What She Must be to be my Girlfriend/Wife

A Christian.

Get Out There

This is a bit of a trial run for a new kind of post for me: a short talk. I hope the quality is good and that my editing isn't too terrible. Let me know if it works or not please!

 

 If the media player didn't work on your device then you can download the talk here.

Signatures, Semiconductors, Jedi & So Forth

A while back I received an email that the head of the School of Electrical and Information Engineering at my university, Wits, needed to have a meeting with me urgently. My first reaction was that I felt quite important, the HOS wanted to see me! I even had the pride to think he would be congratulating me for something or needed to my help to deal with a class problem.

When I arrived at the boardroom where I was to meet him I discovered that I was quite off the mark. There was quite convincing evidence that I had faked someone’s signature on an attendance register for one of my tutorials. My heart sank; it hit an ice berg and sank. I was innocent! But I realized that I had no way of proving my innocence. This reality hit me and it did something to me.  I felt hopeless, anxious and angry. It changed me for a few hours. The fact that I couldn’t prove the truth hit me hard. Eventually, however, the matter was resolved and the truth came out (a few hours later actually).

I was changed for those few hours because I grasped something true. A most unpleasant truth, but a truth nonetheless: I couldn’t help myself. I couldn’t perform a Jedi mind trick and cause the HOS’s brain to be convinced I was innocent. I couldn’t magically find out what actually happened and conjure up the necessary evidence. I was stuck in an inability to change my circumstance and it felt horrible.

Reality tends to change people. The reality that green lights mean go and red lights mean stop has had a drastic impact on drivers and even more of an impact on those who ignore that reality (pun intended). The reality that people need food to survive has certainly made a difference to the world. Also, the fact that semiconductors have a non-linear current-voltage relationship has revolutionized the planet (Google it). What about the undeniable fact that every man should have some form of facial hair (wink wink)? No doubt, true factual reality orders all of life, from technology to beards!

Whether God exists or not should be of much more concern, therefore, than many people make it out to be. If His existence is factual and real then those who know it will change as a result and those who ignore it will once again be impacted one day. These are the two options, the Christian God exists or He doesn’t. I recommend that everyone who reads this does some serious thinking because His existence or lack of existence has serious implications. Say He does exist, what He has to say and who He is becomes quite important because if the Bible is actually His words then there’s some serious stuff in there! Say He doesn’t exist, what the Bible says is totally irrelevant and we must figure out the actual truth.

If God exists, then we are helpless outside of God. God says that all people are sinners and need to be saved. Much like my situation in the HOS’s boardroom, I could not save myself from whatever punishment it might have incurred.

If God exists, however, then the Bible is true which would mean that this is true:

“…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation of blood, to be received by faith.” (Romans 3:23-25).

The gift of salvation must be received by faith in God’s existence and who He is and what He has done in His Son Jesus Christ. This is important!

In thinking this through I have realized the great importance of knowing what God has to say in the Bible. Because if I truly believe He exists then those words and teachings must have a massive effect on my life because they are a reality and I must live according to that reality.

So Christians let’s take this more seriously, there is much more joy to be found in the scriptures than we have already, we can never have our fill of who God is. Non-Christians, read the Bible a bit (maybe start with the book of John), and take the question of whether what you’re reading or not is true seriously.

God exists.

Be Hated Boldly

"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." John 15:18-19

I am glad that Phil Robertson is not afraid of being hated by the world. His recent quotations of God's Word in an interview with GQ magazine have rocked the USA. He is being hated on an extremely public stage. All over every news station in America all day the last two days his communication of the truth of the scriptures has been debated and discussed. He has been suspended from his TV show for standing on the scriptures. The article about the interview can be found here (be warned, it contains strong language from the author of the article, if you do not mind this then I recommend you read it).

This is what is supposed to happen to Christians in a sinful world. It happened to Phil's master, Jesus Christ. He was hated for who He is and eventually died for the very people who hated him. And He did it willingly. He confronted the world with their sin and offered salvation for those sins.

Christians, may we who have been saved by Christ act like our master. Let us stand firm on God's Word and continue to bring it to those who hate us.

Friends, be hated and be hated boldly for the Gospel of Christ that the kingdom of our savior might advance through us.

I pray that all those Christians who are hated for standing firm in Christ, including Phil Robertson, would be encouraged by the fact that "these things are being done to you on account of Christ" (John 9:21). So do not fall away, for Christ "has overcome the world" (John 16:33). Our treasure is in heaven and our favor in God's eyes rather than the eyes of men.

To Save a Man - A Short Story

What am I?” Paul asked.

He seemed to be floating in an empty space. He felt wind violently tossing his greasy black hair against his face. There was something like smoke all around him. It was so thick that it didn’t seem to be affected by the wind. There was a flash of light every once in a while which barely broke through the dense fog. But the darkness was clear. It penetrated the smoky gloom and surrounded its victim like it was ready to crush it into nothingness. But it didn’t.

“What am I?” Paul repeated, but he wasn’t sure who he was asking. Was he asking the darkness? Or was he asking the flashes of light?

“What am I?”

He could hear no voice from the darkness or from the light answering him. He was terrified. His arms and legs were steady, hanging from his body as if they were bound by the darkness. His left hand started rising towards his eyes but the darkness blocked it from sight. Another flash of light burst through for a moment and there upon his wrist he saw something which horrified him.

Paul awoke. He had lived a rather extravagant 37 years, extravagant compared to his fellow citizens. He enjoyed life because he made sure he was surrounded by everything that he enjoyed. He always had his favourite foods stocked in his food locker. His favourite people made their dwelling in the same housing unit and his least favourite people lived on the other side of the Rock. He had money – enough to ensure his own continued good looks, whenever he saw something appear upon his complexion which he disliked he would simply call up the Youth Doc to get it removed.

“Morning Paul,” said a small humble sort of a voice from across the housing unit bedroom.

“Morning Thomas,” replied Paul as he sat up out of his bed grasping his left wrist to see a mediocre middle-sized man standing before him. He noticed that the other three beds in the room were made up and unoccupied and he could see through the doorway into the eating chambers that the Sunday food locker slots were all empty except for his own. Paul was used to being the last one up but this was the first time Thomas had ever awoken him.

“Did you hear the news Paul?” asked Thomas eagerly, “But of course you have, the Council of Dreams is going to make an appearance at the Rock today! The others have already gone; we must leave immediately if we want to get a good view!”

“What? I don’t remember receiving that message,” replied Paul, “When did you get it?”

“Why last night of course, you should really start paying more attention to your dreams Paul.”

Paul had never dreamed the same dreams as everyone else, although he had always acted as if he had so that no one would think less of him. He had always wondered about this Council of Dreams and why they never sent him any dreams. Curious for an answer, Paul hurriedly prepared to leave for the Rock.

Paul and Thomas rushed through housing unit after housing unit until they reached the closest elevator to the Rock. They squeezed inside with all the other excited citizens. Then up it rose, straight out of the building heading up higher and higher towards the Rock. Its wheels against the track made no sound and all the people fell silent as they gazed with admiration at the endless sea of housing units below and the thousands of other elevators rising silently on their tracks towards the Rock. The Rock was a massive mountain which rose in the middle of the World; it was more massive than the millions of housing units which surrounded it. Every citizen of the World worked inside it somewhere and right on top was the palace which housed the Council of Dreams.

Masses of citizens gathered around the palace in eager anticipation to hear from their leaders. A horn was blown and a hush fell across the crowd. No one uttered a sound. From the top of the palace rose a platform higher and higher and there sat the seven council members all dressed in long white coats. The Speaker arose and headed toward a podium in the middle of the platform.

“Citizens of the World, thank you for gathering here today. We know that you all must be very inquisitive as to why we have asked to see you all today outside of your dreams. We felt that what we have to say today should not be said in a dream.

“You have all heard the stories of our World’s great history. How citizens of planet earth were corrupt and worked against each other for their own individual interests. They destroyed their planet as a result and so they died with it. But a few of the citizens of earth left that place in order to start anew. Their goal was to build a new home, one whose citizens worked together for its good. And now thanks to your harmonious labour for the World’s wellbeing this has been achieved!”

A deafening cheer swept across the crowd and the Speaker stood still and silent as if he had expected nothing less. Several moments later the cheer abruptly stopped. Paul felt a sense of unease about it all. The cheer was too uniform, too consistent and too perfect.

And then something happened, something that left Paul still and speechless. They fell, all at once every single citizen fell to the ground around him, everyone except for Paul. Paul stood motionless thinking he must still be dreaming. He looked all around him and there was nothing but lifeless bodies lying on top of the Rock as far as the eye could see. Paul’s shocked face looked up towards the platform and there stood the Speaker still and silent as ever.

“Hello Paul,” said the Speaker.

Paul stood deathly still. His strength in every part of his body failed him. There was nothing but silence and seven pairs of eyes on him. He was confused and troubled.

“The time has finally come Paul. We are incredibly disappointed that it has had to come to this but it’s time for you to go back to Earth and join your people. This place’s purpose has unfortunately failed us yet again.”

Paul’s mind was racing. He was incredibly confused expecting to wake up again at any moment. He decided in his head that this must be a dream. This made him feel slightly better and so he replied, “But you just said the earth was destroyed by the old citizens. I was born in the World. I know nothing of earth besides what you just said about our history. I am surely not one of those people. I am a part of the harmonious labour team in the Rock.”

“My friend, you were born on earth and you are exactly like those people,” said the Speaker, “did you not notice differences between yourself and the citizens of the World? They all had the same dreams, you did not. They were always content with their current situations, you always wanted more. They never caused fights or divisions amongst themselves, you discriminated between those you liked and disliked. They were perfectly good, you rarely did good and even when you did it was always looking out for yourself. Don’t you see? They were programmed to be perfect and to dream good dreams. You are human.”

Paul was feeling confused and troubled again. He always knew that he was different from the others. In a last attempt to convince himself of the absurdity of the Speaker’s words he replied sarcastically, “What are you saying? That they’re all robots or something?”

“Yes, Paul. They are – robots designed to be perfect, programmed to be the complete opposite of the humans of earth. We thought if we could surround a human who had not yet been subject to the evil influences of his own people with perfect creatures, that we could save that human from the evil of his people. You are our seven hundredth subject and the last. It would seem that evil comes from within rather than without.”

Paul was dumbstruck. His entire universe had just been shattered. All he knew, thought he knew, was a lie. But he had questions and could think of nothing better to do than to ask them, “Who is the Council of Dreams then? Are you perfect? What will I do on earth? How will I get there?”

“We are scientists and engineers who seek after what is good. We are humans who see man’s problem and want to cure it. We created the citizens of the World and built everything on this planet with them. We have tested subject after subject here, but to no avail. We have tried to save mankind and start a perfect generation, but alas we have failed.

“You will be transported back to earth by our machines and you will join your people. What you do there is none of our concern. As for the Council, we will continue looking for a solution. Goodbye Paul.”

Paul suddenly noticed something appear on his left wrist and then he vanished. The platform lowered back into the palace and the Speaker took his seat troubled to the core. He examined his left wrist. A black mark like a tattoo bracelet greeted his eyes as they filled with tears.

“It will take something more than us or our creations to save us,” said a voice from across the platform now inside the palace, “We cannot remove the mark.”

The Speaker looked up and replied gravely, “Yes, I see that now. Why do we even try? What urges us to seek after salvation? No matter what we do the mark remains,” he was weeping now.

“We found the mark. Perhaps salvation must find us,” replied the voice.

The Speaker fell to his knees in mourning, “I give up! Here I am! Salvation, find me!”

Before he had finished speaking he noticed a change in his mark. Something like a flash of light seemed to break through…

The End

A Serious Matter

I saw a Facebook status some time ago which said 'how much must you hate someone to not share the Gospel with them?' The Holy Spirit used this to make me think much deeper about evangelism and to search the scriptures for help in it. After having meditated on it for some time I have become ashamed of the number of people for whom I have displayed hatred - all the people with whom I could easily have shared the Gospel, but I didn't due to my being ashamed of my Father of Heaven. Now I say no more tomfoolery in evangelism, this is a serious matter!

We often get excited at the thought that when we evangelize we might be used by God to bring people to salvation. Truly, this is a glorious thing to be excited about. But consider this, perhaps when we fail to evangelize someone God uses our lack of 'Gospel action' to condemn them to an eternity of suffering. God uses means for many things. I say again, this is a serious matter.

"For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" (Romans 10:13-14)

The fact is that no one who does not hear about what Christ has done for sinners will call upon the Lord and ask Him for salvation. The responsibility is ours as 'God's fellow workers' (1 Corinthians 3:9). Jesus Christ himself commanded those He taught to spread the Gospel (Matthew 28:18-20). We are commanded to share the good news of Christ's death, resurrection and ascension to 'all nations'.

"...Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel." (1 Corinthians 9:16)

Indeed we should speak the same way of ourselves if we do not spread God's Word. Let us "endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of  the Gospel of Christ." (1 Corinthians 9:12) May we not be obstacles.

In order to be moved to do this we must greatly appreciate, no, adore the Gospel story and what it has done for us and our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. We evangelize to all kinds of people all for the sake of the Gospel because of the most wonderful blessings we already share in (1 Corinthians 9:19-23). If we truly care for Christ and what He has done for us then surely we would love to see more and more people loving and adoring Him with us - having the same joy and peace as we. Before continuing in this text, let us stop and ponder again the amazing gift of salvation we have received because of this very Gospel.

How can we now keep this silent? How can we still be ashamed? Friends, we do not have to have eloquent speech or clever words to share the Gospel. We dare not boast in ourselves as we share Christ's works (1 Corinthians 1:17). It is Christ's power that saves not our measly words and yet He chooses to use our words! Perhaps we are shy to evangelize because we believe the Gospel's power can be limited to how well we can present it. We must repent of this at once! But still we must strive to be well prepared:

"...but in your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you." (1 Peter 3:15)

Perhaps we do not share God's Word because we are afraid of ridicule. Live for Christ and share your hope in Him with respect even to slanderers and they will be put to shame (1 Peter 3:13-17). There is no reason to keep silent about God's Word.

Therefore, let us boldly demonstrate God's love through evangelism rather than cowardly demonstrating our own sinful hate for those around us through inaction. And let us be ever in the Gospel ourselves so that we may never lose our love for it. We might just find that sharing the Gospel with others preaches peace and love to our own souls as well. This is the power of Christ through His Gospel. Let us say with Paul:

"For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes..." (Romans 1:16)

A Little Bit of History

When I finished high school in 2010 I knew I had to take a gap year in order to earn some money for my studies. I also needed a car and some time to sort out my matric paperwork from overseas. I found a job I really liked even before I was finished with high school. I applied for the post I wanted and got the job on a two year agreement.

The name of the company where I worked is Camp Discovery. It is a leadership and adventure centre for school, team building and other similar groups located 60km north of Pretoria, just into the bush of Limpopo. I became a facilitator there, my responsibilities among other things included writing programs for groups, basic maintenance on activity equipment and taking groups for activities such as game drives, obstacle courses, archery and air rifles. It is a really well managed place with incredibly high standards in service and product delivery.

I was forced to adapt to living away from home and my family for these two years (I had around eight off days a month). I also had to conform to the high standards and uphold them and improve upon them to the best of my ability. I had up to that point had hardly any responsibility compared to what I had there. I managed, by God’s grace, to excel there and I became the head training facilitator and for the last four months of my career there I was the assistant manager. Through all of this I learned and grew more than ever before in my life. Added to that I met literally thousands of people and was able to share God’s Word to many of them. Camp Discovery will always have a special place in my heart because of my experiences there.

But there was one thing I left behind for those two years which was difficult for me. I left my church family behind. I was hardly able to attend one Sunday service a month with my off day situation and I also missed out on many young adults meetings, bible studies and other church events. Whenever I did visit my church I just felt as if it was the best place to be.

I have been attending Free Grace Baptist Church since 2000 and although it has never really been a large church in numbers or one about which you always hear amazing stories, I still love my family there. Every week I have my ‘spiritual batteries’ recharged and I am always blessed by the meetings and ministries.

Having missed out on all of that for two years I was incredibly excited to return at the end of my Camp Discovery career. I have been back since February this year and I have never been more excited about it. I feel like I missed out on a lot during my two years at Camp Discovery so now I attend eagerly as many meetings as I can. Added to that, I have my fellow members of the body of Christ around me all the time to pray with me, to share burdens with and to fellowship with in Christ.

The local church is the centre of my life as it is the core of my service to and relationship with God. I am truly blessed to be a part of the loving family of the body of Christ which will one day worship Him forever  and always in heaven.

The Wanderer

Sometimes I look into the mirror and wander what's going to happen next. Sometimes I'm sad because I know pain from the past can happen again. Sometimes I'm happy because I know that joy from the past can happen again. But then I realise that it is all the same - the pain and joy is all the same. Nothing new is going to happen tomorrow that didn't happen in one of my yesterdays.

I'm still scared though - that something new might happen. Something I won't be able to handle or perhaps that I will do something new - something I didn't think I would - something I didn't think I could. But why am I scared? I'm in control of my life right? I think that's what scares me - me. Because I mess up a lot. I cause pain - bitter pain.

If I'm in control then I'll always cause pain because nothing new ever happens - I don't know how to do anything else. But can't someone who causes joy do something? Can't someone who cause joy just get under my skin and make me do that? I don't know why exactly, but I'd rather cause joy than pain. I want my tomorrows to be new, not old.

When I think like this sometimes I cry from the pain I've felt - the pain I've caused. I cry because sometimes I feel like my old will never get new. What is the answer? Is there a cure for the pain?

*

 

I'm looking into this mirror again now. Tears are forming in my eyes...again. But they're different now. I think there's something joyous about them. I have found the answer, I have found hope of a cure - hope for new. It dwells inside of me. It changes me.

 

I guess we all wander, but it's something else to wander with hope.

The Myth of Self Belief

"Just believe in yourself and you can do anything you set your mind to." That common line has quite a nice ring to it. This sentiment is fed to dreamers, people who are struggling at something, people who are going through troubles in their lives and just about every school kid in western civilization. Celebrities use this as a piece of advice to succeed in life.

Though it sounds pretty, the saying is terribly misguided. It stems from man's sinful nature. At the fall of man we see him trying to elevate himself to God's level by eating the fruit which makes them"...like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:5) It is seen again in the Tower of Babel when man attempts to make a name for himself (Genesis 11:4). And on through the Old Testament there are many examples of man making himself his own god.

To believe in yourself and your own abilities is to make yourself your own god. "I can do anything I want if I believe in myself, I can achieve anything, get anywhere!" Why? Because you're the god of your life, you're in control, you're able to do anything! Sounds glorious doesn't it? But that glory does not belong to man!

Though many Christians for some inexplicable reason speak like this as well, the God they claim to worship has a different opinion:

"I am the vine and; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide me in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned." (John 15:6-7)

Apart from Christ man can do nothing. He has no ability apart from Christ, he has no power apart from Christ. God is greater than man (Job 33:12). All one needs to do to see this is read Job 38-41 where God compares Himself to man and demonstrates His power and control over them. Man is powerless apart from God because God has all the power in the universe! "What is man that You are mindful of him?" (Psalm 8:4) Man is but dust to God, he has no ability to do anything!

Man cannot accomplish his dreams or succeed in life or end sufferings or any of these things no matter how much self belief he has! No matter how confident he is he cannot pass that test, he cannot resist that temptation, he cannot overcome that adversary! He can do nothing on his own. There is no benefit in believing in yourself! In fact it is a great sin, a blasphemy against God's sovereign might!

But, one might say, what of the fact that God never sends any suffering on man that is beyond his ability. Man does have some strength! What does the passage this comes from say?

"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." (1 Corinthians 10:13)

 

But at a closer glance we see that God provides the escape! Not to mention that the verse before it says,"Therefore, let anyone who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." Man can't overcome temptation on his own. He cannot stand on his own.

 

In fact, there was a situation I which the apostle Paul found himself where he could not handle it:

 

"For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.  Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death." (2 Corinthians 1:8-9)

 

They were burdened beyond their strength! How cruel would it have been to tell them to just believe in themselves and they will get through? That would have set them up for failure! They would have been crushed when they realized it is beyond their strength!

I, myself, sit and type this post with trials in my own life. It is too much for me to handle on my own. I am burdened and full of grief for much of the time, but I have found joy in believing in something other than my own strength! Paul explains:
 

"But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.  He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again." (2 Corinthians 1:9-10)

 

"Rely on God Who raises the dead." That's power, set your hope on Him and He will deliver you!

 

So stop telling people to believe in themselves. Stop believing in yourself, you can do nothing. Stop giving false hope to yourself and others because you will end up crushed and forsaken. Do not believe in yourself, believe wholly and exclusively in God Who raises the dead and He will deliver you! You cannot deliver yourself.

 

And of course God delivered man from his biggest problem - his sin. Jesus Christ paid the price we could not pay on the cross and if we do believe in Him rather than ourselves we will be saved from an eternity of suffering to an eternity of endless, righteous joy!

 

 

Longer Than a Love Song

he heard how much he loves you on the radio today
he read about his feelings for you on a pretty picture
Man isn't he deep
his hills of love are steep
he came up with that last line himself

Does love last longer than the song?
Does it mean more than the movies?
Donno right now but he's your's

he heard a song that ya gotta take care but it's not you it's him
he just changed his clothes and shed so called love along with the fabric
Man isn't that wrong
Leave love cos of a song
his love was only ever about himself

Does love last longer than the song?
Does it mean more than the movies?
Donno right now but he's gone

The One Who is Love watches the story
The One Who lasts forever gives Himself

His Love lasts longer than this song
His Love means more than the movies
Know Him now, do you know how?

Trust Him (like you couldn't trust him)
Trust Him (like you couldn't trust him)
Trust Him (like you couldn't trust him)

By Joseph Gage

Behold God's Glory

God's glory has recently penetrated my mind a lot! It has boggled my thoughts and shattered my universe! His awesomeness has made me fist punch while uttering an obnoxiously pronounced positive, unclassifiable part of speech ("Yes!"). Ponder and wander upon His glory with me!

God created everything! He spoke a few words over the course of 7 days and wouldn't ya know it - there's the universe! Even His words carry power beyond measure. His imagination is limitless. Just take a look around you. From the clouds with which He paints the sky at dusk to the pouring rain and lightning He sketches into the night. Consider the billions of species of creatures which dwell on earth, each with it's own unique costume, cry and habits. Cast your eyes upon the clear night sky, see the moon, the stars and everything in between. Marvel at creation's beauty, complexity, variety and grandeur. What you are marveling at is God's (Psalm 24:1)! Fashioned by His words (Psalm 148:5)!

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork"(Psalm 19:1).

Let us sing with the angels:"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory"(Isaiah 6:3).

Let us praise Him along with the rest of His creation (Psalm 148). "...for His name alone is exalted; His majesty is above earth and heaven" (Psalm 148:13).

But the most amazing thing about all of this work of creation is that God decided to create mankind in His own image (Genesis 1:27)! He thought it good to bestow that amazing gift on us. That we might have a relationship with Him which no other part of creation could. We, the creation, are able to commune with God!

God's glory doesn't stop there though! This God who created the world is also perfect in wisdom, goodness, power, love, justice and knowledge to name but a few. He never makes mistakes, He always does what is right, nothing can even come close to surmounting His power, He knows everything, the list goes on and on. His greatness lasts forever, it is too much for us to fathom or even scratch the surface of! We cannot even begin to understand the depths of His glory.

But man sinned. The glorious Lord's "special creation" turned it's back on Him. Those God had bestowed with His very image destroyed it by being that which God is not - evil. Had the glorious God's perfection been tarnished forever? Now we ponder on how man could do this to his Creator Who loves him. How could beings so blessed and loved by the greatest of all beings simply eat a piece of fruit that God had forbidden them to eat? For goodness sake, it was the only thing God withheld from them!

The world slouched into evil and God cursed His own creation because of man's evil (Genesis 3:14-19). Death entered God's creation. After Adam and Eve ate of that fruit, there was death - the shedding of blood. The greatest evil of all entered God's glorious world through His most glorious creation. And no longer can it be said of man that they are glorious.

But this is not where the story ends. For it is not a story of God's glory being trampled on by His own creation, that would make for a rather weak and inglorious God. No, this is the beginning of the story.

After the fall, man spread throughout the world, bringing their sinfulness with them. Every man, woman and child sinned. For thousands of years man continued sinning, some repented and turned back to God but that never lasted, soon they went back to the evil desires of their heart. Few followed God and none perfectly. Would the glorious God stand for this any longer? Would He destroy His now blemished creation?

No, God promised a saviour through His prophets. One who would lead His people back to Him forever. A better than Adam would come.

This saviour was there at the beginning, before the world fell. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it"
(John 1:1-5). There is hope! The very Word which created the glorious world contains life! The life is light that darkness has not overcome. The darkness of sin and death has not won!

And then God did something amazing:"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..." (John 1:14). My typing has quickened at the excitement! God takes on the flesh of His creation and walks the earth! The light of life walks among the world darkened by sin and death! A light that is not overcome!

The Word is Jesus Christ! He led the first sinless life, having perfect communion with God the Father. He restored the image of God in man by bearing it perfectly! He performed wanders and miracles showing His glory to the world! He healed and taught! He brought hope to a hopeless earth.

But the people of earth reverted back to their sinful ways again. They turned their back on Christ and murdered Him. We killed the only Person Who didn't deserve it! We tortured Him and heaped insults upon His bleeding body. Had God failed to reach His creation again? Had the world put out God's glory once and for all? Again we ponder the depths of man's sin. We grieve for our own race's evil, an evil from which we all partake and for which we are all responsible.

So Jesus is dead, brutally murdered. What hope is there for man? The darkness has overcome the light it would seem. Perhaps John meant "...the darkness has not overcome it yet." Could this be the end of the story?

No, for Christ Jesus, the perfect Lord of all, the Word which created the glorious universe could not be held by the tight grip of death! He rose again, destroying sin and it's penalty! His light shone across the world as he defeated the darkness once and for all! Through this He saved the creation!

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already..." (John 3:16-18).

All we must do to be saved and escape the condemnation of sin and death is believe in Jesus Christ.

Peter's sermon in Acts 2 reveals the twist in the story:

"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it." (Acts 2:22-24)

Look at the underlined text. It was God's plan all along! From the fall of man to Christ's death and resurrection. God not only saw it coming, but He planned it! The Gospel story of Christ coming to save the world is mentioned as a story of God's glory by Paul (1 Timothy 1:11). Truly, this is a glorious God Who not only creates galaxies, but also plans all of time and loves the unlovely so much that He would send His Son to die for them.

Let this story of God's glory make us respond with all we've got so that we can say with the psalmist:

"Praise the LORD!
Praise God in his sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens!
Praise Him for His mighty deeds; praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Praise Him with trumpet sound; praise Him with lute and harp!
Praise Him with tambourine and dance;  praise Him with strings and pipe!
Praise Him with sounding cymbals;  praise Him with loud clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD!" (Psalm 150)

Faith on the Dance Floor

It has come to my attention that my previous post entitled "Love on the Dance Floor" has offended many readers. They felt as if I had been talking directly about them in the post and I should have gone directly to them rather than make a post for the whole world to see. Others apparently feel that I have decided or implied that I will decide to disassociate myself from them because they are the kind of people I described in the above mentioned post as so called "brothers in Christ" who aren't really. That is, people who true Christians should avoid.

I am disappointed at this reaction because these things were never the point even though the title and one of the examples in the post along with the post's timing apparently seem to target a particular group of people. The post was not targeted at anyone in particular. My intention was not to condemn anyone, but rather to expose the seriousness of what's going on in the world so that we can examine ourselves and make sure that our faith is alive. I want to reach people.

I pray that everyone who read this post, offended or not, Christian or not, was convicted to follow Christ or to follow Him better. To those who identified with the false Christians I described: "...put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls"(James 1:21). I would much rather become united with you as a brother in Christ than never see or hear from you again!

No matter what is thought about my post, this fact remains: Christ died to save sinners such as ourselves and "...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9). So what are you waiting for? Give your life to God and have a true faith in Christ who died for you! Let us live in faith even on the dance floor!

If anyone would like a couple of passages to check out about repentance, forgiveness, faith and salvation, then have a look at these to start with: John 3:16-21, 2 Corinthians 7:5-12, James 2:14-26 and 1 John 1:5-10.

Love on the Dance Floor

I had a discussion with someone earlier tonight in which he said,"The world needs Christ, not Christianity." I immediately thought to myself that it is a shame that we feel like we have to make a distinction between being a Christian and having a relationship with Christ. The reason that we feel this way is because there are so many things labelled as Christian or "Christianly" or "forms of Christianity" that are not Christian! I could go and ask many people I know if they have faith in Christ or if they are a Christian and they will say immediately, confidently and without hesitation,"YES!" Then I observe the way in which they live their lives and they answer me through their actions with the same conviction,"NO!" You see, today people call anything or anyone Christian even if they have nothing to do with Christ whatsoever.

I have seen "Christians" use extremely foul language even in the presence of their "Christian" friends without any shock or shame on either party's part. I have seen them tell foul and dirty jokes. I have seen them discuss their sexual exploits proudly and with no remorse. I have seen them tell and encourage the telling of lies. I have seen them French kiss people who they have just met on a dance floor and have hardly spoken with; I've heard them call it love.

One may say,"yes, but God still forgives them no matter how much they sin because of their professed faith in Christ." The problem with this, however, is that they are not sorry for these sins! They do it in front of each other! They encourage it. They scorn those who rebuke them! This is textbook dead faith as described in James 2:14-26. God does not forgive them because they do not have faith in Him to begin with! Their professed faith is just another lie! In one breath these people will call themselves Christians and in the next they will spit in Christ's face by their actions. At least atheists are honest about why they live the way they do.

Christ knew of these people and dealt harshly with them. In Matthew 23, Christ speaks to the scribes and pharisees who had done something very similar to the people spoken about above. They were not only claiming faith in God and not living accordingly, but they were preaching on how to live a godly life. Christ calls them, amongst other things, blind guides (v.16,24), a brood of vipers(v.33), whitewashed tombs(v.27) and even children of hell(v.15)!

Paul tells us that we are to have nothing to do with such people in 1 Corinthians 5:11:

"But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard or swindler-not even to eat with such a one."

So if someone claims to have faith in Christ but has not repented of his sin, then he must be avoided. I have seen the necessity of this in my own life. I have spent time with many people who claim to be Christians but live unrepentant lives and it had such a huge effect on me. They were called brothers in Christ and so I felt safe associating with them but they ended up having a terrible influence on me. I had found myself joining in with dirty jokes and other sinful conversations. I had found myself doing things which are clearly wrong but I didn't even notice at the time. Of all of these things I have had to repent and I have started seeking to spend my time with true members of the body of Christ!

Society doesn't realize that having faith in Christ is a lifestyle and relationship and not merely a confession. They claim faith in the Lord but have no desire to please Him.

The gospel story is the story of a man who did have faith in His Father and who lived a life which willingly and happily strived to please the Father. Christ not only showed us how to live faith out, but He provided the means and object of our faith as well.

The Guy-Girl Game (Alliterations Are Awesome)

Ya know what's scary? The way high school and college kids are going at the opposite sexes. They date, they hold hands, they hug, they cuddle, they kiss and some go even farther. This trend is generally accepted by western society as healthy adolescent behaviour! I am frightened because I am plop in the middle of this age group and I'm surrounded by the above activities because of my work with high school kids.

Before I give my beef let me explain what I have no problem with. Hugging is wonderful! I hug to greet girls and guys for that matter. Though a high five or a hand shake is more appropriate for some of the circles I travel in. I do not believe dating is inherently evil either and I do not frown on people who do date.

My problem with this whole "game" as I call it is that these ignorant kids go way too far! They do stuff with and to each other that my parents don't even do in public and they have a pretty healthy marriage. The snogging and hand holding and groping and such! It ain't right! They are in these "relationships" for fun or to find that "special someone", that "soul mate". To this I raise my eyebrows! You're telling me that you french someone and pat some body's hind quarters in order to have fun and to find your "soul mate". This is dangerous!

I once heard a wonderful summary of why this foreplay is extremely unwise. "Foreplay is the on-ramp for the highway of sex. So if you're not getting on the highway then what are doing on the on-ramp?" So either these kids are dallying on the on-ramp or they actually intend to have sex (which is clearly sinful, see 1 Corinthians 7:2 and Hebrews 13:4).

1 Corinthians has a very interesting passage on this matter:


"Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)

Our bodies belong to God! This sexually immoral foreplay is sin against our own bodies and against God. But now Paul goes on to clarify it all:


"Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: 'It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.' But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does." (1 Corinthians 7:1-4)

It all becomes clear! Foreplay and sex are reserved for marriage! Our bodies belong to God and, when we are married, to our spouse. So dating is great as long as there is no sexual immorality!

Daters and BF's and GF's should also be careful of what they talk about and rely on each other for. Before we are married, big issues in our lives should be discussed with parents or pastors or some authority in our life long before our potential spouses. Becoming emotionally dependent on someone who is not wise and experienced is another form of foreplay. Or at least it could certainly lead to some cuddling which leads to some other stuff (haven't you ever watched a movie)!

Many of these high school kids and university students ask me in shock, when they find out I've never dated or even kissed a girl,"Why not!?" My answer is this,"Because I would only date to look for a wife and since I am far from being ready to get married I shall not date, yet. Until then I shall gather candidates from amongst my female friends." For me, it is not about fun or a soul mate, it's about finding a suitable partner with whom I can best picture Christ's relationship with the church. For that is marriage! (Ephesians 5:22-27)

If you are a non-Christian reading this then it will probably not make sense to you and everything I've said really won't apply to you since your goal is not to honour God. But please feel free to contact me through Facebook or on my e-mail to inquire about anything you want to know concerning Christianity.

Modern society is wrong! So ladies and gents, stop looking for handsome guys or pretty girls to mess around with. Gents, look for a young lady who loves God more than she loves you. Ladies, look for a young man who loves God more than he loves you. Because if God is the main focus of their love, then they'll have more love for you than you can find in any other girl!

Victorious Struggle

I was at a Men's Meeting for church the other day and we watched a sermon by Darrin Patrick. In his talk he spoke of another conference which he attended. At this conference John Piper was asked when he doubts God. His response was,"when my sanctification is so slow it seems like I'm not growing in Christ at all." Darrin Patrick went on to explain that this is Christianity - a struggle.

I am always falling! I keep on doing what I know I shouldn't, what I don't want to do! Sometimes the fact that I struggle with sin so much makes me doubt my Christianity. I get myself into a state of mind where I feel like God doesn't exist or He didn't save me. The apostle Paul had a very similar struggle, but the way he uses it in his letter to the Romans is striking!

"For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

"So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:15-24)

So Paul cries out with us,"Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" For that is how we feel! We're trapped in bodies of death. But Paul doesn't leave us in despair! He goes on:

"Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." Romans 7:25 - 8:2)

We are set free from our sinful flesh! But where do we go from here? Paul goes on to speak of having our minds focused on the Spirit rather than our flesh. For a mind set to flesh cannot please God (Romans 8:5-8). We must focus on God and what He has done for us rather than our shortcomings! We must be aware of our shortcomings, yes, but our focus must be on God Who has sent His Son to set us free from sin and death (our shortcomings).

So when we struggle with sin, we do not struggle in vain because Christ has conquered sin and death and when we one day go to be with Him there will be no more struggle. The fight is not in vain! In fact, the struggle is proof of our Christianity! The very fact that we want to please God by overcoming sin demonstrates our Christianity. What's more, it is proof of our victory in Christ. The battle is won and it belongs to the Lord!

Blood is Real

You say you care for them,
The nameless faces filling the spaces around you,
Dream for their salvation,
From the wreckage those nameless slaves call life.

What are you gonna do?
Keep talking? Keep dreaming?
These are fake!
Blood is real!

You say that they need help,
Before cruel darkness drags them to their end,
Dream for things to be changed,
From destruction to meadows and butterflies.

What are you gonna do?
Keep talking? Keep dreaming?
These are fake!
Blood is real!

While their blood is split,
What is your's doing?
Your talk is wreckage,
Your dreams are darkness,
You wanna change the world?
Then what are you still doing with your blood?
Their sufferings are real,
Their dying cries are true!
Offer them your life,
Give them your blood,
Cos only blood can save the world.

So what are you gonna do?
Start changing! Start bleeding!
This is help,
Cos blood is real!


By Joseph Gage

Love and Knowledge

I have been reading though Proverbs lately and I've been reflecting on how my life would have been different in certain situations had I followed the wisdom provided. And through this I have discovered a very interesting contrast between seeking wisdom and sin.

A main theme in Proverbs is that either a person is seeking wisdom and therefore God or is a fool seeking the wicked desires of his heart (Proverbs 1:20-33). Solomon even goes so far as to as to say that seeking wisdom delivers one from evil (Proverbs 2). This seems to reveal what sin truly is and what it truly does. It calls what is good evil and what is evil good. It distorts wisdom, it flips the truth.

So in order to resist temptation and fight against the dangers of the world and the evil desires of our heart one must seek after the wisdom of God. Either a person is doing this with his life or he is seeking the world. Wisdom is the opposite of evil! This is an incredible concept! One's aim, therefore, should be to learn about God in order to combat sin in his life. This is why knowing God and never being satisfied with one's current state of knowledge is so important. If someone stops desiring knowledge of God, he automatically starts desiring evil.

But let us take this a step further. Charles Spurgeon, in his book The Saint and His Saviour, says,"...that to know Christ is to love him. It is impossible to have a vision of his face, to behold his person, or understand his offices, without feeling our souls warmed towards him." So how do we attain the wisdom and knowledge of God? We love him!

Boredom & Relationships

I wanted to make a new post today but I didn't know what to write about so I decided to write about my current state of mind. I'm so bored right now! The interesting thing is where I'm going to escape this boredom.

I'm desperately trying to organize something with friends (unsuccessfully though since no one is free on a Monday night). Why do I turn to my friends? Because I never get bored of them! Well, my genuine friends at least. I don't feel like watching television, I don't feel like playing video games, I don't feel like reading and the list goes on and on. I just want to hang out with friends.

It seems to me like real relationships never get boring. This is why you have people who can spend weekend after weekend with each other for years and yet they never get sick of it. The same goes for family, I've been around my family for over eighteen years and I'm still not bored of them! Sure, we need "our space" every now and then but that's because of our sinful nature.

This concept can also be seen in the most important part of my life: my relationship with God. I may drift away from God now and then, but I could never get bored of him. And for some reason He never gets bored of us, our constant sinfulness and predictability. Psalm 86, Lamentations 3:22 - 24, Matthew 6:25 - 34 and 1 John 1:9 make this very clear. These passages about steadfast love, mercy and forgiveness that never run out show us that God never gets bored of His people!

So how should this affect us? Let us not put all of our time and energy into pointless, inanimate stuff. We must work on relationships! We must live sacrificially for each other and in doing that we will be glorifying God, thus building up our most important and largest relationship. Let us treasure other people above ourselves, when we're bored, let us serve our friends and family and the Lord! For Christ came to earth in order to serve us and His father, not to be served by worldly things (Matthew 20: 25)!

Changing the World

Everyone wants to change the world!

People today tend to get very inspired and mushy about how they could change the world. I've seen it so many times, someone gets inspired and sets himself the goal of changing the world for better and then continues on living the same way he did before the butterfly experience he had. Perhaps his inspired inertia takes him somewhere for a few days, a week or even a month, but it never lasts.

People want to change the world but at no cost to themselves. They are not willing to change their own ways of living, but they want to take on the world. The minute someone has to sacrifice something to change something, they seem to back off. If the going gets tough, the goers give up.

For such individuals changing the world is a mere sentiment - a passing whim. It lasts only as long as it makes them feel good. And they like to feel good, so they'll try many times but always lose their fire when a challenge comes round. My Chemical Romance, in their song "Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)", say "Everybody wants to change the world, but no one wants to die." This sums it up beautifully! People don't want to make sacrifices.

Well...what of the story of a man called Jesus Christ who did die (and willingly I might add) in order to change the world? This is the example to follow! And many have followed His example. The martyrs of the faith died for Christ's kingdom, that it might reach the ends of the earth - to change the world. Many soldiers have fallen in battle for the cause of routing out evil from the world. These are the sort of people the world needs in order to change!

You see, changing the world can't just be an idea, a sentiment or a passing whim. It takes a life that you live out to change! This world (not only Christians) has so much to owe to Christ's life and death. He showed them what a true hero looks like. People who live a similarly patterned life to that of Christ are people that are revered and looked up to by modern society. Just about every movie (the good ones that is) one sees these days has a sacrificial hero in it, from Harry Potter to Lord of the Rings to Ben 10! Where did the idea for these stories come from? Christ's life. Not only did Jesus Christ change the world, but He also showed others how!

(A small not must be added at this point, I believe that only God can ultimately change anything in the world, but God uses His people following Christ's example [amongst other things] to do it.)

This world needs true heroes who live their lives for others in order for this world to change!

Happy 2012!

The Dark

Last night I suddenly became interested in why I am so interested in dark imagery. I thought it through and I realized exactly what it is.

This particular fascination of mine probably started with my interest in the Saw movies. In case you don't know already it's about a murderer called Jigsaw who puts his victims in situations where they have a choice whether they live or die. In order to live they usually have to prove that they deserve to live by doing something really crazy and painful. Examples include cutting off one's own limb, digging in one's own stomach for a key that unlocks a death trap or being sprayed with some sort of acid. The dark story (which was actually pretty ingenious through all seven movies) and the dark filming style captured something that is so real: the state of the world.

From here my attention went towards a couple of dark bands. I started listening to My Chemical Romance and The Used. Both use dark imagery in most of their work. Their portrayal of the world comes in a very dark style. Plus the music is really awesome! I tend to enjoy the alternative and heavy metal genres.

The point is that dark imagery is just honest. The world is dark place and you're blind if you can't see that. These movies and bands are simply being honest in their portrayal of the world and life. Dark imagery displays truth. Now not all dark imagery is acceptable, the use or rather misuse of the Christian faith in dark imagery is unacceptable and often blasphemous and I am well aware of the presence of this type of dark imagery. This is not what I enjoy. I enjoy the truth. I love the truth! And so since dark imagery is brutally honest, I enjoy it.