The Season

Before we even reached 1st December it was clear that the Silly Season had begun. If you take a look around it’s hard to miss the advertisements everywhere about Christmas lunch, gifts, parties, shopping and holiday time. It’s generally a busy time of the year. We all try to unwind and relax but ultimately we all get caught up with our own agenda’s for the Season.

This year let us take the time to remember the real reason for the Season. Let us reflect on the true meaning of Christmas; the fact that our Saviour was born only to die so that we can be reconciled to God. “And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:18)

The relationship that you have with God is the most vital relationship that you will ever have. There is no better time than now to restore it. And if you don’t have a relationship with God, now is the time to build one. It is not about religion or worshipping a deity, it is about our God who gave up His only Son for us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  (John 3:16)

So let us always remember what God gave up and what Jesus went through because he loved us first. That is unconditional love. And that is the Reason for the Season.

Lord please help us to remember the real reason for Christmas. Help us not to get carried away but to always have you in the centre of our lives. Amen

Have a blessed Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year!

Written by: Candice Coetzee (Church Board Member)

How Tithing strengthened my faith in God

Tithing 

How Tithing strengthened my faith in God:

I never used to tithe, in fact it didn't even make any sense as to how I'm suppose to give a tenth of my gross salary a month, it sounded ridiculous  to me. My thinking was that  I can barely get through a month as it is, how am I suppose to  give this amount of money to the church? To make matters worse for me I was and will never be a big spender of money, I don't waste money and to me back then giving money to the church is wasting money, I mean, it could of been in my pocket.

I have to thank my wife for planting the seed of tithing, she never forced me in doing it only talked about it and said that since she started to tithe her life just miraculously was blessed more, not only that but she also said that there was a stage where she stopped tithing, and guess what, she started having financial problems after that and other elements in her life just seemed to go wrong, mmm, so it got me thinking and then I read the following piece in the bible:   

Malachi 3:10

New International Version  (©1984) 

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

Let me tell you something, if you want to truly test your faith then I encourage you to tithe, this is God's own words people  Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty.  How awesome is this that we can actually test God, I think it's brilliant and I'm happy I started tithing because the moment I started tithing my life was so blessed that I will never miss a tithing again, seriously. 

Blessings comes in many forms, for e.g. having enough food every day to eat, I've never slept hungry, I have an overabundance of clothes, so much so that I could give a whole black bag full of clothes away to the poor. A home, a warm bed to sleep in, warm water, a car, a job, a beautiful Christian wife, enough money to get through the month, enough money to buy underprivileged people food too.

Now just understand that financially I definitely not the richest person in the world, but I'm definitely blessed with positive things and God supplies all my needs.     

Isn't it time you started tithing? Remember you can test God in this  - get ready to be blessed!

Written by: Armand Coetzee (Church Board Member)

As you go into this year 2012 - go in Christ

John 1vs 44-46
Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?

Phillip had been found by Jesus of Nazareth and then told Nathanael about Him. To this Nathanael exclaimed, "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?"

Funny how we almost subconsciously categorize people and places. We may even be do it to ourselves. Until Jesus came Nazareth was just another town but soon Nathanael would never again ask that question.

Whenever Christ is allowed to have full sway over our lives we too become a new creation and the blessing is the formation of Christ-likeness in us.

As you go into this year - go in Christ - then go in confidence knowing that you are blessed to be a blessing!

Written by: Rev Trevor Rich