The Sun is rising, the clouds are breaking. Its a new day; as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!
Monday, 28 June 2010
Friday, 25 June 2010
Slovenia vs England
Here are some photo's of the England game that Louise and I went to watch at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium Port Elizabeth.
The date was 23rd June 2010, this game was match 37 of the competition.
We had a great day soaking up the atmosphere provided by the thousands of travelling fans.
The match ended with England taking the win 1 - 0 thanks to a great Jermain Defoe first half goal.
The date was 23rd June 2010, this game was match 37 of the competition.
We had a great day soaking up the atmosphere provided by the thousands of travelling fans.
The match ended with England taking the win 1 - 0 thanks to a great Jermain Defoe first half goal.
Thursday, 4 February 2010
New Photo's
Out on the beach!
One of my aloes
Beautiful cactus flower
The stem was about 4 inch long
The flower was a bit bigger then a golf ball
Cool cactus
Another flowering cactus
One of my displays on drift wood
My guard dog, 'Max'!
My Guard cat, 'Tessa'!Sunday, 15 November 2009
Wednesday, 28 October 2009
Tuesday, 27 October 2009
Tuesday, 20 October 2009
Loving Jesus or not!
My salvation has come form Jesus; He died on the cross and said that it is finished.
When I became a Christian I was clothed in the righteousness of Jesus. The Father now sees me through the lens of His Son Jesus. To God the Father I look 'Just like I have never sinned'!
This is a foundational truth of the Christian faith. It's doctrine.
I can't buy my salvation from God, I can't do anything to earn it from Him. I can't sacrifice a bull for the forgiveness of my sins. I'm saved and my sins are paid for by Jesus.
However, I am still to present myself as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God!
So what should that look like in my life?
Well, I need to live the new life that God has given me, I need to turn from the things of this world and start living according to God's will and His way.
I know this again is a foundational truth.
But I also know that knowing it isn't enough; knowing it doesn't stop me from sinning!
In those moment when I sin, I'm choosing my will over God's!
It's been said that in those moments, "I don't love Jesus enough"!
Love is the key to living out God's will.
I can't loose the salvation that I have in Jesus; even in my sin God still sees the righteous of Jesus clothing me.
But if I want to experience the fullness of this new life in Jesus then I need to 'love'!
I need to love Jesus more then the sin that is tempting me.
I will only ever go after the thing I love the most and if its sin, that's what I will go after!
So, how do I love Jesus more then sin?
That's the challenge before me now. I need to love Jesus more then anything else.
Such a challenge, I believe can only be fulfilled through an act of God in my life.
This doesn't mean that I can sit passive and wait for God to do it all.
Like all love relationships, for them to work both parties need to work at it!
When I became a Christian I was clothed in the righteousness of Jesus. The Father now sees me through the lens of His Son Jesus. To God the Father I look 'Just like I have never sinned'!
This is a foundational truth of the Christian faith. It's doctrine.
I can't buy my salvation from God, I can't do anything to earn it from Him. I can't sacrifice a bull for the forgiveness of my sins. I'm saved and my sins are paid for by Jesus.
However, I am still to present myself as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God!
So what should that look like in my life?
Well, I need to live the new life that God has given me, I need to turn from the things of this world and start living according to God's will and His way.
I know this again is a foundational truth.
But I also know that knowing it isn't enough; knowing it doesn't stop me from sinning!
In those moment when I sin, I'm choosing my will over God's!
It's been said that in those moments, "I don't love Jesus enough"!
Love is the key to living out God's will.
I can't loose the salvation that I have in Jesus; even in my sin God still sees the righteous of Jesus clothing me.
But if I want to experience the fullness of this new life in Jesus then I need to 'love'!
I need to love Jesus more then the sin that is tempting me.
I will only ever go after the thing I love the most and if its sin, that's what I will go after!
So, how do I love Jesus more then sin?
That's the challenge before me now. I need to love Jesus more then anything else.
Such a challenge, I believe can only be fulfilled through an act of God in my life.
This doesn't mean that I can sit passive and wait for God to do it all.
Like all love relationships, for them to work both parties need to work at it!
Monday, 21 September 2009
Saturday, 12 September 2009
Friday, 11 September 2009
Today is where your book begins...
"No one else can speak the words on your lips,
Drench yourself in words unspoken,
Live your life with arms wide open,
Today is where your book begins,
The rest is still unwritten"
-Natasha Bedingfield-
Drench yourself in words unspoken,
Live your life with arms wide open,
Today is where your book begins,
The rest is still unwritten"
-Natasha Bedingfield-
Thursday, 10 September 2009
To speak, to listen, to be heard!
Why is communication so hard?
We are encouraged to talk to God in prayer often. We are then encouraged to listen to Him because communication between us and God is a two way thing!
Yet I still wonder whether I’ve actually heard from Him or whether it’s just my imagination!
When a couple get married the age old advice is to have good communication between both parties.
I wonder at times whether that is coming from people who actually desire it for their own relationships but haven’t quite worked it out!
I’ve even shared such advice with those about to get married!
We are told the way to maintain and build good lasting friendships is to communicate regularly with each other and to share about those things that we have in common. That worked for me when I worked as a train driver and used to see my friends regularly in the staff canteen!
I live in a place where even those who are considered as un-educated (considered by some) can often speak more than one language, yet communicating across cultures often seems to be almost impossible!
Why is communication so hard when it’s the bases for so much of our live?
Could it be the work that it involves?
Could it be that it takes both the listening and the talking?
Some of us are good listeners; some of us are good talkers. Rarely do you find that a person is good at them both, WHY?
The ways in which many of us can communicate have never been easier with all the various devices at our disposal.
But some will say that they themselves cause us to be bad communicators (I’m sat writing this rather than sitting talking to my wife who is actually sitting reading and not talking to me!).
I for one have a problem with poor communication.
Do you?
We are encouraged to talk to God in prayer often. We are then encouraged to listen to Him because communication between us and God is a two way thing!
Yet I still wonder whether I’ve actually heard from Him or whether it’s just my imagination!
When a couple get married the age old advice is to have good communication between both parties.
I wonder at times whether that is coming from people who actually desire it for their own relationships but haven’t quite worked it out!
I’ve even shared such advice with those about to get married!
We are told the way to maintain and build good lasting friendships is to communicate regularly with each other and to share about those things that we have in common. That worked for me when I worked as a train driver and used to see my friends regularly in the staff canteen!
I live in a place where even those who are considered as un-educated (considered by some) can often speak more than one language, yet communicating across cultures often seems to be almost impossible!
Why is communication so hard when it’s the bases for so much of our live?
Could it be the work that it involves?
Could it be that it takes both the listening and the talking?
Some of us are good listeners; some of us are good talkers. Rarely do you find that a person is good at them both, WHY?
The ways in which many of us can communicate have never been easier with all the various devices at our disposal.
But some will say that they themselves cause us to be bad communicators (I’m sat writing this rather than sitting talking to my wife who is actually sitting reading and not talking to me!).
I for one have a problem with poor communication.
Do you?
Monday, 7 September 2009
Thursday, 6 August 2009
Friday, 24 July 2009
Lithemba
This young boy is Lithemba.
2007/04/19 - 2009/07/18
Lithemba lived with his mum Nokuzola in a small house in one of the townships in Port Elizabeth.
He had fits during his early days which left him unable to have a normal life. Lithemba couldn't communicate through words and his little body didn't grow as other children, he had cerebral palsy. However Lithemba was such a delight to meet.
I met Lithemba when I went out with Daniel Meyer who runs 'Timion' (Timion means precious). Daniel and Anika, and their team work with precious children like Lithemba. You can find out more about the work of 'Timion' by clicking this link: http://www.timion.org/
I joined Daniel on a cold and wet day and travelled with him and his team to visit some of the children who the Timion project make standing frames for.
We arrived at Lithemba's home and were welcomed in by the family. Daniel had brought the newly constructed standing frame for Lithemba; it was a little big but a few adjustment sorted that.
In watching Daniel minister, I was blessed to see something of our Heavenly Fathers heart of love for precious children like Lithemba.
Lithemba wasn't really shore about the new frame but was wheeled around in it by some of the family and his little smile and laughter was soon beautiful to see.
I never really got to know Lithemba as this was to be my first and only visit before he passed away and went to be with Jesus. I'm left with sadness for his family who have lost a precious family member but delight that Lithemba is now able to enjoy life with Jesus that must be even more precious then he himself is.
Please pray for the family, particularly Nokuzola, Lithemba's mom; that their grief will pass soon and that they will take comfort in knowing that Lithemba is now with Jesus living life to the full.
God bless you Lithemba.
Thursday, 23 July 2009
Ephesians Study One
It's a wet day in J'bay today. We have a cold front passing through that has been predicted for some days now.I wonder at times where all the rain comes from, it seems to fall with such ferocity!
We had our small group meeting last night, we started looking at the book of Ephesians.
The group was small with some of our members away in New Zealand, however it was a really good meeting.
We looked at Ephesians 1:1-15 and in particular verses 3-14 that are concerned with the spiritual blessing each of us have as those who are 'in Christ'.
Being a Christian can never be ordinary if one actually realises all we have as those who are 'in Christ', while discovering all God intends for us as part of His big plan for all creation.
The final question of the study asked:
If Christ is at the centre of God's plans for everything, is he at the centre of yours?
What a searching question we have to ponder over this coming week!
Wednesday, 20 May 2009
Monday, 16 February 2009
Wednesday, 11 February 2009
Sunday, 8 February 2009
A call for prayer
Most of you will know that my step mum, my father’s wife, has a very nasty form of cancer that looks likely to be taking her life. Pat is such a wonderful person and has always been a joy to be around; her bubbly nature makes it so hard to imagine her being so sick.
My dad at this time is trying to spend every precious moment with her but has to deal with the real fact that she may leave us at any moment. He feels pretty bitter towards God and wonders why this is happening.
It’s hard to answer such a question, one can only say that God doesn’t cause things like cancer and He doesn’t use such things to punish us (in fact God doesn’t punish us, ever).
Our bodies grow older and wear out. As they do we can be prone to such things as cancer (not that cancer affects only those older in life). I believe that God doesn’t choose for us to experience such things but shares in our pain when we do. He wants to surround us with His love even as we go through such horrors.
We have a God who loves life and loves us so much that He gave His son to die for us all. Such a God doesn’t choose to inflict anyone but witnesses, I believe through real pain, ever person who experiences any of life’s tragedies.
One day their will be a time and a place where their will be no more cancer, of any kind, that can afflict us. It will be a time when all who respond to His love will know and live with Him in a new heaven and earth, a time when we will experience life as God really intends it.
No answer to the question of ‘why this is happening to Pat’ can take the pain away from those who know and love her. But I say lets not focus on the ‘why’ and seek the love that Pat needs, that my dad needs and that all of us need as we face any form of hardship. That love can be found in God; we experience it through Jesus, and through family and friends as we make ourselves available to be instruments of His love.
Please join me in prayer; seek for Pat to experience the eternal love of God and release from any pain and suffering. Pray that my dad will remain strong and that he will know the love and support of God as he stands by his lovely wife Pat.
Thank you
My dad at this time is trying to spend every precious moment with her but has to deal with the real fact that she may leave us at any moment. He feels pretty bitter towards God and wonders why this is happening.
It’s hard to answer such a question, one can only say that God doesn’t cause things like cancer and He doesn’t use such things to punish us (in fact God doesn’t punish us, ever).
Our bodies grow older and wear out. As they do we can be prone to such things as cancer (not that cancer affects only those older in life). I believe that God doesn’t choose for us to experience such things but shares in our pain when we do. He wants to surround us with His love even as we go through such horrors.
We have a God who loves life and loves us so much that He gave His son to die for us all. Such a God doesn’t choose to inflict anyone but witnesses, I believe through real pain, ever person who experiences any of life’s tragedies.
One day their will be a time and a place where their will be no more cancer, of any kind, that can afflict us. It will be a time when all who respond to His love will know and live with Him in a new heaven and earth, a time when we will experience life as God really intends it.
No answer to the question of ‘why this is happening to Pat’ can take the pain away from those who know and love her. But I say lets not focus on the ‘why’ and seek the love that Pat needs, that my dad needs and that all of us need as we face any form of hardship. That love can be found in God; we experience it through Jesus, and through family and friends as we make ourselves available to be instruments of His love.
Please join me in prayer; seek for Pat to experience the eternal love of God and release from any pain and suffering. Pray that my dad will remain strong and that he will know the love and support of God as he stands by his lovely wife Pat.
Thank you
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