What a friend we have in Jesus

Just thought I'd share this email with you....

Precious Saints and dear friends in Christ!!!

What a friend we have in Jesus!!!! That is actually an old, old song but oh so true.

Sunday night at church I didn’t feel particularly spiritual, actually felt a bit empty and dry, had a really hectic week with the flu, laryngitis and backwards and forwards visiting my mom (she had broken her hip a week ago) in Tygerberg hospital, dealing with the old age home, doctors and nurses etc…. felt tired, worn out….

For those of you who were there Ronnie (our minister) was talking about getting a special touch from Jesus, then he made an altar call. Oh Ronnie why’d you do dat? I was planning on scooting straight out of church as soon as it had finished to get home as early as possible in order to go to bed as soon as possible.

Then the altar call. And boy did the people come up. I didn’t feel like going up, I wanted to go to bed! Anyways I had a few choices but it just basically meant getting past my current emotional status and being obedient to His call. It wasn’t just Ronnie who called for the ministry team to come up, His Holy Spirit just called me as well. I went up, unsure as to what to do. There were so many people and seemingly so few of the ministry team. I was led off to the one side and then just started ministering to people one on one. I just kinda put ‘me’ outta the way and His Holy Spirit just came and worked powerfully through me. And all this time He was just so much more than touching me, He was guiding me, showing me His incomparable love that He has for His children. I was just quietly and gently blown away. Clint and Debbie (Roach) assisted me in places, so many things happened, tongues, tears, resting in His spirit and time just stood still. Then when I turned to my dearly beloved friend Clint, who had been helping me with ministry I could just see that he wanted a special touch from Christ. So I just took the opportunity to pray with and for him. What a beautiful moment. What happened between God and Clint is his story to tell.

So there you go, oh yeah and His touch just lingers and lingers on and on. Did I fully understand what happened on Sunday night? No not really I just experienced it constantly checked it with His word and then trusted in Him. As always I’m stunned, amazed by the way God works, He constantly takes the ordinary and does the extraordinary. What amazing grace, love and mercy.

LoCTY!!!!

PS I did get an early mornings sleep. I fell asleep reading a book about the Psalms at about 1.30am.
PPS I had no intention initially of writing any of this ‘stuff’!!! I was just gonna say hi to you all via Pete’s email.

Came across a rap version of the old song by Bobby Jones. Here it is.

Jesus on (the mainline) my doorstep

So it must have been just going on eight in the evening when Allie called me to come and eat supper. I’d had a long tough day at work only getting home at six that evening and was just starting to unwind. I was looking forward to just watching something not too mentally challenging on television.

Suddenly the doorbell went. I wasn’t feeling up to being very social and I didn’t even really feel like answering the door but with a big inward sigh I went anyway. When I opened the door my heart sank even further, for there stood Portia and Claude in all their forlorn glory. Portia and Claude are a homeless couple who live on the street and they come on a semi regular basis to beg for food from either my wife or myself. “Oh Lord,” I thought as I spoke to Jesus, “do I really have to do this now?” I just wanted them to go away and to top it all they were really falling over drunk and shouting and screaming at each other.I told them to be quiet and to wait while I made them some sandwiches. I wanted to get rid of them as quickly as possible.

I went to the kitchen and Allie said that we had some chicken breyani over after she had dished up for us. So I put the breyani in two containers, heated it in the microwave, buttered some bread and got some fruit from the fridge. All the time I’m busy with the food I can hear Claude and Portia shouting and swearing at each other outside my kitchen window.

Well I opened our front door and called them to collect their food. I told them that they must go and eat their food as quickly as possible otherwise it would get cold. They then started accusing each other and telling me to pray for the others sins. So Claude was listing all Portia’s sins and saying that I really have to pray for her, and Portia was doing the same regarding Claude. I really didn’t feel like praying for either of them. I just wanted them to go and leave me in peace. I told them that they were too drunk and noisy for me to pray for them. I had no sooner uttered those words when I just ‘felt’ convicted to pray for both of them. I put one of my hands on each of their shoulders and just started praying for both of them. Suddenly amidst all the chaos and brokenness there was peace. They were both quiet and I felt at peace. It was a beautiful moment. Claude just started weeping quietly and then Portia. I prayed for a little while and then it was over. Claude and Portia thanked me, then gave some money to me for me to keep for them and then walked off into the night. It was a stunning moment with the Holy Spirit and made me reflect on the mercy, grace and love of Christ for days to come.

Then out of nowhere I got this song stuck in my head. I used to have it in my old vinyl collection so I’ll just share it here with you.



I know Jesus is on that mainline
Tell Him what you want
Jesus is on that mainline
Tell Him what you want
Jesus is on that mainline
Tell Him what you want
Call Him up and tell Him what you want

Well, the line ain't never busy
Tell Him what you want
Wo, that line ain't never busy
Tell Him what you want
Well, the line ain't never busy
Tell Him what you want
Keep on calling Him up
And tell Him what you want

Well, if you want His kingdom
Tell Him what you want
If you want His kingdom
Tell Him what you want
If want His kingdom
Tell Him what you want
Call Him up, call Him up, call Him up, call Him up
You can call Him up and tell Him what you want

Well, if you're sick and wanna get well
Tell Him what you want
Well, if you're sick and you wanna get well
Tell Him what you want

35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' (Matthew 25:35-40)

Glory

Hi Everyone,

Just lately Matthew and myself have been keenly following and watching the Euro 2008 soccer finals held in Austria and Switzerland. The tournament was won by Spain who beat Germany by one goal to nil in the final. See the pic above which I think just epitomizes the glory of Spain’s achievement.

While watching this tournament it got me thinking as to why does mankind chase after glory so much. In sport, at work and life in general. We will associate ourselves with a sports team or an individual so that in some way we can be connected to and share in their glory.

However mankind’s glory does not last for long and soon fades.

Solomon who was a very wise, powerful and rich king about three thousand years ago was pondering on the meaning of his life as he entered into his twilight years. He was a man who really had everything and had chased after glory all his life. Surveying his kingdom and all his achievements he came to the conclusion that everything becomes meaningless if you do not have the one true God in your life and give Him all the glory. You can go read about it in Ecclesiastes in the old testament in the bible.

We have been made in God’s image for God’s glory. Jesus when He was down here on earth glorified His Father God by being obedient to God, even to the point of death. This opened the way, for all who choose Him, back to the God of all glory. The new testament is full of statements where God says He will glorify us in order that we may more fully glorify Him. I’ll just put down a few here.

Through Him (Jesus) we also have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:2)
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)
Our bodies sown in dishonor, to be raised in glory; sown in weakness, to be raised in power. (1 Corinthians 15:43)
But we all with our face having been unveiled, having beheld the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are being changed into the same image from glory to glory, which comes from the Lord , who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Meaning of glory from dictionary.com
very great praise, honor, or distinction bestowed by common consent
something that is a source of honor, fame or admiration; a distinguished ornament or an object of pride
adoring praise or worshipful thanksgiving
resplendent beauty of magnificence
a state of great splendour, magnificence, or prosperity
a state of absolute happiness, gratification, contentment, etc.
the splendor and bliss of heaven

So it’s no wonder we hunger and thirst for glory because we were made to glorify the God of all glory and if we chase after any other glory it will become meaningless.



You are holy in this place
You are worthy of my praise and we worship You
Jesus we worship You

You're the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords
You're the Master of the Universe
You're the Ruler of all Nations
And we sing to You, sing to You

When You call my name, I'll run to You
I'll do anything You ask me to
Falling on my knees I worship You, my Lord
We give You GLORY

Alle Alleluia
Alle Alleluia
Alle Alleluia
Alle Alleluia
Alle Alleluia


LoCTY!

Inside Out

Hey There

Have you stood in front of a mirror lately? Did you like what you saw? Probably not! Too many wrinkles, creases, ouch look at my stomach, and all those pieces that just kinda stick out in all the wrong places. HELP I’m a complete mess! What to do? Apply make up, exercise program, plastic surgery, improve posture, accessorise……. go shopping….go drinking. (By the way this is a unisex thing just pick out the pieces that apply to you.)

Sadly we live in a world where we idolize the body beautiful. Sooo much hangs on just the way we look and we feel that pressure on a daily basis. This makes many of us feel so insecure. Many people get rewarded in this life just by the way they look. And to think that they had little or nothing to do with it, it is just God’s gift to them.

We would rather deal with how people look on the outside then really get to know them and what makes them tick. We tend to avoid people who are ‘odd’ looking and don’t meet our criteria as far as looks go.

But here we have God who loves us from the inside out and not from the outside in. Sadly again many of us so absolutely don’t believe that. But it’s true, absolutely and irrevocably true.

When God was looking for a new King of Israel he said this to His prophet Samuel.
“Do not consider his appearance or his height……The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”(1 Samuel 16:7)

From Psalm 139 again it tells us that God knitted us together in our mother’s womb and created our inmost being. We were made in a secret place and we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Now that sounds a whole lot more creative, beautiful and artistic then you kinda just got here by a series of accidents.Yippee for evolution the ultimate theory of discouragement in this life!!

Then there is love. Nope evolution has no answer to that one, how we want to be loved and how we want to love others. The ultimate definition of love is found in 1 Corinthians 13. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

And you know what? This is the way that God loves you and He is just waiting for you when you dunno who you are. When you are cut up inside aching and bleeding and not even worrying what you look like on the outside ‘cause the pain is just too much. When you doubt that He exists at all, when you feel you have been led astray. All you have to do is take hold of Jesus’ hand and He will meet you in your deepest darkest place and shine His love (as in 1 Corinthians 13) into your heart. Mebbe this will be your first time, mebbe you already know you can do this but think you can’t ……..you can. The psalmist says in the Old Testament “The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love……as far as the east is from the west, that’s how far He has removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:8-13)

So how is your heart today? How are you deep down inside of you? Just open up your heart to Jesus because He made your heart in the first place and He knows how to heal it ‘cause His love is from the inside out.



A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Your will above all else, my purpose remains
The art of losing myself in bringing you praise

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Chorus 2x
Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise
From the inside out Lord, my soul cries out


LoCTY!!!!

Have A Little Faith In Me

Hi

So this Saturday morning just got back from a men’s group at Salem Full Gospel church which is held fortnightly from 7am to roughly 8.30am.

We just chatted about faith. The guys just shared the battles in their lives and how their faith is being tested and also things that they have been through in the past.

One man’s current battle with cancer, another praying and waiting on God for seven years for his wife to fall pregnant. Another who just this past week was threatened of being charged with fraud relating to his job and this was in relation to a mistake a colleague had made. A man who was a missionary at the time in Europe shared how his life fell apart when funds for the mission were mismanaged and his wife miscarried. And there were others in that group who I know have tough battles in their lives. Sometimes in the group it comes out in different ways, anger, fear, tears. This is the real gritty ‘stuff’ no one liners here or high fives or perfunctory slaps on the back. We listen, we share our experiences, we draw alongside each other, we encourage each other with the hope we have in Jesus Christ, we ask for strength and wisdom from His Holy Spirit and we look to the truth in the word of God.

So there are no easy answers. God doesn’t give them. Instead He asks questions of us and we need to work out answers to His questions.

Jesus said in this life we will have trouble BUT(A BIG BUT) take heart I (Jesus) have overcome the world (John 16.33). So Jesus is saying through Him we have a hope not just for what is happening in our lives now but way and far beyond that. The promises in the word of God are breathtaking,basically a summation of all our desires, wants, needs and longings.

I share some scriptures that were read in the meeting.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. (James 1:2-5)

Job says, ‘I am innocent, but God denies me justice. Although I am right, I am considered a liar, although I am guiltless, his arrow inflicts an incurable wound. What man is like Job, who drinks scorn like water? (Book of Job 34: 5-7, Job asks God why bad things are happening to him)

This is part of God’s answer.

Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said: “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone — while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?

Of course God’s full answer is in the person Jesus Christ.

Then I just want to add this one;

Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

(Daniel 3: 15-18, when the three young Hebrews were threatened with death by the king of Babylon)

So my friends just have a little faith in Him. I know easier said/written/sung then done………

Here is a song that has just kinda been hanging around in my head lately. I know it is a person to person song but sometimes I can imagine Jesus singing/talking to me something like the words in this song, but only deeper more profoundly. A few artists have done this but this version is by Jewel. I could not get a full length version by John Hiatt. Anyways just click on the play button and enjoy the song.

When the road gets dark
And you can no longer see
Just let my love throw a spark, baby
Have a little faith in me

When the tears you cry
Are all you can believe
Just give these loving arms a try, baby
Have a little faith in me

Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me

When your secret heart
Cannot speak so easily
Come here darlin
From a whisper start
To have a little faith in me

When your backs against the wall
Just turn around, you will see
I will catch ya, I will catch your fall
Just have a little faith in me

Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me

Well, Ive been loving you for such a long, long time baby
Expecting nothing in return
Just for you to have a little faith in me
You see time, time is our friend for you and me
Cause for us there is no end
All you gotta do is have a little faith in me
I said I will hold you up, I will hold you up
Your strength gives me enough
So have a little faith in me
Hey baby, oh, baby
All ya gotta do is have a little faith in me
All ya gotta do is have a little faith in me
A little faith in me

LoCTY!!!!!

Father and Son

Hi Everyone,

So about a week and a half ago Matthew and I went on a Father and Son camp which was organized by Grant Hopkins from the Durbanville Methodist church.

The only reason we got to go is because God really wanted us to. We went with three very good friends of mine, Peter, Clint and Grant W and their sons. If it wasn’t for God’s love working in my friends hearts we would never have been able to get there.

You see one of my friends told us about the camp, another paid for us and then another one drove us there. So all I had to do was get my pride sorted out to accept God’s blessings that He was holding out to me, waiting for me to accept His love. Of course I have this pride thing so wrapped and sorted by now that it really ain’t any problem I’m so goooooood at dying to self I just do it and feel no pain what so ever. Yeah right, who am I trying to convince here, me or you! Of course you know the first person we deceive is always ourselves. So I wrestled and grappled with my pride even after I’d said yes to all the graceful and loving offers of my friends and finally came to a place of peace and acceptance as Jesus and the Holy Spirit just prepared my heart and spirit to enjoy this day and a half camp.

Aren’t we all so like that. God is constantly holding out His hand through the death of His son, Jesus Christ offering us untold blessings, salvation, adoption, fellowship, glorification, never to cry again, to live in heaven in perfection without sin for eternity, peace, mercy, hope, love, grace……..I could go on but I hope you get the picture. And then what gets in the way, yup you guessed it our pride. I mean we can sort out our own lives and we know exactly what is going on and we have everything planned and every contingency covered. We know exactly what is going to happen during the course of any day, we know what is going to happen to us in the future……..yeah right…. how foolish we are.

So Clint came to pick us up with his boys Luke and Cane on Wednesday at about 3.30pm and we headed off to Rocklands just outside of Simonstown. For an action packed time of fellowship and for us dads to enjoy our sons and for our sons to enjoy their fathers. It was such a blessed time. We played indoor soccer (till 10pm at night, until the dads legs almost dropped off), indoor cricket, swimming (brrrrrrr!!), climbed on the climbing wall, went for a hike, a treasure hunt, saw penguins and baboons, worshipped, braaied, super tubed, visited the Navy Museum.

The most amazing thing was just the time we spent with each other. Matthew only really asked me one thing, to play indoor soccer with him. As tired and aching as my body was I always tried my best to say yes. Although sometimes I initially said no, then there were always a few ‘good’ friends around to convince me to play.

The other awesome thing is that while we were on the camp my step-daughter gave birth to her son Aronne Adam Bell. So I got a call just after 6am from Allie on Thursday morning telling me that I’m a grandpa. Needless to say the guys really pulled my (sore) leg on that fact. Didn’t get me out of playing any indoor soccer though.

I realized God so much wants to just spend time with us. If we accept Christ as our saviour we are adopted as sons and daughters and God is our Father. Right now God just wants to spend time with you. We most of the time don’t really see all the opportunities He gives us.

If you want a quick look into God the Father’s heart go read Luke chapter 14 verses 11 to 31, where Jesus tells the parable of the prodigal son. Charles Dickens refers to it as the greatest short story ever told.

Here is a version of that story done in song by John Waller.

Still Calls Me Son

I drug his name through godless places
And I've known shame that no child of his should know
I've seen pain on broken faces
Beyond all thought of hope
I was just too far from home
Still I always wondered when I closed my eyes


After all I've done
Could he run to me?
Would he kiss my face?
Could he even look at me?
After where I've been should he take me back?
I would understand I've disgraced him
But it would be amazing
If he still calls me son


With nothing left for me to bring him
I left my pride and turned my heart toward home
I saw my home on the horizon
And from a distance I saw my Father
Watching for his own with forgiving eyes


After all I'd done
He just ran to me
Then he kissed my face
He would not let go of me
After where I'd been
He just welcomed me
I didn't understand
But he put his robe on me
It was so amazing
That he still called me son


One day as I breathe my last
And I know my days on earth have ended
When every hour is spent
I will close my eyes in amazement
And I'll hear angels
They'll be singing Amazing Grace

Cause he will run to me
And he will kiss my face
He will not let go of me
After where I've been
He will welcome me
I won't understand
How he'll put his robe on me
It will be amazing
That he'll still call me son
Amazing grace how sweet the sound
When he calls me son
I once was lost but now I'm found
Cause he calls me Son

Go listen to the song at www.myspace.com/johnwaller

Trying music video of a song for the first time.Probably work a lot better for users with really faster/broader connections. Might not work too well for South African users. Also might link to other so called related videos which might not be so good. Checked this once or twice but don't know to tweak the html code 100% yet. Just don't play the other "related" videos if they come up. Just please give me feedback.



LoCTY!!!

PS. A huge thank you to Grant H for organizing this camp and for the fellowship of all the other dads and their sons.

Greetings(2) Update

Hi Everyone

Well finally I have completed uploading all the stuff I could find that I have written since about 2004. I actually finished doing this last weekend on the 26 April eventually posting 38 articles from the 10 April to the 25 April. I tried to get as close to the original date of writing as possible.

I have noticed that I’m missing some stuff that I have written, so if any of you out there have got anything I’ve written and don’t see it on the blog , please email it to me. Thanks!

I thought now all I need is to have writers block and totally freeze up and not be able to write anything. I’m not the kind of person who writes something everyday. I kinda write as I’m inspired to write mostly by His Holy Spirit and out of a knowledge that I serve a wonderful creator who loves me more than I can comprehend.

The past week has been hectic, which is great ‘cause that gives me lots to write about. Last weekend Allie went away on a ladies camp at the Rocklands Centre. She was blessed by the fellowship and teachings. I took two days leave in order to tie in with the public holidays and then have the whole week off. Monday evening I taught at our mens group and was blessed by the fellowship. Tuesday I spent the day with one of my best friends, Paul Finaughty, we had been trying to get together for about two years now. Crazy hey, but I’m sure you know just how fast life whizzes by. We had such a wonderful time just talking and talking to each other. Then on Wednesday spent packing for Father Son Camp and then went to watch Matthew at rugby practice, first time I had this opportunity to watch one of his practices. Then Clint and his boys came to pick Matthew and myself up at about 3.30pm. Then we were off to Rocklands Centre for the Father Son Camp. We crammed in as much as we could from Wednesday 3.30pm to Friday 11.30am. Then on Thursday morning (5.25am) Lisa my step-daughter gave birth to Aronne Adam Bell, our grandson!

So I will be writing about the happenings of the past week and some other matters that have been laid on my heart. Got some pics of the Father Son Camp as well as of Aronne so will be posting those as well, this will be a first for me but hey now I can do it.

So hope to be writing and posting more soon.

LoCTY!!!

PS Here is a rocket song for Christ, which I just felt like adding to this post. Enjoy it!(14 June 2008)



I love You Lord
I worship You Lord, always
So thankful Lord - You saved my life
You saved my life today

Let me be a shining light for You
Let me be a joy to You always
Let me be a shining light for You
Let me be a joy to You always

No superman
I'm no hero
I'm just a man in Your eyes
But through Your son I've overcome
The father of all lies

Where The Love Lasts Forever

Precious Saints!!!!!

I’m gonna make an attempt at trying to convey to you some of what took place this past Alpha weekend.

Yes it was another Alpha Holy Spirit weekend away. Now you might quickly say, “Oh well that’s just another Alpha weekend, you know we have so many of them these days, just boring humdrum kinda stuff, yeah I suppose you’all (say that with a real Texan drawl) will have a mighty fine time with God.” Thank GOoDness God’s ways and thoughts are so way above ours and that He is new every morning.

So first up was the training for the team and the pilgrims in the week leading up to the weekend, training overseen by God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Spirt. So God allowed a car engine to catch on fire, arguments with crabby neighbours, family tensions, some of the team members were all over the place putting their foots in their mouths and oh yes how about a good dose of physical ailments that suddenly cropped up, tummy bugs and mysterious pains that doctors could not identify and I’m sure there were others that I have not heard of yet.

Of course this is to get us all to the point were we will stop trying to do things in our own strength and start leaning on our Almighty God’s limitless strength. So that we would cry out to Him in prayer and say “Please, please……Jesus…..we don’t have the answer.” You’d think some of us would have gotten the point by now but hey we’re sheep, we are oftentimes just so stoooopid.

Eventually we all ended up at Manyano Centre, Paarl to spend time with God to seek His face and to try our best to be in the centre of His will. When I got to Manyano I could almost tangibly feel the prayers of the Saints. Those there at the centre and those praying at home for us it was kinda like walking into a cloud of God’s love, you could at first kinda feel it but not see it. However if you started to look with your heart you would see it in the acts and ways of the people there.

For me personally I was totally blown away and humbled at how God used me, to encourage, teach, facilitate and to shine His light of love. During the Holy Spirit ministry session on Saturday afternoon, His Holy Spirit just let me know and feel the hurts of those I prayed for. It was surreal, it was almost as if I wasn’t really there but at the same time I was so focused. Actually it’s impossible to explain. I still tried to manipulate who to pray for as the people stood awaiting their turn. I of course wanted to pray for the people in my group, people that I’d gotten to know and felt responsible for but God kept on giving me all these other people. I could almost imagine Him stroking me on my head and saying, “There there my little lamb, no this is the one to whom I want to extend my invitation of grace, mercy and unfailing love through you.”

After this intense period of prayer and ministry I was totally drained, mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. I was literally prayed out. I gave everything that I had. This was not that I was doing it in my own strength but ‘cause I was just so trying my best to open my heart to Him and do things His way and not my own way. This can sometimes be a huge battle . After supper I just went for a walk to be on my own and to speak to Allie on my cell. After that I had a fifteen minute power nap and was revitalised enough to go to the one hour praise and worship session which continued my revitalisation. It is such a blessing to worship God in song, even with my broken and mostly out of tune voice. After that I was involved in some prayer but I realised then that I was still ‘prayed out’. So I asked for and received some wonderful prayer then I knew it was time to take a shower and get to bed. After the shower I just sat and chatted to a good friend of mine, we don’t get too many opportunities to speak to each other so we made the most of it. Then off to bed at about 12.30am. Much earlier then my previous bedtime of 4.30am.
Of course the weekend had to come to an end. And we all went home on Sunday afternoon. Most of us just wanted it to last forever. This special time of God’s love. One of our team members said that God bows heaven down to us when we pray; it really felt like that this weekend. However Jesus is coming again and then the love will last forever for all His children just like the song below.

Sooooo much else happened it is really quite easy to write a book about it, yep just another weekend of God changing lives for all eternity.





Your mercy found me,
Upon the broken road,
And lifted me beyond my failing,
Into Your glory,
My sin and shame dissolved,
And now forever Yours I'll stand

(Pre-Chorus)
In love never to end,
To call You more than Lord,
Glorious friend.

(Chorus)
So I throw my life upon all that You are,
'Cause I know you gave it all for me.
And when all else fades,
My soul will dance with You,
Where the love lasts forever.

Your mercy found me,
Upon the broken road,
And lifted me beyond my failing,
Into Your glory,
My sin and shame dissolved,
And now forever Yours I'll stand

(Chorus)

(Bridge)
And forever I will sing,
Lord forever I will sing,
Of how You gave Your life away,
Just to save me,
Lord You saved me.

(Chorus)

Lord, where the love lasts forever.
I will be with You,where the love lasts forever.
I will sing to you, where the love lasts forever.
I will dance with you, where the love lasts forever.

LoCTY!!!!!!

All For You!

Precious Saints!!!!

This past weekend saw me being part of a team of sinners saved by grace helping, leading and teaching others about God's grace. Yes it was another Alpha Holy Spirit weekend. What a joy to serve our Lord Jesus Christ the absolutely and completely greatest blessing in the universe.

But first let me back track a bit and I'll try to be as honest as I can with you. You see it was not in MY plan to serve on the Alpha team this year. I had planned to take a years mathematical (yeah George @Vodocom) from Alpha. But then I was invited ever so lovingly and graciously to serve by someone who I respect and love very much. I discussed it with Allie and we agreed that it would be okay. So off I went and was selected as a small group leader for the duration of the ten week course. Then of course some things went wrong. Allie fell very ill while I was on the Alpha and eventually resigned from her job. I felt a tremendous pull and often a bit guilty going off on Wednesday nights when I knew Allie was not too well. But I constantly prayed for strength and healing for both of us and the guys on team as well as my buddies were also praying for us. So I just kept at it. Before we knew it the weekend away was upon us. Now I had been struggling with a cold/flu and running a temperature off and on for about three weeks but because of all round pressure(specially at work) I just kept pushing on. That is until my body started screaming at my head and asking, "Hey is there a brain up there somewhere?" So eventually I surrendered and went to the doc who diagnosed me as having a triple whammy, flu, sinisitus and bronchitus. He then promptly booked me off for three days and gave me a prescription of anti-biotics, pain killers and cough mixture. Then I really thought I was ill. Well this happened in the week leading up to the Alpha weekend. I wondered if I was gonna make it to the weekend. Anyways I rested as much as I could and tried my best not to worry as to what was happening at work.

Friday came and I got out of bed at about 11am and slowly got ready for the weekend. Dressed and packed, my lift came around about 3.30pm and we were off. Needless to say I really wasn't that rearing to go and I didn't really feel like I was in top form. But you you know God is awesome. You just have to make the effort to pitch up, trust Him, be obedient, be faithful and you will be abosutely amazed at the way He uses ordinary people (like you and me) in an extraordinary way.

The weekend was an absolute blast of a blessing from God. I ended up also being the 'projector pixie', working the overhead transparencies for the words to the praise and worship songs. Not that the selfish( me selfish, no waze Jose!) part of me initially wanted to do it but....you know His Holy Spirit really knows wots good for you. Oh yeah and I made a fair amount of mistakes. The way God used people on this weekend and just the way that He was constantly at work was absolutely mind blowing. You just can't take it all in and for weeks afterwards you just think about things that happened and God just reveals things to you.

God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Helper God's Holy Spirit just constantly washed us with their Love and healed broken and hurting people. You know the best view in the world is to see God working in a person nothing compares to it, when God works in and through you to minister His grace mercy and love to others. Everything was just so purposeful, even the small things. The fellowship was blessed. We had four churches at the weekend, the Goodwood, Milnerton and Malmsbury Methodist churches and the Goodwood Roman Catholic Church. What a tremendous unity His Holy Spirit wove into us as we all worshiped God as one.

Well we all had to leave on Sunday and I was missing my family tremendously as well.Then that night we had a tremendous Celebration service at Goodwood Meth and then God used me again (no not my plan to be used or my idea) to minister His love after the service.

So wotz God calling you to do. Simple really. He's saying here receive my free gifts of grace, mercy and love. Soak them up in your soul and then go and pass them on to the rest of the world, do this where ever you find yourself and as often as you possibly can, don't worry if no one is around to see your good deeds 'cause God will see them. Don't worry about being in the so called 'right' place like a church just do it.




You surround me with singing
You restore me in Your grace again
I'm alive in You
You are faithful, Saviour
You are holy
And my trust is in the power of Your name
You remember mercy
You are near me
I have life again
Now I belong to You
I will lift my hands
I will lift my voice
All for You
It's all for You
Take up my cross
I surrender
All for You
It's all for You
Your Kingdom, Is rising
Use me I pray
Your Kingdom, Is rising
Use me I pray

LoCTY!!!

The Shadow of Death

Precious Saints !!!

Isn't it amazing that although we live with death every day of our life, we go to great lengths to avoid this fact. Mebbe we figure if we don't mention it or talk about it then it won't happen to us or to our loved ones. I mean nobody really wants to die do they? Well imagine going to a party and discussing whether you would prefer to be buried or cremated and/or sharing your self written eulogy with whoever cared to listen. Just think if you will, going around and reminding everyone that they might not see the sun coming up tomorrow. I somehow don't think you would be the life and soul of the party eh! Just think, going shopping for something to die in. Man that is just too droll and macabre to even imagine.

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Unfailing Love

Precious Saints !!!!

Yes I know it's been awhile, the world at work has been doing a Romans 12:2 on me trying to squeeze me into it's mold but God is constantly and lovingly at work.

So this weekend past I'm up for soup kitchen duty, you know, compassion ministry and all that stuff. Well I had a rather frustrating time leading up to the evening at soup kitchen and by the time I got there I felt about as compassionate as a dry twig. I was handing out some booklets to the people in the queue for soup when something inside me asked the question, "Why are you not shaking their hands tonight and asking them how they are doing?" Just then to make matters worse(for me that is) I bumped (literally) into one of the 'hard' men of the soup kitchen causing him to spill some soup.

Oh Lord and this too....this is all I need. I was expecting him to have a thousand nasty words to say. Bite your tongue Raymond, you must forgive, forgive, forgive(70x7). He just stood and looked at me and then started crying and started asking me why does he continue to do the wrong things when God has paid such a high price for him, the blood of Christ has been shed for him. He started to tell me about the father heart of God (all in Afrikaans) and words just failed me as I humbly listened with my hand on his shoulder and felt his desperate pain. I didn't say much just asked his name(Gerhard) said a short prayer for him and encouraged him to eat his soup. Walked away just kinda stunned, was I there for him or was he there for me.......?

Then come Sunday night, Allie and myself and a handful of us go with Ronnie and Hazel to a healing evening at the Atlantis Methodist Church. We formed part of the ministry team and I'm so humbled by the people there who live in a community torn apart by poverty, crime, drugs and physical abuse. It seemed like the whole church got up when the call came for healing and all protocol and false pride fell by the way and we just ministered not in our own strength but in His. Again just feeling kinda stunned afterwards.

I'm amazed that God uses me and you(just be available,obedient, merciful and loving) to show His unfailing love. Often I think how could he want to use me to be His hands, feet, lips, ears, heart....... Does He really, really know me and all the things I hide deep down within me? The astonishing answer is yes He knows me better than I know myself and He wants to bless me(and you) by using me(and you). So I kinda got this song in my body, soul and spirit at the moment which I'll share with you.


1Corinthians 13:8 Love never fails!
Psalm 136:26 Praise God in heaven! God's love never fails

Artist: Chris Tomlin Song: Unfailing love
Album: Arriving

You have my heart
And I am Yours forever
You are my strength
God of grace and power
And everything
You hold in Your hand
Still You make time for me
I can’t understand

Praise You God of Earth and sky
How beautiful is Your unfailing love
Unfailing love
And You never change
God You remain
The Holy One and my unfailing love
Unfailing love

You are my rock
The One I hold on to
You are my song
And I sing for You
And everything You hold in Your hand
Still You make time for me I can’t understand

Praise You God of Earth and sky
How beautiful is Your unfailing love
Unfailing love
And You never change
God You remain The Holy One and my Unfailing love
Unfailing love
And everything You hold in Your hand
Still you make time for me I can’t understand

Praise You God of Earth and sky
How beautiful is Your unfailing love
Unfailing love
And You never change God You remain
The Holy One and my Unfailing love
Unfailing love
I will praise You

Praise you God of earth and sky
How beautiful is your unfailing love
Unfailing love
And You never change
God You remain The Holy One and my Unfailing love
Unfailing love
Unfailing love
Unfailing love
Unfailing love
Unfailing love

LoCTY !!!!!!!

Healing Rain

Precious Saints !!!!!!

This weekend past the Goodwood Roman Catholics, Goodwood Methodists and Ravensmead Methodists shared an Alpha weekend together at the Manyano Centre in Paarl. That's the bare factual bones of the matter. What really happened on this weekend I don't think I'll ever really be able to convey fully with words but I'll give it my best shot in order to share with you and give God all the glory.

In preparation for the weekend, we prayed, we fasted, we sacrificed of ourselves, we wept for the broken hearted and we asked God by the power of His Holy Spirit to come and save, heal, restore and make His people whole. And we serve such a faithful and true God that He came and did just that which we asked of Him. Not because we deserved any of it, not because of who we are but because He loves us and has faith in us and that He works in us and through us despite who we are and what we do. The more I experience the grace of God the more I'm just totally blown away by who He is and how He works and His deep love and generosity.

There may have been two 'different' denominations on the weekend but His Holy Spirit united us as one. This weekend God told us through His Spirit that we are His adopted sons and daughters heirs to the throne of the king because we come to Him in the name of His one and only son Jesus Christ and that His one and only son bought each of us with His very own blood. We are Princes and Princesses and not even death can take that away. So we saw the truth, power and beauty of the Gospel of Salvation unfold before our very eyes this weekend and it was breathe taking.

You know when you pray and minister to someone by the power of His Holy Spirit, it is such an intimate moment, you almost feel like you are intruding and should not be there. But God wants you there and sometimes the person you are ministering to is so broken, crying, sobbing, nose running and by fleshly/human standards looks quite a mess (snot en trane) but for me I've never ever witnessed anything so beautiful as when God starts healing a person from the inside out. It's just so WOW (Walking on Water, time)

For me personally I was just feeling that God was not really gonna make much use of me this weekend. You know that kinda feeling,"Oh yeah, been there done that, seen it all before," but you see God never quite works that way, He is an eternal God who, if you make yourself available and try your best to be obedient, will use you far beyond what you can imagine or dream of. So this weekend for me was full of the presence of Him in my life, in the big things and the small things.

I'll share with you just a coupla memories from the weekend.

I almost forgot to take a mug/cup with so just before I left on Friday I quickly grabbed Matthews "Incredibles" mug. My leg was lovingly pulled the whole weekend about my "incredible" mug, however there were very few people who actually brought their own mugs so super hero mug was used quite often. Phew was it hot in Paarl, a blistering 37 degrees on Saturday, we swam in the pool and then had cold showers afterwards to cool off from swimming. We had our fair share of echo and respond snorers that really rattled the floorboards. Of course some people just never slept, like motor mouth Peter K who talked up a storm from Friday night to Saturday morning. Alistair F coming down the passage absolutely drenched in sweat after he had just played his heart out for us for a solid hour, on the drums, the worship team always bless us soooo much. Showering by candle light due to the power failures, hey watch out for the falling wax, oh ja and the Florence Nightingales who walked up and down the passages. Ernest's jokes about the Cathys. The Saturday evening Holy Spirit ministry, jokes fun and laughter on Sunday morning. Sharing on Sunday morning what God actually did for His beloved people. And of course the tears and brokenness healed by the power of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit. Fred W's mind blowing vision of seeing four angels protecting Manyano Centre and Jesus coming through the wall, while we worshipped, opening His arms and saying, "I am pleased."So much more, I'm sure everyone there could write a book about their experiences. On the way home, the four of us in the car just praying for each other and our spouses and children and thanking and praising God for His love grace and mercy. The celebration service at Goodwood Meth in the evening.

While we where having tea/coffee on Sunday morning before breakfast, the rain suddenly came down and it reminded me of Michael W Smiths video for his song Healing Rain, where the healing power of God's Spirit is depicted like this special kind of rain and what you had to kinda do was step out in faith and get wet and then you would feel the healing power of God's love. We saw that healing rain first hand this past weekend.


When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures.The scroll containing the messages of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him, and he unrolled the scroll to the place where it says:
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,that the blind will see,that the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors,and that the time of the Lord's favour has come."
He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. Everyone in the synagogue stared at him intently.Then he said, "This Scripture has come true today before your very eyes!" (Luke 4:16-21, Jesus reading from Isaiah 61:1 & 2, words written approx 700+ years before his birth on earth. )

Here is one of the songs we did on the weekend



You know that I love you
You know that I want to
Know you so much more
More than I have before
These words are from my heart
These words are not made up
I will live for you
I am devoted to you
King of Majesty, I have one desire
Just to be with you my lord
Just to be with you my lord
Jesus you are the saviour of my soul
And forever and ever I'll give my praises to you

LoCTY !!!!

PS The Apps music duo please pass on to the rest of the Alpha worship team.

Amazing Love

To You Oh Precious Saints !!!!

Your email boxes over these last coupla weeks must have been decidedly lighter and your eyes more rested due to the fact that I have been on leave for the last two weeks.

So what’s been happening? Plenty ‘stuff’, too much to write all down here but we’ll mention some things.

Well Val (Allies’ sister who is a Sister [nun; geddit?]) came down from Cathcart to stay with us these past two weeks and I tried my level best to cut down on the church “stuff’ for the two weeks so we could spend as much time with Val as possible. We went to early morning mass for two Sundays, hey I even knew the words for quite a few of the songs and also knew quite a few people there.

Last Thursday we are just sitting in the lounge around about 5pm when suddenly the front door opens (for some reason or the other it was not locked) and in walks Adam. Talk about jaw dropping, blown away time. To just let you get some idea of the impact of his entrance, we had not heard a single word from him for more than a month. Allie was really worried about him, what with Rita and Katrina doing there dance of destruction across the southern parts of the USA. Because of all the damage that the hurricanes have caused, the entertainment season has been curtailed and the owner of the fare started to send the guys back home. It was just so good to see him. He’d been travelling for 30 hours. A few days earlier I’d had a dream that he’d come home and it was so real that when I woke up I thought that he was in the house (yeah I cried then, no one saw me except God). He (Adam) also came bearing gifts for us and this from a guy who until last year was not interested in paying rent. It was so apparent that God had “kept” him in this very difficult time. We had a great time of fellowship (actually mind blowing) as a family talking about our amazingly awesome God. Then we went to visit Lisa (his sister) and Donovan (Lisas’ hubbie). Well I was very proud (ooh dangeroos) of myself as I did not cry but at times His Holy Spirit was just sooo close. Then on Friday morning we dropped Mattie off at school and all the while I’m just thinking of God’s amazing love and the tears just came.

This past Sunday morning I paid a visit to the Full Gospel church in Bothasig. I’m walking innocently down the aisle when Paul B comes to greet me and nonchalantly asks me if I would say the opening prayer. WHO ME !!! Hey you got it wrong I’m just visiting here. I had a good coupla excuses welling up from within but the only thing that came out after the WHO ME bit was, “Okay just call me when you need me.” That was such a blessing and honour thank you (in hindsight) Paul B for jolting me out of my comfort zone.

Then we go to Goodwood Methodist in the evening and Adam comes with. We are singing praises to God and out of the corner of my eye I see Adam raise His hands in worship and my throat just thickens up and I’m shattered and can’t sing. And it’s all ‘bout His amazing love.

I always knew from my earliest memories that God was this all powerful being (He is) who would just zap you if you stepped outta line. From my later “religious” experiences this just seemed to be more and more highlighted. Then when I thought I’d found the “true” God at one stage it actually just made me feel more of a wretch (yaargh you miserable worm). The only way to live from there on in was to deny Him. And then I met His Holy Spirit and for the first time in my life I experienced the love of God. The only more amazing thing than my own personal encounter and awakening with God is to see how His love works in others lives. I just want you all out there to know that if you are aware of Gods’ love for you then you are truly blessed ‘cause there are millions of people out there who just have no idea of this simple (but mind blowing) truth.

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he
may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being
rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all 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, that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:14-19).



I’m forgiven, because You were forsaken
I’m accepted, You were condemned
I’m alive and well, Your spirit is within me
Because You died and rose again

Amazing love, how can it be
That you my king would die for me?
Amazing love, I know it’s true
And it’s my joy to honour You
In all I do I honour You

You are my king
You are my king
Jesus you are my king
(Written by Billy Foot)

LoCTY !!!!!

A Reminder From Stanley

To The Saints !!!!!

Last night saw the start of Alpha. It is always with mixed feelings/emotions that one approaches serving on team for the start of the first Alpha course for the year. There is excitement, passion, apprehension, fear, doubt and often (but not always) there is something that happens in your life in the week leading up to Alpha that brings out and highlights our weak and sinful nature. During this week we have have been subjected again to family tension and Allie has borne the brunt of this from her son Adam.
So on to the first night and Allie initially did not much feel like going but eventually she decided to go with me. Things went okay and we were enjoying the evening. While sitting in the small group Kevin came walking up to me and said he had a message from Mandy(who was looking after Matthew) that our car had been stolen and was in Delft and that we should phone her to get the number for the police there.
Of course I would like to tell you that I stayed calm and made all the right Christian responses and called an immediate prayer meeting or whateva but I flipped, I panicked, my heart came up in my throat, then sank down to my shoes (and then continued with this yo yo motion). Allie and myself hurried to the office, on the way there I looked out to where our car was parked (what was I looking for? It wasn't there!) and I said to Allie that its gone! By this time I was doing the good husband thing and trying to blame Allie "you see I told you to put a gear lock on the car, or get an immobiliser fitted but you wouldn't listen" (haaa, can you see Christ in me). Allie phoned Mandy and got the number of the police in Delft, Mandy also told Allie that the car was damaged. Allie was so upset at this time and she was crying she said "I told you I should not have come tonight....." I phoned the cops. While I was dialling their number I suddenly felt a calmness come over me and in my heart I said Lord whateva, I'll still love you and serve you. It was a strange feeling because I wanted to panic, I was enjoying it, I wanted to vent my frustration at the world, tell everyone who cared to listen how unfair life is(so wots new).
Eventually the cops answered the phone and the sergeant who I had to speak to took forever to come to the phone. When he eventually got there he asked if I was Mrs D White (ke ching! the penny dropped) it was Stanley (our old Mazda) who had been stolen. We had sold the car through a dealer friend when we bought our new car and the new owner had not yet registered it in his name. What a relief.
But then where is our car? I went to have another look (carefully this time) I was so blinded by my panic that I did not even see that our car was exactly in the same spot where Allie had parked it. Nope it had not moved at all. Of course I now had to put up with some good natured comments from the rest of the team about my eyesight, about immediate answered pray from the prayer team but it was all done in love.
Its just a reminder to us all as to how grateful we must be for every blessing and how grateful we must be that we have the truth and that we serve a God that loves us so much that He came down and died for us, so that we could be with Him forever. Sounds contrite, too good to be true, well my friends it is the TRUTH and you have it, it has been revealed to you. As Josh McDowell said the plain things are the main things and the main things are the plain things.

Mystery of mysteries
That you could love someone like me
In your hands eternity
And yet you have the time for me
A love so undeserved
You held nothing in reserve
Heaven played its symphony
I took your hand and you rescued me
Grace like a river
Is flowing down, is flowing down
It's flowing down to me
Staring at my history
Was all alone but never free
The sands of time have let me see
Your faithful shadow next to me
A love so unreserved
I did nothing to deserve
Love so free but what's the cost
To carry this old rugged cross
I love you, I thank you
I'm nothing without your Grace like a river
(Grace Like A River by Delirious?)

This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. (1 John 4:10)

LoCTY !!!!

PS Thanks Michelle you really handled the group fantastically well last night despite the distraction.