Blaxland Reformed Church | Religious organisation

Blaxland Reformed Church

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23.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Theme this week: Our restoration Read Joel 2:12-13: Even now, declares the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.... (The Bible is available online at www.biblegateway.com) We often see people regretting their sin, but they dont turn back to God. It is merely an outward repentance to God for the wrong reasons. o They may seek to escape possible punishment and serve God out of fear of hell. o They may be attempting to make a hidden sin part of their Christian life by reasoning that since Christ already died for our sin, they can persevere therein. o They may simply be stubborn and dont want God to fully restore them to Him. They are almost arrogant about their sin - just think of the open and shameless committing of sin. True repentance is not just outward, our hearts must be torn! We can sincerely return to God if we know who He is - He is gracious and compassionate; He is slow to anger and full of love. He is willing to relent from punishment. Prayer: Lord, may our hearts be torn. Restore us to You that we may seek You with an upright heart, because we know who You are. Amen Philip Hattingh

23.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Weeks theme: Everything I have is Yours Todays theme: Let us!... Read Psalm 95:1-2: Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving, let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise! (Bible online available at www.biblegateway.com) Four times in verses 1 and 2 we read Let us While worship may be done privately, it is not viewed as such here. Here and elsewhere in the Scriptures, worship is described as congregational. We as a congregation must worship the Lord. We should come together and worship the Lord in thankfulness as church! Israel thanked God when they received rain, they worshipped His name and glorified Him. In Psalm 68:9-10 we read: Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad; you restored your inheritance as it languished; your flock found a dwelling in it; in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy. Unfortunately, there is not a great deal of gratitude in this world anymore. Do we still say thank you to the Lord for all the blessings that we have received or do we focus only on our adversities? Prayer: Lord, we thank You for all the blessings that we have received. Amen Lourens Nel

23.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Weeks theme: Everything I have is Yours Todays theme: We are the people of His pasture... Read Psalm 95:7: For He is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. (Bible online available at www.biblegateway.com) If your hand is in your shepherds and it is indeed Christs promise at the cross that He will never leave us, then we have nothing to fear and can trust Him with our future. Christ Himself conquered death and is sitting on the right hand of the Father where He reigns over everything until He comes again. This is His promise. Jesus came to the care of the lost sinner. He came to find and collect the lost in His grace alone. He came as the Shepherd to feed them the bread of life. He came to the thirsty to sustain with the water of peace. He is the Lamb of God and for our sins He was slain - the Good Shepherd who gave up His life for His sheep. This is our God and why we should worship Him! It also means however that we need to live in gratitude for what He has done in Jesus and is still doing as our Shepherd. Pasture-living is to live in gratitude and worship God as the Sovereign God, who created the heaven and earth and is our Maker. It also means that we will follow Him and listen to His voice and come back when we have wandered off. We need to listen carefully to His voice in humble obedience and seek Him in our prayers! Trust in Jesus in uncertain times! Trust Him in times where the churches are getting smaller and smaller! Trust Him with our church! Trust in Him when you face adversity or surgery or when you or your loved one are facing death! Trust that He knows better and is in control! When we receive blessings, thank Him! Prayer: Lord, we praise You and thank You as Your people, the sheep of Your pasture! Amen Lourens Nel

23.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Todays theme: True repentance begins with God Read Lamentations 5:1-22 (v. 21): Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may return.... (Bible online available at www.biblegateway.com) The first four chapters of Lamentations describe the moaning and wailing over the misery and loss that exile, war and oppression caused. This final lamentation, in which the people complain about the awful misery in which they find themselves, reflects a sense of absolute defeat and despondency. The people do not only feel totally defeated over their loss and the misery they endured, but also forsaken by God. Sin after all makes us want to hide from God - Adam and Eve also tried it. What does the people do? They pray to God for the restoration of their relationship with Him. Theyre no longer turning (away) from God, but turning (to) Him. What do they pray for? They pray that God restore them to Him that they may return to Him. There is once again a yearning for the presence of God they used to have. The Lord must restore it. How must the Lord do so? He must change the heart of the people that they are and seek to be Gods people once again who live close to Him. This the Lord does through the Holy Spirit. What does this passage ask of us? How do we experience circumstances that leave us defeated and alone. What has this pandemic resulted in: poverty, job loss, death, isolation from family, closed church doors, etc. Has this state of affairs awakened the sense that we need healing from sin and its consequences in our life? In order to be true children of God who know, love and serve Him we must turn with our broken lives to the Lord again. We must pray to God to work inside us through His Spirit that we may change and grab onto Him in faith to live in His presence every day. Our circumstances are a gift of restoration from God. Let us seek God. He will hear us and not leave our hearts unchanged. Prayer: Loving Father, help me through Your Spirit to repent. Amen Braam van der Walt

20.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Todays theme: As children of God we must not attempt to change Gods plan Read Jonah 1:1-3: The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me. But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from t...he Lord. (Bible online available at www.biblegateway.com) God planned for Jonah to go to Nineveh, because the people of Nineveh had forgotten about God and Nineveh was filled with evil. What did Jonah do? He had his own plans and defied the Lords instructions by going to Tarshish. God punished him, however, by allowing a fish to swallow him, where he stayed for three days and three nights for disobeying the Lord. This is also a lesson to us to not attempt to change Gods plan to our own. Prayer: Dear Lord, teach me to respect and trust Your plans with my life, so that I may not be like Jonah and seek to change Your plans. Amen Kwena Semenya

20.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Todays theme: Planning Read Luke 14:28-30: Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.... (Bible online available at www.biblegateway.com) Planning is important in the lives of Gods children. We must plan for the day ahead of us and ask God to give us His Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and strength to be able to execute our plans. If we do not plan anything, be it our future, the future of our kids, our work schedules and so on, our lives will be chaos. Our God is a God of planning, which is why He admonishes us to plan before we do things. Prayer: Father in heaven, guide me when I plan for my life, because without planning my life would be chaos. Amen Kwena Semenya

19.01.2022 THE LORD'S MESSAGE FOR TODAY Theme this week: The power of God’s Word Today’s theme: The power of God’s Word for holiness... Read Psalm 119:113-120: My flesh trembles in fear of you; I stand in awe of your laws. (Bible online available at www.biblegateway.com) God’s Word shows us time and again that that God is holy and that He cannot stand sin. In this Psalm we hear the Psalm writer sing of those who say they serve God, but commit injustice (verse 115). In the end these people are nothing but godless (verse 119) and God will destroy them. God’s righteousness in His treatment of such people fills the Psalm writer with holy respect (fear). This fear is not about anxiety, but a sincere respect for the power, holiness and righteousness of God and that despite this He still grants sinners eternal life (verse 116). Thus God’s Word and God’s revelation of Himself therein leads the Psalm writer to the desire to live a holy life. He seeks to live solely for God. So think today of the extraordinary words of 1 Peter 2:7 and 9-10: Now to you who believe, this stone is precious...But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God Prayer: Heavenly Father, Your fear is pure and opens a fountain of eternal salvation. Holy Spirit, make us holy that we may live to the glory of God as His chosen people. I pray this in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen Karel Steyn

18.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Todays theme: Not widow, but bride of Christ Read Lamentations 1:1-22 (v. 7a): In the days of her affliction and wandering Jerusalem remembers all the treasures that were hers in days of old.... (Bible online available at www.biblegateway.com) In the ancient East it was custom to loudly express grief. They, for example, loudly cried out their grief over the loss of a loved-one. Here in Lamentations the sorrow over rape, famine and the shedding of blood suffered during the besieging of Jerusalem is cried out in song. Verse 1 likens Jerusalem to a widow. A woman who has lost her husband to death. The chosen people were also considered in the Old Testament the woman of the Lord. She was unfortunately often presented negatively as unfaithful. In the New Testament we know the church to be the bride of the Lord. The people experience, in Lamentations, the siege and destruction of Jerusalem as though the Lord is dead to them. They no longer enjoy the protection of their Man. Now that they have lost everything they become nostalgic about the precious things of the past: The famine reminds them of the time they had food. Their desolation reminds them of times of celebration. The dilapidation reminds them of the time when Jerusalem was beautiful. NOW IT WAS ALL IN THE PAST! On the cross on Golgotha Jesus cried out: My Godwhy have you forsaken me? Our Lords Supper form states that Jesus was forsaken by God that God might never forsake us. What a glorious assurance for us to treasure. Yes, to know that we will never be like a widow who thinks back too late on the precious things of yesterday. Jesus tells us after all in Matthew 28:20: Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. The Lord also assures us, His sheep, in John 10:28: I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. Psalm 37 says if the righteous fall, he will not remain down, because the Lord helps him up. We must however see the precious grace of God today and every day and thank and worship Him for it, even when He disciplines us for not always acting like His bride! Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for always being our God. You will guide and bear us until we stand in Zion. Amen Braam van der Walt

17.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Todays theme: Manner of praying: Pray respectfully to God your/our Father Read Ephesians 3:14-21, specifically verses 14-15: For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.... (The Bible is available online at www.biblegateway.com) Paul went down on his knees and knelt before God the Father. It was custom in Biblical times to bow or even kneel before someone more important than you. The heavenly Father was the highest authority to Paul and so he knelt before God when he prayed. Paul prayed with deference and respect. Friends, do you realise you are speaking to God when you pray? What a privilege that man may simply cast his thoughts to God and talk to Him! God is, however, not our buddy or pal. Sometimes we make a joke or mockery of prayer and sometimes we just quickly rattle off a prayer. Question is: Do I show respect? We want to (and must) regularly talk to God, but lets also do so with deference and respect. We believe God to be the only true God and He is as such the absolute highest authority. We arent bound to a set way of praying, but we are bound to the manner in which we pray. Lets pray with a new attitude: respect to God our Father. Prayer: Our Father in heaven, forgive me for sometimes praying so thoughtlessly or talking to You like You are one of my buddies. I want to glorify Your name and exalt You today as the only true God, ruling over one and all. I worship You with respect and awe. Amen Joop van Schaik

17.01.2022 THE LORD'S MESSAGE FOR TODAY Theme this week: The power of God’s Word Today’s theme: The steadfastness of God’s Word... Read Psalm 119:89-96: You established the earth and it endures. Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve youTo all perfection I see a limit; but your commands are boundless. (Bible online available at www.biblegateway.com) Part of the power of the Lord’s Word is that it stands firm. It does not change, it does not adapt and it is not dependent on certain circumstances. The Lord demonstrates this truth through creation. Upon looking at nature, we see the orderliness of natural law. We see how everything has its time and we see the patterns that determine the weather and seasons. So much the more is the Lord’s Word unchangeable! Even Christ, who is God and the living Word, made it clear in His ministry on earth that He didn’t come to abolish the Law, but to bring it to fulfilment. Indeed, He promises that heaven and earth will disappear before the Lord’s Word will by any means fall away (Matt. 5:17-18). It is in this eternal Word that we learn about God and all His promises. It is with this Word that the Holy Spirit comforts us. It is in this Word that Jesus promises: surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matt. 28:20) Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You that we may know that Your Word is eternal. Who You are and what You reveal of Yourself to us will never change - and not Your will for our life either. Holy Spirit, comfort us through this Word, encourage, strengthen and admonish us. Let us live and spread this Word. I pray this in Jesus’ Name. Amen Karel Steyn

16.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Todays theme: Take heart, hardship doesnt last forever Read Lamentations 4:1-22 (v. 22): O Daughter of Zion, your punishment will end; he will not prolong your exile. But, O Daughter of Edom, he will punish your sin and expose your wickedness.... (Bible online available at www.biblegateway.com) While the people complained over the misery that befell them, they hear the Lords message of peace: your punishment will end; he will not prolong your exile. What wonderful news: The Lord will once again have compassion on His people. Your punishment will end is a message New Testament believers know so well. It is after all the heart of the gospel. Jesus Christ suffered and died for our sins and because of this, we are free from the punishment of sin. It does not however mean that pain and suffering and trials will never befall the believer. They will, but it will end. Sometimes this suffering only ends on the deathbed. What is however of cardinal importance is that suffering and sorrow are no longer part of judgement, they are no longer punishment. Jesus bore the punishment for sin in our stead on Golgotha. We need to rejoice therein then that God will never leave us. Suffering and sorrow may well still be part of our life, but the gospel of Jesus Christ who bore the punishment for our sin is just as much a part of our life. Yes, He will bear us until we receive the eternal joy and peace Jesus brought about. After the earthly battle, Gods children are taken up into eternal glory. Prayer: Thank You Lord that You will bear us until we receive the eternal joy and peace Jesus brought about. Amen Braam van der Walt

16.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Theme this week: Our restoration Read Romans 6:1-4: What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or dont you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we may li...ve a new life. (The Bible is available online at www.biblegateway.com) Repentance means to turn around and go in the opposite direction. o When seen in the light of Scripture, the believer who has been restored has turned his/her back on sin and turned to God. Romans 6 tells us that repentance is two-fold: The dying of the old self and the rising of the new in fellowship with Christ. o Die dying of the old is when the believer turns away from sin by increasingly choosing against sin. o The raising of the new is an increasing will and desire to live according to Gods will. It is to persevere in the new direction taken. Prayer: Lord, we praise You that we know what it is to repent. We pray that our lives may be turned around, away from sin to You. Amen Philip Hattingh

15.01.2022 THE LORD'S MESSAGE FOR TODAY Theme this week: Hope in a hopeless world Read Romans 15:1-13 focus verse Romans 15:12-13: And again, Isaiah says, ‘The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him.’ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.... (The Bible is available online at www.biblegateway.com) What are we to do in this time of despair? This time in which some have no hope and others place their hope in the transient things of life? Will we despair over the future of our country, the church, the economy, the government, our own life? No, we are children of Hope, children of the God of hope, the God of patience and encouragement, the faithful, compassionate God who fulfilled His promises in Christ (Rom. 15:8-9). We will follow Him in faith, then He will fill us with joy and peace, making us overflow in hope through the powerful work of the Holy Spirit. It will bring glory to Him. Prayer: Lord, thank You that You have left so many people in this country who can still spread Your hope. Use our testimony of hope, peace and joy to bind together Your chosen from all the nations of this country. Amen Gert Breed

15.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Weeks theme: Love and security, the building blocks of peace Read Hebrews 13:5: Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.... (The Bible is available online at www.biblegateway.com) Has love become unsafe to you? Jesus is Immanuel, He is the proof of the sureness of Gods love. When people hurt you, find refuge in Him. Bathe yourself in His love every day. Seek the peace that transcends all understanding. It can be yours! It doesnt matter if the fig tree doesnt bud. Seek it with all your heart! Prayer: I knock on Your door. Should You open and ask what I seek, I would say peace, Lord peace for me, peace in our church, peace in our country, peace in Africa. Come, Lord Jesus, come quick that we may enter eternal peace. Amen Gert Breed

14.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Todays theme: May God strengthen your inner being, through His Spirit Read Ephesians 3:14-21, specifically verse 16: I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being...... (The Bible is available online at www.biblegateway.com) The Apostle Pauls prayer for the believers in Ephesians is very special. It is given to us in the Bible that we may pray it for ourselves and for others. We often first think of the visual, the bodily strength. Your body needs to be nourished to produce energy that you may be able to live and work. Your spirit is even more important, because it guides your body and life. Your spirit is dependent on God and the Holy Spirit has to lift and nourish your spirit. Paul speaks of your inner being. It cannot be seen, but is reflected in your words and deeds. This is a prayer for your inner being, the absolute depths of your heart. What a privilege that I may open my heart and inner being to my heavenly Father. What a privilege that another may pray for my inner being to God. The prayer for your inner being is specific: the wish that God will strengthen your inner being, through the Holy Spirit. I dont have the inner strength and courage myself. I have my share of highs and lows, but suddenly I feel the prayers of others when I become calm and my mind clears. Wow, it is nothing but Godly intervention and grace deep in my inner being, in my spirit. Friends, may you meet all challenges, trials and temptations with greater inner strength. You can, because the Holy Spirit dwells inside you and gives your spirit dynamic energy. Prayer: Father, our Father and my Father, thank You that I may pray for myself, that others may pray for me and that I may pray for others. I have to admit that I was so weak and powerless in my inner being, in my spirit, today. I also have to admit that I already feel much better, because Your Holy Spirit lifts my spirit, giving it the strength for my body and mind to also be rejuvenated once again. Use me today. Amen

12.01.2022 THE LORD'S MESSAGE FOR TODAY Theme this week: A father or mother or infant as model for our everyday life Read Psalm 131:1-3: But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me (Ps. 131:2).... (The Bible is available online at www.biblegateway.com) When the bad occurs around you or even worse to you, it makes you anxious and awaken so many questions in you - also questions to and even resentment towards God. God is almighty after all - you say to yourself and to others. Why doesn’t He stop things from going wrong? He just needs to say the word and evil and evil forces will be destroyed. The psalm writer realises however that it would be arrogant to question God in this way (Ps. 131:1a). In fact, he sees that it would be conceited (Ps. 131:1b) of him to think that his human eyes can see deeper than He who made the eye. Instead of being arrogant and conceited, his soul stills and quiets (Ps. 131:2a). His is reminded of the spiritual food that God gives him in His Word - how He works full redemption in His unfailing love (Ps. 130:7). When you have received this spiritual food from God, it stills and quiets your soul. Instead of endlessly posing anxious and even resentful questions, you are in your deepest self with God like an infant who lies satiated in your mother’s arms enjoying with absolute security her presence and love. So, resolve to place your hope in the Lord, now and forevermore (Ps. 131:3). Prayer: Lord, thank You for feeding and sating me with Your Word. Thank You that my soul stills and quiets with You like a baby who enjoys with absolute security Your presence and love. This is how I know that You are preparing me to quietly and calmly fulfil my calling - to Your glory - in a peace-bereft world! Amen Fika J van Rensburg (Emeritus, TSP)

12.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Theme this week: Gods goodness and favour and our eternal home with Him. Todays theme: Gods love is a gift to the benefit of other believers!... Read 1 Corinthians 13 (Bible online available at www.biblegateway.com) o Most of us are very familiar with the chapter on love in 1 Corinthians 13. It is often used at weddings to explain how the love between spouses should be. o This chapter is however not about the love between man and wife, but about how love given by the Holy Spirit should manifest in a church! Let me explain: o This chapter is embraced by chapters 12 and 14. Both these chapters are about the gifts of the Spirit and how the gifts of the Spirit function in a church. o Paul then reaches the conclusion that the Spirit blesses the church with three principal gifts: faith, hope and love of which love is the greatest! o Love is the greatest, because it is eternal - also when were home one day in the Fathers house. Faith will no longer be necessary, because then we will see. Hope will also no longer be necessary, because brokenness and sin will come to an end and our hope will be realised. It is only love that remains: love for God and love for our fellow believers. o Love takes our focus away from the self and places it on the interests of our brothers and sisters in the church. o In practical terms, it means that we must look out for our fellow believers - also now with the strange challenges that Covid-19 present. Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us love through the Holy Spirit. May we as church show each other this love in word and deed. For Jesus Christs sake. Amen Karel Steyn

11.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Weeks theme: Everything I have is Yours Todays theme: Why should we be thankful and trust in the Lord?... Read Psalm 95:3: For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. (Bible online available at www.biblegateway.com) Why should we be grateful and trust in the Lord? The sovereignty of God is given as a basis for our worship and thankfulness. Verse 3 expresses Gods sovereignty in general terms: For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. This statement does not in any way imply that the psalmist believed there were other gods. He means that Israels God is greater than the false gods the heathens worship. Thus, after Gods defeat of the non-gods of Egypt at the exodus, we find Israel singing in Exodus 15: Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? In our post-modern times, man wants to decide what is right or wrong. Man does not want to be told what to do. Rather they want to choose. There are so many choices! It is not so with God! There is only ONE God! We confess there is only One God and you can only be saved through Jesus. No idols, money or false gods can save you! Do not put your trust in them! Put your trust in the Lord! Prayer: Who is like you, Lord! Thank You for providing the Only way, our Lord Jesus! Amen Lourens Nel

11.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Weeks theme: Everything I have is Yours Todays theme: What God made is His and what is His, He controls.... Read Psalm 95:4-5: In His hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are His also. The sea is his, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land. (Bible online available at www.biblegateway.com) God is sovereign over His creation. He is the Creator of all the earth. He is the owner of all His creation. He is the controller of all that He has created and possess. What God made is His and what is His, He controls. The expressions depths and heights (v. 4) and sea and dry land (v. 5) emphasise the totality of His creation and control of the earth. He made it all. He is sovereign over everything. The world is not only the work of His hands, it is in His hands and He rules and He is in control. This means that the future is in His hands and not in mine or yours! How easily we forget that God has spoken through His Word and even our future is written. The Lord determined the day we were born and the day we will die. He wrote the future of the church and everything will come to fulfilment according to His Word. No forces, no tribulation, distress or persecution shall separate us from the love of God in Christ. In Jesus, we are more than conquerors (Rom. 8). Prayer: Lord, we thank You that our future is in Your hands. Amen Lourens Nel

11.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Theme this week: Our restoration Read Luke 15:17-20a: When he came to his senses, he said, How many of my fathers hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men. So he got up and went to his father.... (The Bible is available online at www.biblegateway.com) When we repent, three things occur: o We come to our senses or regret our sin. o We choose against sin by turning away from it. o We return to God in confession of sin. Repentance is not a one-time occurrence. The believer is in constant battle with sin and must fight each day and return to God. The Bible also calls it the battle between flesh and spirit (Matt. 26:41; Rom. 7:21). Gods children are therefore never done with repentance on earth. We continue to fall back into sin and must always repent again - it is our daily repentance. Prayer: Lord, we pray we may have true remorse over our sin and repent. Thank You for the grace that we may turn back to You. Grant us the necessary knowledge and strength to return to You daily. Amen Philip Hattingh

11.01.2022 THE LORD'S MESSAGE FOR TODAY Week’s theme: Write (The theme of write this week is applied to different contexts that are not necessarily related.) Today’s theme: Jesus Christ’s life, crucifixion and resurrection according to eyewitnesses and earwitnesses were written down that we may believe in Jesus.... Read Luke 1:3: Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you (The Bible is available online at www.biblegateway.com) Today we have a plethora of books, the Internet, etc. Anyone can share his own story and viewpoints. What is however true? What conforms to God’s Word and Will? The Holy Spirit guided Luke, also a medical doctor, to carefully investigate the gospel of Jesus Christ. This gospel is the good news, because in Jesus Christ there is salvation. The Holy Spirit guided Luke in put in writing authoritative, trustworthy oral accounts. It is exceedingly trustworthy, because it comes from eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word. Beloved, today we have the privilege of being able to read the Bible ourselves. We don’t understand it completely, but because the gospel of Jesus Christ has been accurately recorded we may know the truth, have complete faith and truly believe in Jesus as Saviour. Our lives are now already changed by knowing that Jesus died on the cross for us and rose from the dead. Life doesn’t only change now, but also for the future. We have a life with Christ, an eternal life. Beloved, this is not just a beautiful fairy tale, this gospel is a faithful truth. May you grab hold anew of Jesus Christ to take on today’s challenges and serve God therein. Prayer: Lord, please remove the uncertainty from my human heart that seeks to understand and explain everything. Let Your Holy Spirit guide me to accept and believe the gospel of Christ as true. Grant my restless spirit peace and calm. Amen Joop van Schaik

11.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Todays theme: The difficult puzzle of hardship Read Lamentations 3:1-66 (v. 31-33): For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.... (Bible online available at www.biblegateway.com) Everybody struggles and agonises over the question of injustice or tragedy they face in life and it doesnt help to tell them that they arent permitted to ask why. We need to keep in mind that we life in a sinful and broken world and that brokenness is often part of life. I realise that the mere fact of brokenness is not a satisfactory answer to this issue, but the truth is that we will never really get answers to our questions about the mystery of need and suffering. Repentance to God is not necessarily the solution to adversity. Repentance should be a natural part of the daily life of the believer. It may however never be repentance so that the Lord will bless me. It must be repentance because He is God and because He redeemed me in Jesus Christ. Where do we then find rest from this struggle over tragedy and hardship? We find rest in the simple knowledge that nothing occurs outside of Gods will. Although it is everything but a satisfactory answer, it does give us as believers the assurance that our God and Father works everything that befalls us as His children for the good for Christs sake. We confess it in question 1 of Sunday 1 of the Heidelberg Catechism. Psalm 103 tells us that we have a Father who in His grace has compassion on His children in need. Yes, regardless of how difficult, believe that He works it our benefit and God does not make mistakes. Prayer: Faithful God, thank You for the knowledge that nothing occurs outside of Your will. Help us to trust in You alone in these uncertain times! You are our Rock. Amen Braam van der Walt

10.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Theme this week: Our restoration Read Lamentations 5:21: Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old... Read Philippians 2:12b-13: ...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. (The Bible is available online at www.biblegateway.com) Although restorations origin is found in God, it is brought to fulfilment by an act of man. o This means that if God does not restore us first, we will not repent. o God turns the believer as it were around that he/she can and want to follow Him. Man can however resist this turnaround and stubbornly refuse to repent, incurring Gods punishment. Revelation 2:5 relates how the lampstand of the church of the Ephesians will be taken away if they do not repent. They will lose their status as church of Christ and be counted among the unbelieving. Prayer: Father, restore us to You that we may repent. Give us willing hearts that we may not stubbornly persevere in our sin. We praise You for first coming to us and guiding us in our repentance. Amen Philip Hattingh

08.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Todays theme: God planned everything through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ Read Isaiah 28:29: All this also comes from the Lord Almighty, wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom.... (Bible online available at www.biblegateway.com) Everything that we see here on earth belongs to the Lord. He planned for it, through His Son our Lord Jesus Christ, which is why it is all perfect. We read in Genesis 1 that after God created everything, God saw that it was good. Why? Because He planned it. In other words, when we make plans as children of God, we must include God and ask for His guidance through the Holy Spirit in our planning. There is thus no doubt that when we do things according to Gods plan, it will be pleasing to Him. Prayer: Lord, we know that with You by our side, through Your Holy Spirit, our future plans will be pleasing to You. Help us, Lord, to always think of You. Amen Kwena Semenya

07.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Todays theme: Pray with confidence to God your/our Father Read Ephesians 3:14-21, specifically verses 14-15: For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.... (The Bible is available online at www.biblegateway.com) Yesterday we realised that we need to pray to God with the proper respect. Today we see that we may/want to pray with confidence to God our Father. Paul started off this letter in the Name of the Father. Ephesians 1:3 reads: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ In verse 14 we read: ...I kneel before the Father... Though God may be the Only true God, the highest authority in the whole world and all of creation, He is not somewhere far away. God is here with me and He knows exactly whats going on everywhere and also here with me. God cares for me personally, like a mom and dad personally care for their children. God is, however, an even greater dad, He is the best Dad/Father! Since God cares for you, as your heavenly Father, pray with confidence. You can talk to Him any time. You can share anything with Him. You can open your heart up to Him. You can pray with respect and absolute confidence to God almighty, your FATHER who knows everything and cares about you. Prayer: Heavenly Father wow, what a privilege that I may talk to You, the only true God. Thank You that I may pray to You, my heavenly Father. Thank You that I may tell and ask You everything that is in my heart with confidence. Amen Joop van Schaik

06.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Weeks theme: Everything I have is Yours Todays theme: Live in gratitude... Read Psalm 95:6: Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! (Bible online available at www.biblegateway.com) Psalm 95 seeks to teach us to live in gratitude for what we have received in abundance from God through Jesus and to not harden our hearts when we face adversity because of the Covid-19 virus or when we are in lockdown. We are still His people and under His care. Being a people under Gods care means that abundant goodness is available to us. In Gods pasture, there is no scarcity of goods, like faith, hope and love and they were given freely in Jesus. OUR Father wants us to have peace, celebrate and live in thankfulness for what He gave us in Jesus, the Giver of everything, and praise Him and worship Him for it with the deepest gratitude. Psalm 95 is all about the fellowship of the church, why we should still be church in the year 2020 and still trust the Lord. Psalm 95 tells us why we should worship the Lord and be grateful to Him for His care as Father! Psalm 95 has long been regarded as an invitation to worship. It turns our attention and affection towards God in gratitude. When our role in worship is addressed, the focus becomes obedience and reverence in gratitude of who God is and what He has done. Prayer: Lord, we thank You for Your care and that we are invited to worship You! Amen Lourens Nel

06.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Todays theme: Gods plan overrules our plans Read 1 Kings 5:2-5: Solomon sent back this message to Hiram: You know that because of the wars waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build a temple for the Name of the Lord his God until the Lord put his enemies under his feet. But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster. I intend, therefore to build a temple for the Name of th...e Lord my God, as the Lord told my father David, when he said, Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name. (Bible online available at www.biblegateway.com) Reading this passage we see that it was Davids plan to build a temple for the Name of the Lord. However, David had to deal with a great many things. He had a range of enemies and had to fight many nations. Be that as it may, it was not Gods plan for David to build a temple for Him, but Davids son Solomon to build the temple for the Lord. In other words, God knows what He wants from us and His plans overrule our plans. Ours is to accept and glorify His Name. Prayer: O Father in heaven, I know that I also have plans in my life, sometimes within Your kingdom. Teach me however to accept that Your plans overrule mine, as Your child. Amen Kwena Semenya

05.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Todays theme: False trust unmasked Read Lamentations 2:1-22 (v. 8): The Lord determined to tear down the wall around the Daughter of Zion. He stretched out a measuring line and did not withhold his hand from destroying. He made ramparts and walls lament; together they wasted away.... (Bible online available at www.biblegateway.com) The people were complaining, because with the invasion of Jerusalem and the exile of His people the Lord didnt even spare the temple from destruction. They just couldnt understand it? How could God allow the temple where He, according to their perceptions, dwelt be destroyed? It meant to them that the glorious presence of the Lord was no longer with His people. Somewhere at the back of their minds they deemed the temple the house of God and believe that since Gods house was in Jerusalem, the Lord would never allow harm to befall Jerusalem and by implication them. They in other words placed their trust in the HOUSE of God and not in the GOD of the house of God. They were completely disillusioned in their faith. Verses 18-19 point out to the people that it is never too late to take refuge in the Lord. Repentance is the road that must be followed. As a number of times in the past, the Lord would also this time not give them the cold shoulder! They just had to take action! The question we need to answer with all honesty is whether we truly trust in God and His grace in Jesus Christ. There are so many ways of false trust: your own experience (knowledge), skills (what you are capable of) and preferences. We need to know God as He reveals Himself in His Word and not as we understand Him to reveal Himself. We must love Him will all our heart, unconditionally. We must serve Him in all we do as He has commanded us to do. We must trust in God alone. Trust in false gods unfortunately easily gains a foothold in our life and we must therefore always strive to only follow ONE path and that is: back to Gods Word! As children of God (who live in His presence), we have the great comfort: In the new Jerusalem there will be no temple, because God Himself will be there and there will be no sun, because the glory of God will light the city (Rev. 21:22). Yes, we will forever be in His glorious presence! Prayer: Lord, help us by Your Spirit to know You for Who You truly are, to love You and in all sincerity serve and honour You. Amen Braam van der Walt

05.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Todays theme: May Christ, in whom you believe, dwell in your heart Read Ephesians 3:14-21, especially verses 16a-17: I pray... that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith...... (The Bible is available online at www.biblegateway.com) We prayed yesterday for the Holy Spirit to strengthen our/your spirit that you may receive inner strength. Today we pray for Christ, in whom you believe as your only Redeemer, to dwell in your heart. Beloved, God the Holy Spirit lives inside you that you may believe in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit had people write the Bible that you may read and learn about Jesus Christ and truly believe in Him as your Saviour. You can only grow strong inside because of what Jesus as Saviour came to do for you. Jesus Christ came to earth as the true God. Jesus also truly became flesh and as such could bear, endure and pay the punishment for your sin. Jesus died an innocent man on the cross, because the guilty could not. Jesus Christ went through hell, defeating and conquering satan and all his evil forces. Jesus Christ truly rose from the dead! For you! Wow, we receive so much. Suddenly my faith in God grows and I feel how Jesus lifts the burden of guilt from my shoulders and soul. Now work is a pleasure. Prayer: Heavenly Father, Your Holy Spirit lifts my spirit and gives me inner strength. Thank You that I may hold fast once again to Your Son, Jesus Christ, believing He is my Saviour and that He protects me against satan and sin. I am no longer afraid, but calmly go about my work with Christ as my King. Praise be to You. Amen Joop van Schaik

03.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Todays theme: May you be rooted and established in the agape love of Christ Read Ephesians 3:14-21, especially verses 17b-19: I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together will the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge...... (The Bible is available online at www.biblegateway.com) We prayed yesterday: May Christ, in whom you believe, dwell in your heart. Today its about the love of Jesus Christ. We once again realise how the Holy Spirit makes you aware of Christs love. Christs love is nothing else than agape love. Agape love we know is a caring love, an expressive love, an active love. What lies at the heart of Jesus Christs love again? Jesus Christ came to earth to die on the cursed cross for us, to battle with satan in hell, conquer him and rise from the dead. Christs love is, therefore, a life-giving love. What greater love can there possible be than Christs love? We pray for ourselves and each other that we may be rooted and established in Christs agape love. Being rooted means being firmly anchored against the storm. Being established means being built on a strong and concrete foundation. Yes, Christs love and saving grace anchors me firmly and is my foundation of Rock. I dont think we truly understand what that means. It means we can resist any attack and temptation of the devil, though we may bend and are hurt and shaken. Beloved, rely on the agape love of Christ. Ask for more and get more love. Yes, also give more agape love to others. What storm or attack are you enduring at the moment? Remember we pray for you and you pray for us that you may indeed profess, experience and share Christs love. Prayer: Heavenly Father, Im in the midst of a storm of temptation and weariness. Help me and open my heart and eyes. I praise You that Your Son, Jesus Christ, strengthens me that I will not only survive the storm, but also be able to experience and proclaim the height, breadth and depth of Your love. Amen Joop van Schaik

02.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Todays theme: Do not plan anything without God Read Genesis 11:1-9: Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As men moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. They said to each other, Come, lets make bricks and bake them thoroughly. They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a... name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth. But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. The Lord said, If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other. So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth. (Bible online available at www.biblegateway.com) The tower of Babel is a good example of planning without God. They said: Here is what we are going to do and this is how we are going to do it. The complete opposite from what God said. The Lord punished them for this and their project of building a tower to venerate their own names, not Gods name, failed - because they planned without God. We can be wise or smart and tell ourselves that we are the best among the best, however, if we plan without God, our plans wont succeed in a way pleasing to God. Prayer: Father, sometimes I just plan without asking for Your Holy Spirits guidance. Help me, Lord, to not leave You out of my plans. Amen Kwena Semenya

02.01.2022 THE LORDS MESSAGE FOR TODAY Theme this week: Our restoration Read Philippians 3:12-14: Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in C...hrist Jesus. (The Bible is available online at www.biblegateway.com) True repentance creates true aversion to sin and makes us turn back to God with true regret to serve Him joyfully with our whole life. We fight against sin, guard against temptation and realise our imperfectness. o We seek the One who is indeed perfect! o We live with the knowledge that through Christs blood we have been freed to now be citizens of heaven. o We then know that we are free of the ties of this sinful world. We can press on to win the prize in this race of life, in which we run to Him daily. Prayer: Our Father, thank You that we may truly repent. You came and changed our hearts and lives, You saved us. May we always focus on You in our race of life. Amen Philip Hattingh