." "You have an anointing from God, and you do not need anyone to teach you." You say you believe the Bible! Do your deeds give the lie to your words? (1 Kings 13).
THE TEN SPIES WERE CHOCOLATES. They melted and ran over the whole congregation of Israel, turning them into Chocolate Creams - softies, afraid to face the fire and water before them. God put them all into the saucepan again and boiled them for forty years in the desert, and left them there. He has no use for Chocolates. It is not small things that He despises, but 'Chocolates', for He said, "Your little ones shall inherit the promised land which you have forfeited through listening to men and despising Me." (Numbers 13)
JONAH became a Chocolate Soldier once. Told to go to Africa, he went to Liverpool and took ship for America. Luckily he met a storm and a whale which, after three day's instruction, taught him how to pray and obey, and set him once again on the right track. (Jonah 1)
There is nothing that shows up Chocolates so much as a bit of a breeze among God's people. Paul and Barnabas had one once. Judging from experience, I guess there were some Chocolates about then who got into a fog right away! Before that they had vowed they would go to the mission field, but this breeze between P. and B. put them off. If they had not been MADE OF CHOCOLATE they would have said, "This affair between Paul and Barnabas only makes it more necessary for me to keep close to God, and to do what He told me to do more exactly and punctually; so I shall go to Africa a bit sooner, that's all!"
Difficulties, dangers, disease, death or divisions don't deter any but Chocolates from executing God's will. When someone says there is a lion in the way, the real Christian promptly replies, "That's hardly enough inducement for me; I want a bear or two besides to make it worth my while to go."
Chocolates are very fond of talking loud and long against some whom they call fanatics, as though there were any danger of Christians being fanatics nowadays! Why, fanatics among Christians are as rare as the dodo. Now, if they declaimed against tepidity, they would talk sense. God's real people have always been called fanatics. Jesus was called mad, so was Paul; so were Whitefield, Wesley, Moody, Spurgeon. No one has graduated far in God's school who has not been paid the compliment of being called a fanatic. We Christians of today are indeed a tepid crew. Had we but half the fire and enthusiasm of the Suffragettes of the past, we would have the world evangelized and Christ back amongst us in no time. Had we the pluck and heroism of the Battle of Britain pilots, or the men who go on Polar expeditions or climb Everest, or for any ordinary dare-devil enterprise, we could have every soul on earth knowing the name of Jesus Christ in less than ten years.
Alas! What stirs ordinary men's blood and turns them into heroes makes most Christians run like a flock of frightened sheep. Militants daily risk their lives in furtherance of their particular cause, and subscribe with their means in a way that cries "Shame!" on us Christians, who generally brand the braving of risks and fighting against odds as "tempting God".
CHOCOLATE CARAMELS (stick-jaws, boys call them) jawing, "I go, sir," and sticking fast in Christendom! No conquest is made in assured safety, and conquest for Christ certainly cannot be so made.
We Christians too often SUBSTITUTE PRAYER FOR PLAYING THE GAME. Prayer is good; but when used as a substitute for obedience it is nothing but blatant hypocrisy, a despicable Pharisaism. We need as many meetings for action as for prayer - perhaps more. Every orthodox prayer meeting is opened by God saying to His people, "Go work today; pray that labourers will be sent into My vineyard." It is continued by the Christian's response, "I go, Lord, wherever You send me, that Your Name may be hallowed everywhere as it is in heaven." But if it ends in nobody going anywhere, it had better never have been held at all. Like faith, prayer without works is dead. That is why many Prayer Meetings might well be styled "much bleating, yet little wool". Zerubbabel did not only hold prayer meetings; he went and cut down trees and started to build. Hence God said, "From this day on I will bless you."
A report says that someone has rediscovered the secret of the old masters. Cannot we Christians rediscover, and put into practice, the secret of our Great Master and His former pupils. Heroism? He and they did not save themselves; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death, and so kept on saving them by losing for Christ's sake.
We are frittering away time and money in a multiplicity of conventions, conferences and retreats, when the real need is to go straight and full steam into battle.
The 'vox humana' plays too important a part in our Christian organs and organizations today. The music, whoever plays, is bound to be thin when the stops in 'instant obedience' and 'fiery valour' are missing or unused. Without them, to play the "Lost Chord" of heroism is an impossibility.
"Do whatever He tells you," said the blessed virgin. Do what? Not put treacle and spice into the soft holy vessels inside the house, but pour the water of life into those empty stone ones outside! Cana's marriage feast would have ended in shame had the wine run short. Christ's marriage feast only begins when the wine is sufficient - a blend from every nation, tribe, people and language. The supply is assured as soon as the water is poured out as Christ directed, into "the uttermost parts of the earth". The mischief today is the reluctance of the servants to do the outside work. They all want to serve indoors, wear smart clothes, listen to the conversation, and make a terrible lot of themselves in the butler's pantry.
DO LET US MAKE A REAL START NOW - AT ONCE.
For years, like Mr. Winkle, we've declared we were just about to begin, and then never began at all. We must divorce Chocolate and Disobedience, and marry Faith and Heroism.
"Who shall begin the battle?" asked the king. "You will," replied the prophet. And when the king and the young officers led the way, although the odds against them were terrific, they won with ridiculous ease. (1 Kings 20:14)
So, too, the apostles led in the war of God to the uttermost parts of the earth.
God's summons today is to the young men and women of Great Britain and the Commonwealth, of America and Europe, and of third world countries, who call themselves by the name of Christ.
"New wine," said Christ, "must be poured into new wineskins." Those superfluously labeled and patched-up old-fashioned ones are as hopeless as the "New Theology". They cannot be moved lest they burst with pride and spill the wine in the wrong place.
Listen! "In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions (of faith), your old men will dream dreams (of valorous obedience). Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, and they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, and everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved." But how can they call on Him of whom they have not even heard? Must you stay, young man? Can't you go, young woman, and tell them? Truly we are in the last - the Laodicean stage - that of the Lukewarm Church.
Will you be to Christ the partner of His throne or an emetic (Rev. 3:16); a Militant or a Chocolate Christian?
Will you fear or will you fight? Shall your brothers go to war and will you sit here? When He comes, will He find faith on the earth?
A thousand times you have admitted Christ's
"Love so amazing, so divine,Demands your life, your soul, your all."
Will you be a miser and withhold what honour demands of you? Will you give like Ananias and Sapphira who, pretending they gave all, gave only part?
Possessing and enjoying the vineyard, will you, like the tenants, refuse the agreed rent? (Luke 20: 9-11). Will you fear death, or the devil, or men, and will you not fear SHAME? Some shall rise to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Shall we refuse to emulate the heroes of old, or shall we accomplish the double fulfillment of these glorious words:
All these, being men of war, came with a perfect heart to make Jesus King over all the world. They were all mighty men of valour for the war! He that was least was equal to a hundred, and the greatest to a thousand! They were not the faces of lions! They were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains (to do their Lord's commands)!
You sought in time past for Jesus to be king over you. NOW THEN DO IT! (Compare 1 Chronicles 12:8, 33, 38, and 2 Samuel 3:17-18). Shall we not reply, "We are Yours, Jesus, and on Your side. May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I do not do what the Father promised You on oath, and transfer the kingdom from the house of Satan and establish Your throne over all the world." (Compare 1 Chronicles 12:18, and 2 Samuel 3:9-10).
Come then, let us restore the 'lost chord' of Christianity - HEROISM - to the world, and the crown of the world to Christ.
The Chocolate Christians of today can at least boast of having an ancient pedigree.
There are Chocolates à la Reuben, who have great searchings of heart, and make great resolves of heart too. But somehow they still sit among the sheepfolds, listening to the pipings of their much loved organs, or the strumming of their guitars. It is good to have great heart-searching. It is better to make a great heart resolve. But if, instead of obeying, we squat among the sheep, leaving our few hard-pressed brothers to tackle the wolves by themselves, we are only Chocolate Christians. You made a great resolve to go to Africa for Christ a year or two ago. Where are you now? Still in the West? In Britain? Yes! Yes! Lollipop! (Judges 5:16)
Chocolate Demas left fiery, hard-hitting Paul for an easier path. He said he thought Paul should wink at or slobber over sin instead of rebuking it. "He was so very fond of the knife, you know. He never would use sticking plaster, because he said it never healed the sore, but made it burrow underneath and become bigger, worse and dangerous" (2 Timothy 4;10).
Mark joined the Chocolate Brigade once. He left Paul and Barnabas in the lurch, and went back to Jerusalem for a rest cure - a religious retreat. Thank God he got sick of it before long, and re-enlisting in God's army became a useful soldier. (Acts 13;13)
Many fine youngsters are turned into Chocolates by old prophets. Old prophets who have lost their fire, or who fire off words instead of deeds, usually become great Chocolate manufacturers. That poor young prophet! He did so well when he obeyed God only, but it was all over with him when he listened to another voice, even though it was that of an old prophet. Did not the old prophet say he was a prophet? And say that he had got the message straight from God? What a damnable lie! The floor of Christendom and elsewhere is littered with WRECKS made by old prophets. God won't stand nonsense from any man. Every man has to choose between Christ and Barabbas, and every Christian between God and some old prophet. Better be a silly donkey in the estimation of an old prophet than to listen to his soft talk and flattery, and afterwards became a wreck. "This is My beloved Son, hear HIM." "You have an anointing from God, and you do not need anyone to teach you." You say you believe the Bible! Do your deeds give the lie to your words? (1 Kings 13).
THE TEN SPIES WERE CHOCOLATES. They melted and ran over the whole congregation of Israel, turning them into Chocolate Creams - softies, afraid to face the fire and water before them. God put them all into the saucepan again and boiled them for forty years in the desert, and left them there. He has no use for Chocolates. It is not small things that He despises, but 'Chocolates', for He said, "Your little ones shall inherit the promised land which you have forfeited through listening to men and despising Me." (Numbers 13)
JONAH became a Chocolate Soldier once. Told to go to Africa, he went to Liverpool and took ship for America. Luckily he met a storm and a whale which, after three day's instruction, taught him how to pray and obey, and set him once again on the right track. (Jonah 1)
There is nothing that shows up Chocolates so much as a bit of a breeze among God's people. Paul and Barnabas had one once. Judging from experience, I guess there were some Chocolates about then who got into a fog right away! Before that they had vowed they would go to the mission field, but this breeze between P. and B. put them off. If they had not been MADE OF CHOCOLATE they would have said, "This affair between Paul and Barnabas only makes it more necessary for me to keep close to God, and to do what He told me to do more exactly and punctually; so I shall go to Africa a bit sooner, that's all!"
Difficulties, dangers, disease, death or divisions don't deter any but Chocolates from executing God's will. When someone says there is a lion in the way, the real Christian promptly replies, "That's hardly enough inducement for me; I want a bear or two besides to make it worth my while to go."
Chocolates are very fond of talking loud and long against some whom they call fanatics, as though there were any danger of Christians being fanatics nowadays! Why, fanatics among Christians are as rare as the dodo. Now, if they declaimed against tepidity, they would talk sense. God's real people have always been called fanatics. Jesus was called mad, so was Paul; so were Whitefield, Wesley, Moody, Spurgeon. No one has graduated far in God's school who has not been paid the compliment of being called a fanatic. We Christians of today are indeed a tepid crew. Had we but half the fire and enthusiasm of the Suffragettes of the past, we would have the world evangelized and Christ back amongst us in no time. Had we the pluck and heroism of the Battle of Britain pilots, or the men who go on Polar expeditions or climb Everest, or for any ordinary dare-devil enterprise, we could have every soul on earth knowing the name of Jesus Christ in less than ten years.
Alas! What stirs ordinary men's blood and turns them into heroes makes most Christians run like a flock of frightened sheep. Militants daily risk their lives in furtherance of their particular cause, and subscribe with their means in a way that cries "Shame!" on us Christians, who generally brand the braving of risks and fighting against odds as "tempting God".
CHOCOLATE CARAMELS (stick-jaws, boys call them) jawing, "I go, sir," and sticking fast in Christendom! No conquest is made in assured safety, and conquest for Christ certainly cannot be so made.
We Christians too often SUBSTITUTE PRAYER FOR PLAYING THE GAME. Prayer is good; but when used as a substitute for obedience it is nothing but blatant hypocrisy, a despicable Pharisaism. We need as many meetings for action as for prayer - perhaps more. Every orthodox prayer meeting is opened by God saying to His people, "Go work today; pray that labourers will be sent into My vineyard." It is continued by the Christian's response, "I go, Lord, wherever You send me, that Your Name may be hallowed everywhere as it is in heaven." But if it ends in nobody going anywhere, it had better never have been held at all. Like faith, prayer without works is dead. That is why many Prayer Meetings might well be styled "much bleating, yet little wool". Zerubbabel did not only hold prayer meetings; he went and cut down trees and started to build. Hence God said, "From this day on I will bless you."
A report says that someone has rediscovered the secret of the old masters. Cannot we Christians rediscover, and put into practice, the secret of our Great Master and His former pupils. Heroism? He and they did not save themselves; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death, and so kept on saving them by losing for Christ's sake.
We are frittering away time and money in a multiplicity of conventions, conferences and retreats, when the real need is to go straight and full steam into battle.
The 'vox humana' plays too important a part in our Christian organs and organizations today. The music, whoever plays, is bound to be thin when the stops in 'instant obedience' and 'fiery valour' are missing or unused. Without them, to play the "Lost Chord" of heroism is an impossibility.
"Do whatever He tells you," said the blessed virgin. Do what? Not put treacle and spice into the soft holy vessels inside the house, but pour the water of life into those empty stone ones outside! Cana's marriage feast would have ended in shame had the wine run short. Christ's marriage feast only begins when the wine is sufficient - a blend from every nation, tribe, people and language. The supply is assured as soon as the water is poured out as Christ directed, into "the uttermost parts of the earth". The mischief today is the reluctance of the servants to do the outside work. They all want to serve indoors, wear smart clothes, listen to the conversation, and make a terrible lot of themselves in the butler's pantry.
DO LET US MAKE A REAL START NOW - AT ONCE.
For years, like Mr. Winkle, we've declared we were just about to begin, and then never began at all. We must divorce Chocolate and Disobedience, and marry Faith and Heroism.
"Who shall begin the battle?" asked the king. "You will," replied the prophet. And when the king and the young officers led the way, although the odds against them were terrific, they won with ridiculous ease. (1 Kings 20:14)
So, too, the apostles led in the war of God to the uttermost parts of the earth.
God's summons today is to the young men and women of Great Britain and the Commonwealth, of America and Europe, and of third world countries, who call themselves by the name of Christ.
"New wine," said Christ, "must be poured into new wineskins." Those superfluously labeled and patched-up old-fashioned ones are as hopeless as the "New Theology". They cannot be moved lest they burst with pride and spill the wine in the wrong place.
Listen! "In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions (of faith), your old men will dream dreams (of valorous obedience). Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, and they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, and everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved." But how can they call on Him of whom they have not even heard? Must you stay, young man? Can't you go, young woman, and tell them? Truly we are in the last - the Laodicean stage - that of the Lukewarm Church.
Will you be to Christ the partner of His throne or an emetic (Rev. 3:16); a Militant or a Chocolate Christian?
Will you fear or will you fight? Shall your brothers go to war and will you sit here? When He comes, will He find faith on the earth?
A thousand times you have admitted Christ's
"Love so amazing, so divine,Demands your life, your soul, your all."
Will you be a miser and withhold what honour demands of you? Will you give like Ananias and Sapphira who, pretending they gave all, gave only part?
Possessing and enjoying the vineyard, will you, like the tenants, refuse the agreed rent? (Luke 20: 9-11). Will you fear death, or the devil, or men, and will you not fear SHAME? Some shall rise to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Shall we refuse to emulate the heroes of old, or shall we accomplish the double fulfillment of these glorious words:
All these, being men of war, came with a perfect heart to make Jesus King over all the world. They were all mighty men of valour for the war! He that was least was equal to a hundred, and the greatest to a thousand! They were not the faces of lions! They were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains (to do their Lord's commands)!
You sought in time past for Jesus to be king over you. NOW THEN DO IT! (Compare 1 Chronicles 12:8, 33, 38, and 2 Samuel 3:17-18). Shall we not reply, "We are Yours, Jesus, and on Your side. May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I do not do what the Father promised You on oath, and transfer the kingdom from the house of Satan and establish Your throne over all the world." (Compare 1 Chronicles 12:18, and 2 Samuel 3:9-10).
Come then, let us restore the 'lost chord' of Christianity - HEROISM - to the world, and the crown of the world to Christ.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
What shall we say after this?
Ezra 9:1-15
A good question indeed! A question that is probably long overdue to be asked by many of us. Ezra had led a remnant of Jews back to Jerusalem, after 70 yrs. of judgment in captivity for their sins. God gave them grace, a nail in his holy place, and a little reviving in their bondage, v.8. They had seen the goodness of God, and experienced mercy that was undeserved. They could have rightfully died in a strange land, but God allowed them to return home and begin to reconstruct the temple of God to worship Him again. Then the very rulers of the land led in the rebellion against the clear commands of God. The people began to join themselves in marriages with the heathen of the land. This was one of the very sins that had sent them into 70 yrs. of bondage! When Ezra uncovered the sin that was on a rampage, he fell on his face, broken and weeping, in confession before God. "What shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments", v.10. Ezra realized that they were living on borrowed time, and existing on undeserved grace, and now they were tempting God by returning to rebellion!
Are they any different than us today? Having been saved by the grace of God from a fully deserved condemnation, how often have we returned to the sin that brought us under condemnation in the first place? Alas, what shall we say after this? We who lived all of our life in bondage to sin, and should have rightfully died in the land of the devil, but God saw fit to give us His grace and a little reviving in our bondage. When we return to the deeds of the old man, we walk all over the undeserved grace of God. What shall we say after we sin? Is sin so small of a thing to simply be brushed away? Is it such a miniscule matter as to be given a seat by well crafted excuses? Is it so harmless a thing that we should coddle it as a pet? What shall we say to the God of grace? I think the only word that can rightly be uttered is the contrite confession of Ezra...."O God thou art righteous....we cannot stand before thee". May we never make a place to harbor sin.
A good question indeed! A question that is probably long overdue to be asked by many of us. Ezra had led a remnant of Jews back to Jerusalem, after 70 yrs. of judgment in captivity for their sins. God gave them grace, a nail in his holy place, and a little reviving in their bondage, v.8. They had seen the goodness of God, and experienced mercy that was undeserved. They could have rightfully died in a strange land, but God allowed them to return home and begin to reconstruct the temple of God to worship Him again. Then the very rulers of the land led in the rebellion against the clear commands of God. The people began to join themselves in marriages with the heathen of the land. This was one of the very sins that had sent them into 70 yrs. of bondage! When Ezra uncovered the sin that was on a rampage, he fell on his face, broken and weeping, in confession before God. "What shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments", v.10. Ezra realized that they were living on borrowed time, and existing on undeserved grace, and now they were tempting God by returning to rebellion!
Are they any different than us today? Having been saved by the grace of God from a fully deserved condemnation, how often have we returned to the sin that brought us under condemnation in the first place? Alas, what shall we say after this? We who lived all of our life in bondage to sin, and should have rightfully died in the land of the devil, but God saw fit to give us His grace and a little reviving in our bondage. When we return to the deeds of the old man, we walk all over the undeserved grace of God. What shall we say after we sin? Is sin so small of a thing to simply be brushed away? Is it such a miniscule matter as to be given a seat by well crafted excuses? Is it so harmless a thing that we should coddle it as a pet? What shall we say to the God of grace? I think the only word that can rightly be uttered is the contrite confession of Ezra...."O God thou art righteous....we cannot stand before thee". May we never make a place to harbor sin.
Prayer Alert
A few men who need your prayers...
Sam Shingange...We have an appointment tomorrow morning at 10 to meet with Sam and discuss the possibilities of starting Bible studies with him, and hopefully a group of people at his house. He called me today to say that he had met with the 'chief' of the village, who has forbidden any more churches to begin meeting in their village of Mhangweni. I don't know what the solution is at this point, that is what we will be looking for tomorrow, but I do know that the Word of God will not be bound by a mortal man, 'chief' though he may be. Please Pray!
Lefty Malatjie...Some time ago we came into contact with this man through our correspondence Bible studies. He came to us several months ago requesting our help with 'starting a church', but was very deep as a 'preacher' in the Charismatic movement. We met with him and obviously scared him off with the truth. Then, two months ago I received a letter from him, declaring that he rejects the doctrine of the 'sign gifts', and wants to receive more teaching. I met with him today and he again affirmed that desire. He is to be with us on Sunday for the services in Motupa, and Lord willing, we will begin to do some intense work with him, beginning with his testimony. Please pray for this man, perhaps God really wants to do something through his life. Charismatic preachers are a dime a dozen over here, and most often prove to be nothing more than hirelings, playing a religious game and making merchandise of the things of God. Sometimes you find a jewel in the midst of the mess....hopefully Lefty can turn out to be a jewel!
Sam Shingange...We have an appointment tomorrow morning at 10 to meet with Sam and discuss the possibilities of starting Bible studies with him, and hopefully a group of people at his house. He called me today to say that he had met with the 'chief' of the village, who has forbidden any more churches to begin meeting in their village of Mhangweni. I don't know what the solution is at this point, that is what we will be looking for tomorrow, but I do know that the Word of God will not be bound by a mortal man, 'chief' though he may be. Please Pray!
Lefty Malatjie...Some time ago we came into contact with this man through our correspondence Bible studies. He came to us several months ago requesting our help with 'starting a church', but was very deep as a 'preacher' in the Charismatic movement. We met with him and obviously scared him off with the truth. Then, two months ago I received a letter from him, declaring that he rejects the doctrine of the 'sign gifts', and wants to receive more teaching. I met with him today and he again affirmed that desire. He is to be with us on Sunday for the services in Motupa, and Lord willing, we will begin to do some intense work with him, beginning with his testimony. Please pray for this man, perhaps God really wants to do something through his life. Charismatic preachers are a dime a dozen over here, and most often prove to be nothing more than hirelings, playing a religious game and making merchandise of the things of God. Sometimes you find a jewel in the midst of the mess....hopefully Lefty can turn out to be a jewel!
Monday, August 27, 2007
Prayer Alert
Sam Shingange....Thanks to those who prayed for our visit with Sam last week. Keep praying for this fellow. We did meet with him on Thursday, but not for long, as he had been called on to help dig a grave for a friend from his village. He appears to be very interested in meeting with us for some further studies, and is to get back to us on Tuesday this week. We hope to see him again this week and talk with him about his soul directly.
Michael....is a security guard at a nearby store that we frequent on a regular basis. I have been witnessing to him for some time. On Friday he opened up to me about some of the things in his life that are keeping him from being saved. He lives in Motupa village, where we are meeting on Sunday afternoons. He was to be with us yesterday, but didn't make it for some reason. There is a battle for his soul.....will you please pray for him today!
Samuel....is a friend of Fels, a man in the work at Motupa. Fels was just saved 2 months ago and has been busy witnessing to so many folks. Samuel has been to the study 2 of the last 3 Sundays now. He has expressed great interest in hearing the Bible taught. He has been attending an Apostolic Church, but told us, "we never hear the Bible taught like this at my church"....praise the Lord. Please pray for this man to come to faith in Christ.
Michael....is a security guard at a nearby store that we frequent on a regular basis. I have been witnessing to him for some time. On Friday he opened up to me about some of the things in his life that are keeping him from being saved. He lives in Motupa village, where we are meeting on Sunday afternoons. He was to be with us yesterday, but didn't make it for some reason. There is a battle for his soul.....will you please pray for him today!
Samuel....is a friend of Fels, a man in the work at Motupa. Fels was just saved 2 months ago and has been busy witnessing to so many folks. Samuel has been to the study 2 of the last 3 Sundays now. He has expressed great interest in hearing the Bible taught. He has been attending an Apostolic Church, but told us, "we never hear the Bible taught like this at my church"....praise the Lord. Please pray for this man to come to faith in Christ.
Chocolate Soldier....Part TWO
God never was a chocolate manufacturer and never will be. God's men are always heroes. In Scripture you can trace their giant foot-tracks down the sands of time.
NOAH walked with God: he did not only preach righteousness, he acted it. He went through water and did not melt. He breasted the current of the popular opinion of his day, scorning alike the hatred and ridicule of the scoffers who mocked at the thought of there being but one way of salvation. He warned the unbelieving and, entering the ark himself, did not open the door an inch when once God had shut it. A real hero untainted by the fear of man!
Learn to scorn the praise of men,Learn to lose with God;Jesus won the world through shame!And beckons us His road.
ABRAHAM, a simple farmer, at a word from the invisible God, marched with family and stock through the terrible desert to a distant land to live among a people whose language he could neither speak nor understand! Not bad that! But later he did even better, marching hot foot against the combined armies of five kings, flushed with recent victory, to rescue one man! His army? Just 318 odd fellows, armed like a circus crowd. And he won!
"He always wins who sides with God." What pluck! Only a farmer! No war training! Yet what hero has eclipsed his fear? He was the Friend of God - that was his open secret.
MOSES, the man of God, was a species of human chameleon: scholar, general, law-giver, leader, etc., brought up as the emperor's grandson with more than a good chance of coming to the throne. There was only one thing between him and it - Truth. What a choice! What a temptation! A throne for a lie! Ignominy, truth! He played the man! "Refusing to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, he chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin and success for a season, accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt."
Again I see him. Now an old man and alone, marching stolidly back to Egypt after forty years of exile. He goes to beard the lion in his den, to liberate Pharaoh's slaves right under his very nose, and to lead them across that great and terrible wilderness. A wild-cat affair, if ever there was one! When were God's schemes otherwise? Look at Jordan, Jericho, Gideon, Goliath, and scores of others. Tame tabby-cat schemes are stamped with another hallmark - that of the Chocolate Brigade! How dearly they love their tabbies, yet think themselves wise men! Real Christians revel in desperate ventures for Christ, expecting from God great things and attempting the same with exhilaration. History cannot match this feat of Moses. How was it done? He consulted not with flesh and blood; he obeyed not men but God.
Once again I see the old grey-beard, this time descending Mount Sinai with giant strides and rushing into the camp, his eyes blazing like burning coals. One man against two million dancing dervishes drunk with debauchery! Bravo! Well done, old man! First class! His cheek does not pale, but his mouth moves, and I think I catch his words, "If God is for me, who can be against me? I will not be afraid of ten thousand of the people that have set themselves against me. Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear." And he didn't. He wins again. Whence this desperate courage? Listen! "Now the man Moses was very meek above all the men which were upon the face of the earth." "The Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend." "My servant Moses", said his Master, "is faithful in all My house; with him I will speak mouth to mouth." Such is the explanation of Moses, the chameleon, the man, the friend of God, and consequently a first class hero.
DAVID, the man after God's own heart, was a man of war and a mighty man of valour. When all Israel was on the run, David faced Goliath - alone ... with God - and he was only a youngster, and well-scolded, too, by his own brother for having come to see the battle. What a splendid fool brother Eliab must have been! As though David would go to see a battle and not stay to fight. They are chocolate soldiers who merely go to see battles and coolly urge others to fight them. They had better save their journey money and use it to send out real fighters instead. Soldiers don't need dry nurses, and if they did the Holy Spirit is always on the spot and ready to undertake any case on simple application.
No! David went to the battle and stayed to fight, and won! Wise beyond his years, he had no use for Saul's armour. It cramped his freedom of action. He tried it on and took it off quick sharp. And besides, it made such a ghastly rattle, even when he walked, that he could not hear the still small voice of God, and would never have heard Him say afterwards. "This is the way to the brook, David. And there are the five smooth stones! Trust only in Me and them. Your own home-made sling will do first class. And there, that's the shortest cut to Goliath." THE CHOCOLATES had run away (they were all chocolates) but David ran upon Goliath. One smooth stone was enough.
David's secret was that he had but one Director, and He, the Infallible One. He directed the stone as He directed the youth. Too many directors spoil the sport, and two many by just one. Thus Christ said to His soldiers, "HE shall teach you all things. HE shall guide you into all truth."
"This is My Beloved Son; HEAR HIM."
"One mediator only, between God and man, the man Christ Jesus."
One Director of Christian men - God the Holy Spirit, whose directions require indeed instant obedience, but not the endorsement of any man.
The Devil needs red-hot shot, fresh from the foundry of the Holy Spirit. He laughs at cold shot or tepid, and as for that made of half iron and half clay, half divine and half human, why you might just as well pelt him with snow balls.
Whence did this raw youth derive his pluck and skill? Not from military camps, nor theological schools, nor religious retreats. "To know the only True God and Jesus Christ" is enough. Paul determined to know only Jesus Christ and look at the great results! Whilst others were learning pretty theories, David, like John the Baptist, had been alone with God in the wilds, practicing on bears and lions. The result? He knew God and did exploits. He knew God only. He trusted God only. That is the secret. God alone gives strength. God adulterated with men entails the weakness of iron and clay - Chocolate - brittleness!
Yet here as he was, even David (alas!) once stayed and played the role of a Chocolate Soldier. He stayed at home when he should have gone to war. His army, far off, in danger, fighting the enemy, won. David, at home, going there, suffered the one great defeat of his life, entailing such a bitter, life-long reaping as might well deter others from the folly of sowing wild oats. David's sin is a terrific sermon (like Lot's preaching in Sodom must have been). Its theme? Don't be a Chocolate Soldier!
In his simple, quick and full confession, David proved himself to be a man again. It takes a real man to make a true confession - a Chocolate Soldier will excuse or cloak his sin. He tumbles in the mud, flounders on, wipes his mouth to try and get the bad taste of his acted lie out of it, and then goes on his way saying, "I have done no wickedness." A self-murdering fool! Killing his conscience to save his face, like Baalam beating the ass who sought to save his master's life. Being a Chocolate Soldier nearly finished David. Beware!
NATHAN was another real Christian Soldier. He went to his king and rebuked him to his face, like Peter's dealing with Ananias (only David embraced his opportunity and confessed), and unlike the Chocolate Soldiers of today who go whispering about and refusing either to judge, rebuke, or put away evil because of the entailed scandal. Forsooth! Veritable Soapy Sams! They say, "It is nothing, nothing at all! A mere misunderstanding!" As though God's cause would suffer more through a bold declaration and defense of the truth and the use of the knife, than by the hiding up of sin, and the certain development of mortification in the member, involving death to the whole body. "He who does what is right is righteous;" and "he who does what is sinful is of the devil" and ought to be told so. He that is a second time led captive by the devil needs neither plaster nor treacle, but the brave rebuke and summons to repentance of a righteous man to effect his salvation. We are badly in need of 'Nathans' today, who fear God and nothing else, no, not even a scandal.
DANIEL was another hero. Of course he was! Was not the man greatly beloved of God, who sent an angel to tell him so?
I love to watch him as he walks, with firm step and radiant face, to the lions' den, stopping but once - like his Master on route to Calvary - to comfort his weeping and agonized emperor. God shut the mouths of the lions against Daniel, but opened them wide against those who had opened their mouths against His servant. A man is known by his works, and the works of Daniel were his three friends who, rather than bow down to men or gold, braved the fiery furnace.
Again, see him going to the banquet hall, and hear his conductor whisper in his ear, "Draw it mild, Daniel. Be statesmanlike. You'll get position and power again if you are tactful and wise, especially tactful." And Daniel's simple reply, "Get behind me, Satan!" There he stands before the king, braving torture or instant death - but it's the king who quails, not Daniel - who tells him to his face the whole truth of God, diminishing not a jot.
And so the tale goes on. Go where you will through the Scriptures or history, you will find that men who really knew God, and did not merely say they did, were invariably paragons of pluck, dare - devil desperadoes for Jesus, gamblers for God. "Fools and madmen!" shout the world and the Chocolates. "Yes, for Christ's sake," add the angels. Nobly they fought to win the prize:
Climbing the steep ascent of heaven,Through peril, toil and pain,O God, to us let grace be given,To follow in their train.
NOAH walked with God: he did not only preach righteousness, he acted it. He went through water and did not melt. He breasted the current of the popular opinion of his day, scorning alike the hatred and ridicule of the scoffers who mocked at the thought of there being but one way of salvation. He warned the unbelieving and, entering the ark himself, did not open the door an inch when once God had shut it. A real hero untainted by the fear of man!
Learn to scorn the praise of men,Learn to lose with God;Jesus won the world through shame!And beckons us His road.
ABRAHAM, a simple farmer, at a word from the invisible God, marched with family and stock through the terrible desert to a distant land to live among a people whose language he could neither speak nor understand! Not bad that! But later he did even better, marching hot foot against the combined armies of five kings, flushed with recent victory, to rescue one man! His army? Just 318 odd fellows, armed like a circus crowd. And he won!
"He always wins who sides with God." What pluck! Only a farmer! No war training! Yet what hero has eclipsed his fear? He was the Friend of God - that was his open secret.
MOSES, the man of God, was a species of human chameleon: scholar, general, law-giver, leader, etc., brought up as the emperor's grandson with more than a good chance of coming to the throne. There was only one thing between him and it - Truth. What a choice! What a temptation! A throne for a lie! Ignominy, truth! He played the man! "Refusing to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, he chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin and success for a season, accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt."
Again I see him. Now an old man and alone, marching stolidly back to Egypt after forty years of exile. He goes to beard the lion in his den, to liberate Pharaoh's slaves right under his very nose, and to lead them across that great and terrible wilderness. A wild-cat affair, if ever there was one! When were God's schemes otherwise? Look at Jordan, Jericho, Gideon, Goliath, and scores of others. Tame tabby-cat schemes are stamped with another hallmark - that of the Chocolate Brigade! How dearly they love their tabbies, yet think themselves wise men! Real Christians revel in desperate ventures for Christ, expecting from God great things and attempting the same with exhilaration. History cannot match this feat of Moses. How was it done? He consulted not with flesh and blood; he obeyed not men but God.
Once again I see the old grey-beard, this time descending Mount Sinai with giant strides and rushing into the camp, his eyes blazing like burning coals. One man against two million dancing dervishes drunk with debauchery! Bravo! Well done, old man! First class! His cheek does not pale, but his mouth moves, and I think I catch his words, "If God is for me, who can be against me? I will not be afraid of ten thousand of the people that have set themselves against me. Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear." And he didn't. He wins again. Whence this desperate courage? Listen! "Now the man Moses was very meek above all the men which were upon the face of the earth." "The Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend." "My servant Moses", said his Master, "is faithful in all My house; with him I will speak mouth to mouth." Such is the explanation of Moses, the chameleon, the man, the friend of God, and consequently a first class hero.
DAVID, the man after God's own heart, was a man of war and a mighty man of valour. When all Israel was on the run, David faced Goliath - alone ... with God - and he was only a youngster, and well-scolded, too, by his own brother for having come to see the battle. What a splendid fool brother Eliab must have been! As though David would go to see a battle and not stay to fight. They are chocolate soldiers who merely go to see battles and coolly urge others to fight them. They had better save their journey money and use it to send out real fighters instead. Soldiers don't need dry nurses, and if they did the Holy Spirit is always on the spot and ready to undertake any case on simple application.
No! David went to the battle and stayed to fight, and won! Wise beyond his years, he had no use for Saul's armour. It cramped his freedom of action. He tried it on and took it off quick sharp. And besides, it made such a ghastly rattle, even when he walked, that he could not hear the still small voice of God, and would never have heard Him say afterwards. "This is the way to the brook, David. And there are the five smooth stones! Trust only in Me and them. Your own home-made sling will do first class. And there, that's the shortest cut to Goliath." THE CHOCOLATES had run away (they were all chocolates) but David ran upon Goliath. One smooth stone was enough.
David's secret was that he had but one Director, and He, the Infallible One. He directed the stone as He directed the youth. Too many directors spoil the sport, and two many by just one. Thus Christ said to His soldiers, "HE shall teach you all things. HE shall guide you into all truth."
"This is My Beloved Son; HEAR HIM."
"One mediator only, between God and man, the man Christ Jesus."
One Director of Christian men - God the Holy Spirit, whose directions require indeed instant obedience, but not the endorsement of any man.
The Devil needs red-hot shot, fresh from the foundry of the Holy Spirit. He laughs at cold shot or tepid, and as for that made of half iron and half clay, half divine and half human, why you might just as well pelt him with snow balls.
Whence did this raw youth derive his pluck and skill? Not from military camps, nor theological schools, nor religious retreats. "To know the only True God and Jesus Christ" is enough. Paul determined to know only Jesus Christ and look at the great results! Whilst others were learning pretty theories, David, like John the Baptist, had been alone with God in the wilds, practicing on bears and lions. The result? He knew God and did exploits. He knew God only. He trusted God only. That is the secret. God alone gives strength. God adulterated with men entails the weakness of iron and clay - Chocolate - brittleness!
Yet here as he was, even David (alas!) once stayed and played the role of a Chocolate Soldier. He stayed at home when he should have gone to war. His army, far off, in danger, fighting the enemy, won. David, at home, going there, suffered the one great defeat of his life, entailing such a bitter, life-long reaping as might well deter others from the folly of sowing wild oats. David's sin is a terrific sermon (like Lot's preaching in Sodom must have been). Its theme? Don't be a Chocolate Soldier!
In his simple, quick and full confession, David proved himself to be a man again. It takes a real man to make a true confession - a Chocolate Soldier will excuse or cloak his sin. He tumbles in the mud, flounders on, wipes his mouth to try and get the bad taste of his acted lie out of it, and then goes on his way saying, "I have done no wickedness." A self-murdering fool! Killing his conscience to save his face, like Baalam beating the ass who sought to save his master's life. Being a Chocolate Soldier nearly finished David. Beware!
NATHAN was another real Christian Soldier. He went to his king and rebuked him to his face, like Peter's dealing with Ananias (only David embraced his opportunity and confessed), and unlike the Chocolate Soldiers of today who go whispering about and refusing either to judge, rebuke, or put away evil because of the entailed scandal. Forsooth! Veritable Soapy Sams! They say, "It is nothing, nothing at all! A mere misunderstanding!" As though God's cause would suffer more through a bold declaration and defense of the truth and the use of the knife, than by the hiding up of sin, and the certain development of mortification in the member, involving death to the whole body. "He who does what is right is righteous;" and "he who does what is sinful is of the devil" and ought to be told so. He that is a second time led captive by the devil needs neither plaster nor treacle, but the brave rebuke and summons to repentance of a righteous man to effect his salvation. We are badly in need of 'Nathans' today, who fear God and nothing else, no, not even a scandal.
DANIEL was another hero. Of course he was! Was not the man greatly beloved of God, who sent an angel to tell him so?
I love to watch him as he walks, with firm step and radiant face, to the lions' den, stopping but once - like his Master on route to Calvary - to comfort his weeping and agonized emperor. God shut the mouths of the lions against Daniel, but opened them wide against those who had opened their mouths against His servant. A man is known by his works, and the works of Daniel were his three friends who, rather than bow down to men or gold, braved the fiery furnace.
Again, see him going to the banquet hall, and hear his conductor whisper in his ear, "Draw it mild, Daniel. Be statesmanlike. You'll get position and power again if you are tactful and wise, especially tactful." And Daniel's simple reply, "Get behind me, Satan!" There he stands before the king, braving torture or instant death - but it's the king who quails, not Daniel - who tells him to his face the whole truth of God, diminishing not a jot.
And so the tale goes on. Go where you will through the Scriptures or history, you will find that men who really knew God, and did not merely say they did, were invariably paragons of pluck, dare - devil desperadoes for Jesus, gamblers for God. "Fools and madmen!" shout the world and the Chocolates. "Yes, for Christ's sake," add the angels. Nobly they fought to win the prize:
Climbing the steep ascent of heaven,Through peril, toil and pain,O God, to us let grace be given,To follow in their train.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Church...Village Style
Joel and the visitors at Motupa today...
Anna and the visitors
George, David, Fels
Junior Church
Pews
Moruti, Jr.Saturday, August 25, 2007
Culture...and Weather
Hello! Good Saturday afternoon to you all. Yes Abbi, it’s really me. :o)
South African weather – it’s hard to predict, except in the summer time. You can always count on it to be hot – no matter what!
This is a fitting topic for the next in the Culture articles (previously posted at www.mamaruti.blogspot.com ). Yesterday was hot. Already?! Summer comes about a month earlier to Tzaneen than it does most other places in South Africa. It was over 85 ‘in the shade’ with humidity. This morning, we woke up to find a welcomed cloudy, dreary day and only 65 degrees. What a difference from yesterday!
We are in the southern hemisphere, not far south from the Tropic of Capricorn. Our seasons are opposite of yours. We are currently coming out of our winter – or whatever you call it when it doesn’t get any cooler than 40 at night and 50’s during the day (and that’s on a COLD day). Usually for our area, the winter, dry season is from June-August. Our summer, rainy season is from September-May.
There is no Spring or Fall as we know it in the USA. However in the mountains that run between where we live and where the Wilhites live, one can have the blessing of seeing the leaves on a few trees change to familiar hues of red and orange as cooler weather comes in June. Imagine for a moment, what it’d be like without Spring and Fall! We missionaries over here tend to miss those seasons we’ve been accustomed to most of our lives.
Summer is quite oppressive here in the subtropical paradise, as they call it, of Tzaneen. Because of the greenhouse effect, so to speak of being surrounded by majestic mountain ranges, we have a hot, humid, subtropical climate. Even just over the mountains and through the jungle to the Wilhites’ (and hour west of us through the mountain pass) will almost always bring a drier, cooler climate. Oftentimes we will leave Tzaneen sweltering and wish we’d brought our jackets when we arrive in Pietersburg! We find it humorous that when reporting the temperatures in South Africa, two temps are always given; the temperature in the shade and the temperature in the sun. When it says 100 degrees in the shade, there really is no point in knowing what it is in the sun. Who cares at that point, right?! That is what it takes for such beautiful scenery and vegetation. Ask anyone who has visited. We love the beauty that surrounds us here. I will be sharing pictures of Tzaneen in the future.
Winter is always a welcomed break from the heat, at least to us. However many die during this time of year because of such primitive living conditions for many. The coldest we have ever seen the thermometer read was 39 degrees, one time. What makes it seem so cold in the evenings and mornings is that the houses have no central heating as we Americans know it. Most houses have complete ceramic tile floors and brick walls (or worse), so the house gets quite chilly! A few space heaters here and there help alot!
Having opposite seasons is different indeed! That means that we’re enjoying a braai (African BBQ), the best watermelon, and sweating our brains out on Christmas Day. It also means that the only time anyone feels like roasting a turkey is for the 4th of July! :o) Think about that for a moment! When you are grocery shopping around Christmas time, and it’s 100 degrees out – in the shade – and you hear Bing Crosby singing, “White Christmas”; you just want to fall on the floor laughing hysterically. Most people here cannot even fathom what snow must be like. They laugh when we explain that Christmas to us, is cold and white. :o)
It’s all in your perspective!!
Have a blessed Lord's Day tomorrow...we are praying for services LVBC!
South African weather – it’s hard to predict, except in the summer time. You can always count on it to be hot – no matter what!
This is a fitting topic for the next in the Culture articles (previously posted at www.mamaruti.blogspot.com ). Yesterday was hot. Already?! Summer comes about a month earlier to Tzaneen than it does most other places in South Africa. It was over 85 ‘in the shade’ with humidity. This morning, we woke up to find a welcomed cloudy, dreary day and only 65 degrees. What a difference from yesterday!
We are in the southern hemisphere, not far south from the Tropic of Capricorn. Our seasons are opposite of yours. We are currently coming out of our winter – or whatever you call it when it doesn’t get any cooler than 40 at night and 50’s during the day (and that’s on a COLD day). Usually for our area, the winter, dry season is from June-August. Our summer, rainy season is from September-May.
There is no Spring or Fall as we know it in the USA. However in the mountains that run between where we live and where the Wilhites live, one can have the blessing of seeing the leaves on a few trees change to familiar hues of red and orange as cooler weather comes in June. Imagine for a moment, what it’d be like without Spring and Fall! We missionaries over here tend to miss those seasons we’ve been accustomed to most of our lives.
Summer is quite oppressive here in the subtropical paradise, as they call it, of Tzaneen. Because of the greenhouse effect, so to speak of being surrounded by majestic mountain ranges, we have a hot, humid, subtropical climate. Even just over the mountains and through the jungle to the Wilhites’ (and hour west of us through the mountain pass) will almost always bring a drier, cooler climate. Oftentimes we will leave Tzaneen sweltering and wish we’d brought our jackets when we arrive in Pietersburg! We find it humorous that when reporting the temperatures in South Africa, two temps are always given; the temperature in the shade and the temperature in the sun. When it says 100 degrees in the shade, there really is no point in knowing what it is in the sun. Who cares at that point, right?! That is what it takes for such beautiful scenery and vegetation. Ask anyone who has visited. We love the beauty that surrounds us here. I will be sharing pictures of Tzaneen in the future.
Winter is always a welcomed break from the heat, at least to us. However many die during this time of year because of such primitive living conditions for many. The coldest we have ever seen the thermometer read was 39 degrees, one time. What makes it seem so cold in the evenings and mornings is that the houses have no central heating as we Americans know it. Most houses have complete ceramic tile floors and brick walls (or worse), so the house gets quite chilly! A few space heaters here and there help alot!
Having opposite seasons is different indeed! That means that we’re enjoying a braai (African BBQ), the best watermelon, and sweating our brains out on Christmas Day. It also means that the only time anyone feels like roasting a turkey is for the 4th of July! :o) Think about that for a moment! When you are grocery shopping around Christmas time, and it’s 100 degrees out – in the shade – and you hear Bing Crosby singing, “White Christmas”; you just want to fall on the floor laughing hysterically. Most people here cannot even fathom what snow must be like. They laugh when we explain that Christmas to us, is cold and white. :o)
It’s all in your perspective!!
Have a blessed Lord's Day tomorrow...we are praying for services LVBC!
Friday, August 24, 2007
Chocolate Soldier....Part ONE
OK...I wrote a brief post yesterday about C.T. Studd, and then I read, for the first time, this article that he wrote, and I just had to share it. Problem is that it is quite lengthy, so I will just give you part one for today. This is not just 'preacher talk'....this is from a man who walked in the shoes that he preached about below.....
The Chocolate Soldier
or Heroism - The Lost Chord of Christianity by C.T. Studd (1860-1931)
"Heroism is the lost chord; the missing note of present-day Christianity!"
Every true soldier is a hero! A SOLDIER WITHOUT HEROISM IS A CHOCOLATE SOLDIER! Who has not been stirred to scorn and mirth at the very thought of a Chocolate Soldier? In peace true soldiers are captive lions, fretting in their cages. War gives them their liberty and sends them, like boys bounding out of school, to obtain their heart's desire or perish in the attempt. Battle is the soldier's vital breath! Peace turns him into a stooping asthmatic. War makes him a whole man again, and gives him the heart, strength, and vigour of a hero.
EVERY TRUE CHRISTIAN IS A SOLDIER - of Christ - a hero "par excellence"! Braver than the bravest - scorning the soft seductions of peace and her oft repeated warnings against hardship, disease, danger and death, whom he counts among his bosom friends.
THE OTHERWISE CHRISTIAN IS A Chocolate Christian, dissolving in water and melting at the smell of fire. Sweeties they are! Bonbons, lollipops! Living their lives in a glass dish or in a cardboard box, each clad in his soft clothing, a little frilled white paper to preserve his dear little delicate constitution.
Here are some Portraits of Chocolate Soldiers taken by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. "He said, 'I go sir,' and went not." He said he would go to the mission field, but he stuck fast to the Western world instead. "They say and do not" - they tell others to go, and yet do not go themselves. "Never", said General Gordon to a corporal, as he himself jumped upon the parapet of a trench before Sebastopol to fix a gabion which the corporal had ordered a private to fix and would not fix himself, "Never tell another man to do what you are afraid to do yourself."
To the Chocolate Soldier the very thought of war brings a violent attack of ague, while the call to battle always finds him with the palsy. "I really cannot move," he says. "I only wish I could, but I can sing, and here are some of my favorite lines:
"I must be carried to the skies
On a flowery bed of ease,
Let others fight to win the prize,
Or sail through bloody seas.
Mark time, Christian heroes,
Never go to war;
Stop and mind the babies Playing on the floor.
Wash and dress and feed them
Forty times a week,
'Til they're roly poly--Puddings so to speak.
Chorus:Round and round the nursery
Let us ambulate,
Sugar and spice and all that's nice
Must be on our plate."
The Chocolate Soldier
or Heroism - The Lost Chord of Christianity by C.T. Studd (1860-1931)
"Heroism is the lost chord; the missing note of present-day Christianity!"
Every true soldier is a hero! A SOLDIER WITHOUT HEROISM IS A CHOCOLATE SOLDIER! Who has not been stirred to scorn and mirth at the very thought of a Chocolate Soldier? In peace true soldiers are captive lions, fretting in their cages. War gives them their liberty and sends them, like boys bounding out of school, to obtain their heart's desire or perish in the attempt. Battle is the soldier's vital breath! Peace turns him into a stooping asthmatic. War makes him a whole man again, and gives him the heart, strength, and vigour of a hero.
EVERY TRUE CHRISTIAN IS A SOLDIER - of Christ - a hero "par excellence"! Braver than the bravest - scorning the soft seductions of peace and her oft repeated warnings against hardship, disease, danger and death, whom he counts among his bosom friends.
THE OTHERWISE CHRISTIAN IS A Chocolate Christian, dissolving in water and melting at the smell of fire. Sweeties they are! Bonbons, lollipops! Living their lives in a glass dish or in a cardboard box, each clad in his soft clothing, a little frilled white paper to preserve his dear little delicate constitution.
Here are some Portraits of Chocolate Soldiers taken by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. "He said, 'I go sir,' and went not." He said he would go to the mission field, but he stuck fast to the Western world instead. "They say and do not" - they tell others to go, and yet do not go themselves. "Never", said General Gordon to a corporal, as he himself jumped upon the parapet of a trench before Sebastopol to fix a gabion which the corporal had ordered a private to fix and would not fix himself, "Never tell another man to do what you are afraid to do yourself."
To the Chocolate Soldier the very thought of war brings a violent attack of ague, while the call to battle always finds him with the palsy. "I really cannot move," he says. "I only wish I could, but I can sing, and here are some of my favorite lines:
"I must be carried to the skies
On a flowery bed of ease,
Let others fight to win the prize,
Or sail through bloody seas.
Mark time, Christian heroes,
Never go to war;
Stop and mind the babies Playing on the floor.
Wash and dress and feed them
Forty times a week,
'Til they're roly poly--Puddings so to speak.
Chorus:Round and round the nursery
Let us ambulate,
Sugar and spice and all that's nice
Must be on our plate."
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Botswana Trips (July and August)
Dad Pierfy
Study with Zimbabweans
The Good News!!!
David
Pastor Hammett
Local Vendors
Taxi and Bus Rank
Advertising the African Way :o)C.T. Studd
Recently I have been reading the biography of C.T. Studd, by Norman Grubb. Though I had heard about this man before, I had not yet taken the time to read the story of his life. May I encourage you to pick up a copy of his biography today. In the meanwhile, let me give you a few highlights of this man's testimony.
Charles T. Studd was born in England in 1860. His father had made a fortune in India and moved back to England to retire on his wealth. C.T. was given a plush life on a silver platter. He and his brothers excelled in sports and became some of the greatest cricket players that England has ever known. However with his preoccupation with sports and materialism, he had no time for Christ until he turned 18. At the age of 18 he was converted, but continued on the path of popularity and sports for a few more years, until he came across a letter one day.....a letter from an atheist. This letter so impacted his life that he promptly quit his worldly pursuits and sailed for China as a missionary. At the age of 25 upon receiving his inheritance, he donated more than 25,000 pounds to men like D.L. Moody, George Muller, and other Godly men. A sum that would have made him nigh to a millionaire today!
That letter reads as follows: "Did I firmly believe, as millions say they do, that the knowledge and practice of religion in this life influences destiny in another, religion would mean everything to me. I would cast away earthly enjoyments as dross, earthly cares as follies, and earthly thoughts and feelings as vanity. Religion would be my first waking thought and my last image before sleep sank me into unconsciousness. I should labour in its cause alone. I would take thought for the morrow of Eternity alone. I would esteem one soul gained for heaven worth a life of suffering. Earthly consequences should never stay my hand nor seal my lips. Earth—its joys and its griefs—would occupy no moment of my thoughts. I would strive to look upon Eternity alone and on the immortal souls around me soon to be everlastingly happy or everlastingly miserable. I would go forth to the world and preach to it in season and out of season, and my text would be, ‘What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his soul?"
Charles T. Studd was born in England in 1860. His father had made a fortune in India and moved back to England to retire on his wealth. C.T. was given a plush life on a silver platter. He and his brothers excelled in sports and became some of the greatest cricket players that England has ever known. However with his preoccupation with sports and materialism, he had no time for Christ until he turned 18. At the age of 18 he was converted, but continued on the path of popularity and sports for a few more years, until he came across a letter one day.....a letter from an atheist. This letter so impacted his life that he promptly quit his worldly pursuits and sailed for China as a missionary. At the age of 25 upon receiving his inheritance, he donated more than 25,000 pounds to men like D.L. Moody, George Muller, and other Godly men. A sum that would have made him nigh to a millionaire today!
That letter reads as follows: "Did I firmly believe, as millions say they do, that the knowledge and practice of religion in this life influences destiny in another, religion would mean everything to me. I would cast away earthly enjoyments as dross, earthly cares as follies, and earthly thoughts and feelings as vanity. Religion would be my first waking thought and my last image before sleep sank me into unconsciousness. I should labour in its cause alone. I would take thought for the morrow of Eternity alone. I would esteem one soul gained for heaven worth a life of suffering. Earthly consequences should never stay my hand nor seal my lips. Earth—its joys and its griefs—would occupy no moment of my thoughts. I would strive to look upon Eternity alone and on the immortal souls around me soon to be everlastingly happy or everlastingly miserable. I would go forth to the world and preach to it in season and out of season, and my text would be, ‘What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his soul?"
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Prayer Alert
Tomorrow morning David and I will be making a visit on a fellow named Sam Shingange, from Mhangweni village. Sam was attending some Bible studies that we were having at a neighbor's house in his village last year. Those studies abruptly came to a halt when the host began to get under some conviction, I believe, and he then started to turn the people away from hearing us. We left and had no contact with any of those folks until a few weeks back when one of our guys ran into Sam in the village. Sam asked, "what happened to you guys...where did you go?" It appears that he still has some genuine interest in spiritual things. We will be meeting him tomorrow at 10, Lord willing, and we will see how things go. Perhaps it could be another door that the Lord is opening into this place. Would you take a moment and pray for Sam, his family, and his village Mhangweni (mahn-GWAY-knee).
A New Man, Renewed
Colossians 3:10 "And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:"
What a wonderful thing it would seem, that after Jesus Christ made you a new creature at the moment of salvation, that there should be no more work to the Christian life. Alas, if you are saved, you know that is not the case at all. Far from perfect, we have a life's long work of becoming more and more conformed to the image of our Savior! Even the new man needs to be renewed. A new man needs a new suit of clothes; but it will not do to put on the new clothes only one time forever. How dirty one's clothes become during the course of a day! Most Africans own only a few articles of clothes, and wash only once a week at best. You can imagine how wonderful they smell by the end of the week, wearing clothes for many days straight without washing! If Sunday is the only day of renewing that we have for our mind and conforming to the image of Christ, I wonder how awful we must smell to God between our trips to the altar. How much dirt of the world has clung to you while out and about today, and must it wait until Sunday to be cleaned? No wonder we have so many stains of sin that just don't seem to ever come out. No wonder we struggle so with some habits of sin that we can never seem to be rid of. Have you taken time for the Spirit of God to renew your mind through the Word of God today? May we take heed to Romans 12:2.
What a wonderful thing it would seem, that after Jesus Christ made you a new creature at the moment of salvation, that there should be no more work to the Christian life. Alas, if you are saved, you know that is not the case at all. Far from perfect, we have a life's long work of becoming more and more conformed to the image of our Savior! Even the new man needs to be renewed. A new man needs a new suit of clothes; but it will not do to put on the new clothes only one time forever. How dirty one's clothes become during the course of a day! Most Africans own only a few articles of clothes, and wash only once a week at best. You can imagine how wonderful they smell by the end of the week, wearing clothes for many days straight without washing! If Sunday is the only day of renewing that we have for our mind and conforming to the image of Christ, I wonder how awful we must smell to God between our trips to the altar. How much dirt of the world has clung to you while out and about today, and must it wait until Sunday to be cleaned? No wonder we have so many stains of sin that just don't seem to ever come out. No wonder we struggle so with some habits of sin that we can never seem to be rid of. Have you taken time for the Spirit of God to renew your mind through the Word of God today? May we take heed to Romans 12:2.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Contentment...village style
I wish I had brought my camera to share this picture with you. On Friday, David and I were making some visits in the village of Burgersdorp where we are working on Sunday mornings. As we went house to house giving out Gospel tracts and inviting people to come and study the Word of God, we took in many sights that are certainly the norm for David and becoming commonplace to me. Sights that sometimes grab my attention and remind me how strange of a picture this is compared to how life was for me growing up in the USA. Sights that could revolutionize your life if you would let them. As David was talking with a lady, I noticed her young child, probably 3 yrs old playing in the dirt. Only his toys were not made by Tonka or Playskool. His toy was not a truck or a shovel. His toy was an old underarm deodorant container, that had the guts taken out, to make a nice makeshift 'dumptruck'. I watched as he methodically filled it with dirt, dumped it on a scrap of notebook paper, and then carried it over to a larger pile, and repeated the process again and again. I know your children, like mine, probably oftentimes play with the box more than the toy inside, but this little chap had no other toy. None.
As I returned home and saw the piles of toys that my children are blessed to have, I realized that contentment is not acquired by getting just a few more toys. It is not a result of getting what I want or often even what I think I need. Contentment is being thankful for the things that God has allowed me to have and making wise use of them. You may think your existence is primitive compared to some around you, but you really should look again, and then return to count your blessings. Next time you are tempted to complain about the things in life that you are doing without, I hope that you will remember this little fellow. May we all strive to learn the lesson of Hebrews 13:5.
As I returned home and saw the piles of toys that my children are blessed to have, I realized that contentment is not acquired by getting just a few more toys. It is not a result of getting what I want or often even what I think I need. Contentment is being thankful for the things that God has allowed me to have and making wise use of them. You may think your existence is primitive compared to some around you, but you really should look again, and then return to count your blessings. Next time you are tempted to complain about the things in life that you are doing without, I hope that you will remember this little fellow. May we all strive to learn the lesson of Hebrews 13:5.
He IS....are You?
Colossians 1:15-29
He is the Visible God
He is the Firstborn of every creature
He is the Creator
He is before All things
He is the Sustainer of All things
He is the Beginning
He is the Firstborn from the dead
He is the Head of the Church
He is the Fulness of All things
He is your only hope of Reconciliation
He is your only hope of Peace
He is your only hope of Glory
Jesus is HIS Name!
He wants to live in you
He wants to work in you
He wants to work through you
Have you let Him in?
Has He worked in you today?
How will He work through you today?
He cannot work through you unless He is working in you.
He is the Visible God
He is the Firstborn of every creature
He is the Creator
He is before All things
He is the Sustainer of All things
He is the Beginning
He is the Firstborn from the dead
He is the Head of the Church
He is the Fulness of All things
He is your only hope of Reconciliation
He is your only hope of Peace
He is your only hope of Glory
Jesus is HIS Name!
He wants to live in you
He wants to work in you
He wants to work through you
Have you let Him in?
Has He worked in you today?
How will He work through you today?
He cannot work through you unless He is working in you.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Blogosphere.....Here We Come
Welcome to our corner of cyberspace where we would like to share with you a slice of our world. Although I have been verbosely opposed to blogging in the past, with 10,000 reasons why blogging was a waste of time, I must confess that I have had a slight change of heart. While I still have my reservations about much of the blogging world out there, I must admit that there is a time and a place for a purposeful, informative blogging. I hope that you will find this to be a blogging site with a purpose. Our goal is to bring you news from a faraway land, and our hope is that it will be as cold waters to a thirsty soul. Ok...that was a little sappy, but you get the point. It is very difficult to find the time to effectively stay in touch with as many people as we need to, when you are 10,000 miles away. As we prepare to come home for furlough early next year, we wanted to take some measures to strengthen our relationships with many relatives, friends, and acquaintances back in the good 'ole USA. If you are planning to take the time to frequent and peruse our humble musings, let me say "thank you"....you are helping us to rekindle necessary relationships. Having said that, I will post a few recent pics, and see you again tomorrow.....for a perhaps more 'meaty' update:-).
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