Introduction

One feels so much for those who grieve over the loss of a loved one. We have all been through that – and it is painful!

J.I Packer defined grief as follows “It is an inward desolation that follows the losing of something or someone we loved – a child, relative, life partner, a job, ones hopes, ones dreams, one’s health or whatever.” When we lose something or someone we love and cherish we feel a sense of loss and grief. When it is someone close that we have loved for so long, the pain can be intense. There is a longing and yearning for one who was so much part of your life.

We live in a world where daily there are tears that flow because of loved ones who die. Death is a reality we cannot escape from. Ecc 3:2 says that there is ‘a time to be born and a time to die.’The joy of welcoming a baby into the world will end in sorrow at some point later on when that person dies. What comfort is there for us in this world where death is something that strikes all too often without warning?

Here I want to draw your attention to the Saviour, Jesus Christ. He is the one who delivers us from our troubles and fears. He is the one that is able to give true and lasting comfort in a world plagued by sorrow and death. I want to draw your attention to a simple phrase describing the Lord Jesus. It is in Isaiah 53v3 “man of sorrows, acquainted with grief”

Isaiah 53 was written 100’s years before the birth of Jesus Christ. Yet it is all about Him. It is a beautiful poem of the atoning work of the Lord Jesus – how he came to be a substitute for sinners; how he was wounded for our transgressions; how he was crushed for our iniquities. How he came to bring peace and to heal us of the wounds caused by our sin.

But here in this verse we have a picture of him as being a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Does this mean he never laughed; he never smiled; he never rejoiced. No, not at all. There were times when Jesus would have laughed with his disciples; he would have smiled at their quirks; he would lead them in singing praises; he would be constantly full of praise and thanks to the Father above. And yet as Isaiah is given a glimpse of the Messiah he sees a man of sorrows… a man weeping… a man grieving. You see deep down in the heart of Jesus he wept, he sorrowed and he grieved when he came into this world. Why? Let me briefly give you two reasons

1. He saw the curse that sin had brought into the world

When God created this world in which we live – it was all very good! You remember how he created Adam and Eve, placed them in a beautiful garden, provided for all their needs in terms of food and fulfilment in the work he gave them to do. There was absolute peace, harmony, beauty and delight in one another and in God their creator.

But then the devil came and tempted them. They turned their back on God and disobeyed him. All of a sudden that peace and harmony was broken – broken between themselves and broken between them and God. Broken relationships are a result of the fall of man into sin.

A spiritual darkness flooded their soul. They no longer loved God. They feared him. They fled from him. They wanted nothing to do with him. But how foolish to flee from God. None can hide from God. He sees all things. He knows all things. And all must give an account before Him one day when He returns to judge the living and the dead.

And so God called Adam and Eve to give account. And he passed judgement upon them. They were separated from him. They were removed from His life giving presence and they died. They died spiritually. There was a baroness and darkness in their soul that was not before. And they began to die physically. So too their children born to them would not be immune to death.

Adam and Eve would soon bury their second born son – Abel, murdered by his own brother. O what tears must have flowed at his grave. What a sense of loss and grief they felt. What pain death brings. What a curse sin is to this world.

And Jesus saw that curse of sin when he was in the world. He saw how it tore loved ones apart. He too wept at the graveside of a very dear friend, Lazarus. Yes he would raise him from the grave but he felt the pain and hurt of loved ones who mourned his loss. He saw the devastating effects of sin and how it ruins that which God created perfect. Jesus wept! A man of sorrows acquainted with grief. But does this not draw us to the Lord Jesus? To think that he knows our hurts, our fears, our griefs and is able to identify with us in our suffering.

Listen to what Hebrews 2:17-18. You see – he knows how to comfort the grieving and sorrowing. Why? Because he has grieved and sorrowed. He is able to give help and strength during these times of grief. For those grieving here today – you can look to Jesus and see in Him a high Priest who atones for sin and whom you can approach with the troubles of your heart. He calls out to you. He says “Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28) Jesus was a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. He knows how to comfort and strengthen those who put their faith in Him. Though sin brought with it the curse of death, Jesus brings the healing balm of life to all who trust in Him.

But we must go on…Jesus not only grieved over physical death that he witnessed he grieved over the curse of the eternal ruin of man

You see sin brought not only physical death but spiritual and eternal death as well. When Adam and Eve sinned they, together with the whole human race, were destined to be cut off from God forever; to lie under his wrath and judgment; to suffer eternal shame, ruin and loss in hell. Why? God is holy! He is light. In Him there is no darkness at all. With Him the wicked cannot dwell. His eyes are too pure to look upon evil. Therefore sinful man is cut off from God. That is the curse that sin brought into the world. That is the result and consequence of our rebellion against God.

And this is why Jesus was a man of sorrows. He saw the desperate plight of man. God had created him in His image, unlike the beasts of the earth. He had been given an immortal soul that can never die. He had been created the noblest creature of all – to worship and glorify God. But he had been corrupted by sin; man had sunk to the depths of depravity. He exchanged the worship of the true and living God for a lie. He began to worship the creature – birds, beasts and sea creatures; he worshipped his body and his money and his possessions; he gave into perverse things in the body –things which God has commanded not to be done. He lost his purity and holiness and began to hate, to lie, to curse, to steal, to murder, to commit sexual immorality and to covet among other sins.

And for this he incurs the eternal wrath and judgment of God. The tragedy is that there is no man who has escaped the corrupting effects of sin. We have all fallen short of the glory of God. There is none righteous, no not one. And Jesus saw this – people under the wrath and judgment of God – and he wept… a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

You read in Luke’s gospel 19:41 how he drew near to the city of Jerusalem and wept over it. There were people going about their day to day business; they were marrying and celebrating the birth of their children; they were talking about their plans for the future; their dreams and their hopes. Yet they were so lost in their sin; so estranged from God their Creator and in terrible danger of being cut off from God forever. O how Jesus wept – the man of sorrows. He saw the curse that sin brought into the world, the trouble it brought man, the separation it brought and he wept – Jesus, the man of sorrows, acquainted with grief!

But Jesus sorrowed and grieved because…

2. He felt the pain of sin as our sin-bearing substitute

Isaiah 53 is in the context of the Messiah suffering on our behalf. Note v4, 6. You see Jesus came not only to share in our sufferings; not only to sympathise with us but to bear our griefs; to carry our sorrows; to be punished in the sinners place.

You see the remedy for sin and judgment lies in one who is able to satisfy the judgement of God because of our sin. Someone must pay the debt we owe which we can never repay. That someone is Jesus. He was not just a good man, nor just a great prophet. He was the sin-bearing substitute for sinners. John the Baptist “Behold the Lamb of God…”

Jesus was sent into this world by a loving God who chose to save sinners. But the only way that He could do that was to settle the debt incurred because of our sin. The Son of God voluntarily came to pay that price. But it was a heavy price to pay. The wages of sin is death! Jesus must pay that wage. He must be willing to suffer the curse of death himself in order to redeem and save sinners like us. This is what he did. He never sinned. He did not deserve to die. Yet he lovingly took our sins upon himself and said “Now Father – punish me! Let the rod of your judgment fall upon me. Let not these people die in their sin. Let them not suffer your eternal wrath. Let them be given life. Take mine instead.” O what love we see in Jesus. What love in the Father who though he dearly loved His own Son, gave him up to die on the cross; to be punished in our place; that the guilty sinner who trusts in Jesus can be forgiven.

As we look at the cross we hear Jesus, the man of sorrows cry “My God, my God…” Darkness covered the land. The sun hid its face from that awful scene as the holy Son of God becomes a curse and a shame before the mocking world. “Amazing love – how can it be that thou my God should’st die for me.”

“He bore my ugly, filthy sin. He took my punishment. He died for me that I might live. What love!” O dear friends, can you say that?

In this time of grief where you mourn the loss of your beloved one, can you speak of the love of Christ for your own unworthy sinful soul? Jesus, the man of sorrows came to save. He came to give life. He came to bear our sin and carry our sorrows that we might be delivered from the curse of sin and the judgment of God. And that is exactly what he did. Just before he died on the cross he cried “It is finished”! What was finished? The debt of sin he atoned for. It had been paid in full. He had made complete and full atonement for sin.

What joy for us guilty sinners! There is nothing more to do to receive eternal life than to believe in Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God; to believe He died for my sin; to believe He rose again from the dead for my justification; to believe He is exalted in heaven and mighty save; mighty to deliver you from the power of sin; from the plague of death and darkness and to give you life forever more.

O my dear friends, is Jesus your Lord and Saviour? There is no more important issue for you to come to terms with right now than the state of your soul before the holy, all-seeing God who is the judge of all mankind. Friends, do you have peace with God through the blood of Jesus Christ. Let me appeal to you to come to Christ Jesus; to look upon Him who carried our sorrows and paid the penalty for sin with his own blood. Look upon Him in faith and your wounds will be healed. Your soul will live.

Well, there is much comfort found in the Lord Jesus. In the words of that hymn, the Christian can sing “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and grief’s to bear. What a privilege to carry, everything to him in prayer.”

Let me encourage you to cast your griefs and sorrows upon Him. He knows what you are going through. He knows how to heal your wounds. He knows how to save you from sin and death so that you will live forever. May the Lord Himself add his blessing to these words and comfort your soul.

“Fight the good fight of the faith.” ¹

Here are words fit for a soldier. A bold encouragement to take up arms, to struggle, to resist, to attack and to defend. The Apostle in times past gives an earnest plea for his dear friend to fight. The words come down to us and the charge is made afresh. Fight.

Before any war should be waged, some solemn questions need to be asked. Why should I fight? What am I fighting for? Is it worth my life? Is it worth my courage and determination? Is it worth my commitment? Is it worth my time and energy? There have been many conscientious objectors in history, those who refuse to fight, many for valid and good reasons, but Christianity makes no room for them. The call to fight goes from church to church, from disciple to disciple.

So why fight?

We would fight for something precious to our hearts. To protect a beloved husband or wife or child. Perhaps for a cherished possession, or to preserve our own lives. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”² That which is most precious to us, will garner our deepest allegiance.

The words of the Apostle call us to a deeper love, a deeper commitment and a deeper allegiance than any we can find under the sun. A love proved by death, a commitment sealed in blood and an allegiance bought by an infinite cost. He calls us to remember a cross and an empty tomb, the death of Life and life for the dead.

Jesus Christ is worth fighting for, because He should be most precious in our hearts. He who took on human flesh, who suffered and was crucified, who endured the wrath of God to set the sinner free, who destroys death, who is the centre of life and truth, who entrusts to us the beautiful Gospel of grace, it is He for whom we are called to fight for. This is our faith and our faith is in Christ Jesus.

Today, as in all ages, there is a call to fight and to stand firm for this faith. There are stronger foes than flesh and blood that the Christian faces. Our battle is not with the physical, but with powers and principalities of darkness, with the empty and damning philosophies of corrupt minds, and with the roaring lion seeking to devour the beloved of God. Sin tempts and destroys.

Over the next few weeks I will be exploring some of the religions and cults in light of the gospel of Christ. We are told often that all faiths and religions are leading to the same place. That all are equally valid. Whether you follow Buddah, Muhammed, a Jesus who isn’t God or a Jesus who is, all are the same.

Our Jesus is bigger than their syncretism. His sacrifice means more than empty “tolerance”. His Gospel too precious to be compromised on. We are called to fight.

“Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time–he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.”³

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¹   1 Timothy 6:12a

²   Matthew 6:21

³   1 Timothy 6:12b-16

Article posted by John Samson in Effectual Grace

by Dr. John Piper, Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.

For thoughtful people, how they pray for the soul is governed by how they believe God acts. So, for example, if they believe God changes people’s souls so that they make new and right choices, then they will ask God to make those soul-changes through evangelism and nurture. But not everybody is thoughtful about the way they pray. They don’t think about what view of God is behind their praying.

So what I suggest is that we learn first to pray for the soul from the way the Bible prays for the soul. If we do that, then our prayers will probably be good prayers, and in the process we will also learn about how God acts. Here is the way I pray for my soul. I use these prayers over and over again—for myself and my children and wife and for the staff and the elders and for all the church. This is the meat and potatoes of my prayer life.

The first thing my soul needs is an inclination to God and his word. Without that, nothing else will happen of any value in my life. I must want to know God and read his word and draw near to him. Where does that “want to” come from? It comes from God. So Psalm 119:36 teaches us to pray, “Incline my heart to Your testimonies and not to gain.”

Next I need to have the eyes of my heart opened, so that when my inclination leads me to the word I see what is really there and not just my own ideas. Who opens the eyes of the heart? God does. So Psalm 119:18 teaches us to pray, “Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law.”
Then I need for my heart to be enlightened with these “wonders.” I need to perceive glory in them and not just interesting facts. Who enlightens the heart? God does. So Ephesians 1:18 teaches us to pray “That the eyes of your heart may be enlightened.”

Then I am concerned that my heart is fragmented and that parts of it might remain in the dark while other parts are enlightened. So I long for my heart to be united for God. Where does that wholeness and unity come from? From God. So Psalm 86:11 teaches us to pray, “O Lord, I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.”

What I really want from all this engagement with the Word of God and the work of his Spirit in answer to my prayers is that my heart will be satisfied with God and not with the world. Where does that satisfaction come from? It comes from God. So Psalm 90:14 teaches us to pray, “O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.”

But I don’t just want to be happy in my own little private world with God. I want my happiness to be as full as possible for spreading and expanding for others. I want to be strong in joy. This will make me durable in the face of threats or adversity. Where does that strength and durability come from? It comes from God. So Ephesians 3:16 teaches us to pray, “That God would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man.”

Finally, I want my strength in Christ to produce good deeds for others so that the glory of God will be seen in my life. Who produces these good deeds? God does. So Colossians 1:10 teaches us to pray, “That [we] will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord . . . bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

All this I pray “in Jesus’ name,” because God gives these things to my soul only because Jesus died for me and removed the wrath of God so that the Father might “freely give me all things”(Romans 8:32).

To remember some of these prayers, I use an acronym—IOUS—almost every day in praying for those I love, asking God to give us an inclination to his Word and not to money or fame or power (Psalm 119:36), and to open our eyes to see wonderful things when we read his Word (Psalm 119:18), and to have hearts united in the fear of God rather than fragmented over a dozen concerns (Psalm 86:11), and to be satisfied in his steadfast love (Psalm 90:14).

I would like to briefly mention 3 areas of my father’s life that stand out:

Firstly, I think of his preaching ministry

As a child even in my unconverted state I believed that my father was the greatest preacher ever. I clearly remember the passion and fervour with which he preached. He loved Christ. He loved the Word of God. He loved the church of our Lord Jesus.

If I were to describe my father in a simple biblical phrase it would be with the words “man of God.” Like Moses, like Elijah he was a man of God. Those of you who knew him will remember him as a man of godly conviction and persuasion. He stood firm on the reformation principal of “Sola Scriptura” – The Word of God alone. He did not make decisions in his ministry as to what was popular in evangelical circles; he did not pander to human applause; his pastoral leadership and decision making was based upon the principle “What does the Word of God say?” When he preached one had no doubts that his goal was to preach the uncompromised truth of the Word. He had a fear of God which superseded any fear of man which enabled him to remain firmly committed to the truth when others in the ministry would compromise to popular appeal. He would no doubt want me to appeal to those of you who are ministers of the gospel here today to be faithful to the Word rather than seeking worldly fame and applause.

Secondly, I think of my father’s prayer life

I do not doubt that my dad was in the words spoken to Daniel “a man greatly beloved” of the Lord. He walked with God. He communed with God. He spent hours in prayer interceding for the cause of Christ. In his prayer book he would write the names of his family members, his friends and each member of his congregation. He would pray each day for each of these names, rising early in the morning hour and spending time with God in prayer. I remember what an impact my dad’s prayers had on me prior to my conversion. Leaving for work at about 6:30am in the morning I can still recall my father’s fervent prayers as I walked past his study window each day. What an impression it made upon me. He was indeed an Elijah when it came to prayer. What a blessing his prayers were to so many indeed even to this country.

One friend sent a message after the home-going of my father “A mighty warrior has left our ranks.” What a call this is for us to take up the challenge to be fervent in prayer; to step into the gap that my father has left and resolve to become prayer warriors; mighty intercessors for the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. May a double portion the Spirit of Elijah that clothed my father fall upon us who are called to labour in the gospel that we might become fervent prayer warriors for our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thirdly, I think of my father’s example

One of the greatest gifts my father has left us is his godly example. He is an example of faithfulness – faithfulness to his Lord and Master, Jesus Christ; faithful to the Word of God; faithful to his marriage vows…faithful in pastoring and preaching the Word; Faithful! Before I began my ministry he said to me “There are 3 things you must pray against every day – Pride; covetousness and sexual immorality” I have never forgotten that and daily make that my cry too. His example of faithfulness is what we are all called to emulate in these last days. What an example he has left us in a life of holiness. The other wonderful example he left was in the area of his sacrificial love and generosity. He would impoverish himself in order to bless others. I know that not only have his immediate children benefited from his rich generosity toward us but so many others have as well. When my father became aware of needs, he did not hesitate to give. If you ever hesitated to receive the gift he wanted to give he would say “Don’t rob me of my blessing. It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

If anything my father’s life is a testimony of God’s faithfulness to him. My father would not want us to paint a picture of a perfect man. Before my father died when I visited him in hospital we were talking about the grace of God. He quoted John Newton’s words to me who was beginning to lose his memory “Two things I remember: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Saviour.” My dad’s hope was firmly placed upon the Lord Jesus for grace and mercy. He knew his sins had been forgiven and that heaven was his destiny. He could lift his hands on his hospital bed when the elders of Constantia Park Baptist came to pray and say “O, what amazing peace!” God was there for him in his greatest hour of need. As he lay on his death bed, he was upheld by the grace of God. There was not one word of complaint. He spoke of how blessed he was. The grace of God shone through him even in his last days.

He will be sorely missed. We will cherish every memory of him. We will remember his godly example. We will strive to emulate that in some way. But above all we will praise the God of grace who saved him; the Lord Jesus who came into this world to bear his sin on Calvary; who rose from the dead that he too might one day rise forth from his grave; who went into heaven to prepare a place for him; and who welcomed him there with the words “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

On my mother’s grave stone my father had the words engraved “Forever with the Lord!” We can too echo those words now for him.

Martin Holdt has in the words of the apostle Paul has fought the good fight, run the race, and kept the faith. He has been welcomed into his eternal home in the presence of Christ forever.

The challenge to us is to follow his example even as he followed Christ Jesus his Saviour – to remain faithful to the Word of God; to be uncompromising as far as God’s truth is concerned and to walk with God as he did; to become men and women of God so that we too might be welcomed into glory with the words “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Lastly – to Elsabe – we as children have grown to love you and appreciate you and we will be there for you in the days ahead. But most importantly we know that Christ will be there for you who said “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”

When going into battle against a formidable foe it is very important that an army understands very clearly the instructions from the commander. The status of the battle also needs to be communicated to the commander so that strategic decisions can be made and help given where needed. Without this vital communication the battle will be disjointed, supplies will run low and many defeats will follow.

Prayer is the means God has given His people to seek Him for wisdom and guidance as well as to express the needs we have in the battle we are fighting against the powers of darkness. God in His sovereign wisdom has ordained prayer as a vital means for His people to enjoy fellowship with Him, be strengthened and guided by Him as well as gain the victory in advancing the cause of Christ on earth.

When God’s people have rallied together and heeded the Word of God in the commands and exhortations to pray, great blessing has followed. Ministries are built up, people are saved from sin, broken lives are healed and the church grows and prospers. I remember a time, just following my conversion in 1992, joining together with God’s people in prayer. Of particular interest was the Sunday evening prayer meeting where between 30 to 40 believers gathered together to pray virtually exclusively for the power of God’s Spirit on the preached Word. It was a season in the history of Emmanuel Baptist church, where my father was the preacher, when God commanded unusual blessing. Numerous people were converted and the Sunday evening service was jam packed as people gathered to hear the Word of God. It was not the singing that attracted people, although that too was blessed as we sang hymns and songs that were rich in truth and gave glory to Christ. Rather it was the Word of God that was attended with unusual power. We hung upon every word that was expounded. Our hearts were stirred and there was a joy and deep fellowship among God’s people that can only be described as Spirit-anointed. What was the reason for such blessing? Well clearly it was a sovereign work of God. No, it was not revival but it certainly was a time of rich spiritual blessing and growth in the life of the church. Yet, God did not move in this instance without stirring up His people to prayer. We felt a burden to pray and pray we did! It was at this time that a few young adults would get away to a remote farm in the Magaliesberg to spend whole mornings in prayer and even on one occasion to pray through the night. The result of that all night prayer meeting was to do inner city outreach into a slum area which lasted for a good number of years when the gospel was brought to people literally on their death beds. The point is that when God moves he stirs up prayer. Surely then it ought to be the believers desire to see the prayer meetings blessed again that we might experience the grace and power of God in greater measure than we currently do. While most believers would agree wholeheartedly in the importance of prayer and give their “Amens” to sermons on prayer, few it would seem have any burden to attend the prayer meeting. Our prayer meetings are attended by a handful of people and even then our prayers seem all but tame and weak and lack any real fervency. Why is this? What are the obstacles that hinder prayer within the church today? Let me list a few which the church will need to overcome if we are to see greater attendance and more fervency at our prayer meetings together with greater blessing from the Lord.

1. No time!

Have you ever thought “I have no time to go to the prayer meeting”? This is a common objection by many Christians today. There is so much else to be done e.g. lie in bed and catch up on some much needed sleep after a busy week, go shopping, get started early in doing some gardening or maintenance around the home, or attend some other important business matter. The list of excuses as why not to attend the prayer meeting can be extended but at the heart of it all is the excuse “I have no time for this. Other things must be given priority.”

Here we need a little more of Martin Luther’s mind-set when it came to prayer. The busier his day was the more time he would set aside in prayer. He believed and rightly so that God would somehow make up for the time he spent in prayer. He was right. Isn’t it amazing that when we spend time in prayer the day just seems to run a lot smoother? Alternatively, how many frustrations we needlessly pick up in the day simply because we spent too little time in prayer. It is not that prayer will lead to a trouble-free life, not at all. However, it is true that God commands His blessings when we pray. He gives us wisdom to solve the problems we face, strength and encouragement so that we do not despair and lose our cool in the frustrating difficulties we may encounter and even amazing deliverances and provisions for problems we come up against. How foolish we are to think we don’t have time to pray. Rather we should be asking ourselves, “Can I afford not to pray?” in the light of the blessings God sends when we do pray.

2. Too much of the world

Another reason why we do not pray is simply because we do not feel like it and we have no heart for it. Why is this? Perhaps we have no heart for it because we have too much of the world in our affections. We have become dumbed-down by the things of this world. We spend hours in front of the Television watching the variety of programs that are available. We can choose from various movies to documentaries to sports events. We love the freedom of choice we have in the entertainment area. Then when we are not in front of T.V. we like being on our computers with face-book and the web that intrigues us. Whilst these things in and of themselves may be legitimate means of occupying our time (provided of course we do not indulge in ungodly and perverse entertainment and communication), too little time is given to cultivating our hearts with God’s Word. We may spend a few minutes reading a devotional book or in prayer each day but the result of all this is that we just do not have a hunger for God. We are spiritually weak and lame. We have too much of the world in us and too little of Christ and His Word.

If we made a point of reading more Scripture and spending a good 20 minutes or more in prayer per day we would find that we develop an appetite for God, a greater desire to see Him glorified. This in turn will lead to a desire to join with other believers in prayer as you seek the furtherance of God’s kingdom on earth.

3. Habits are hard to break

Let’s face it – it’s not easy to break a habit. If you are accustomed to waking up in the morning with a cup of coffee you will find that habit difficult to break if you wanted to. And certainly if you are in the habit of doing other things when the prayer meeting is taking place, it will not be easy to get into attending it when it has not been your custom. I have observed that the prayer meeting usually consists of a few core people while others come and go. The reason for this is that attending the prayer meeting does not become a matter of habit. If one disciplines oneself to attending a prayer meeting, over a period of time this will become a habit and something you just do not want to miss because it is so part of your routine on that particular day.

I remember not too long after I was converted how a godly elderly lady took me aside and lovingly challenged me to begin attending the prayer meetings. My conscience got the better of me and I started attending. I remained committed and ever since then I have seldom missed a Saturday prayer meeting, the reason being that it is now a habit, a part of my weekly routine that I endeavour to fulfil. Something is just missing in my life if I am unable to be at the prayer meeting.

While you may not be accustomed to going out and joining the prayer meeting and may even feel a little strange to begin with, resolving to be committed to going will soon lead to good habit forming and the regular attendance at the prayer meeting.

4. I don’t know how to pray

Some people don’t attend the prayer meeting because they feel awkward in prayer. They may listen to some of the seasoned prayer warriors and reason “But I can’t pray like that” and so they just give up trying and thus attending. But what must not be forgotten is that every believer had to start somewhere. I do remember my first attempt to pray in a prayer meeting. I was nervous and self-conscious and so for long periods just could not pray. I eventually got over that hurdle and managed to mouth out a few sentences. Gradually, I became more accustomed to praying out loud in front of others. It soon was not so difficult after all and I found myself eager to add my petitions to those around me.

Even if one is a little hesitant to pray, being at the prayer meeting and adding your “Amens” and verbal agreements to those requests that are presented to God, is worth more than its weight in gold. So too, it gives one the opportunity to learn from others as they pray. You may learn from more godly saints how to address God. You learn too what the various needs are in the church and soon find yourself burdened to pray for some of these matters.

Learning to pray takes time but the hurdle is easier overcome than initially imagined. A little perseverance and patience is the remedy in learning how to pray publicly.

5. It is not my duty!

Some Christians tragically live as if prayer is an optional extra. The thought that it is a command runs against the grain of what is believed to be freedom from works now that they have been saved. They know the gospel well – that we are saved through faith in Christ and that having believed we are given the gift of eternal life. Now that they have been saved and given eternal life they live as if all is well and they can carry on with their lives without the worry of dying and going to hell. But the reason why God saves is not only to deliver people from sin, death, Satan and hell but also to equip them for service in His kingdom. Ephesians 2:10 says “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Part of those good works surely includes the ministry of prayer which he has commanded his people to carry out. In Luke 18:1 Jesus taught that men ought always to pray and not to lose heart. In Ephesians 6:18 we are commanded to pray “at all times in the Spirit with all prayer and supplication…making supplication for all the saints.” There are many other verses which we could consider where we are commanded to pray. What an example the early believers are to us who took this call so seriously. It would seem that none excused themselves from the prayer meeting. In Acts 1:14 we read that all the believers were with one accord devoting themselves to prayer together with the women. It was in the context of united, joint and expectant prayer that the Spirit of God was poured out upon them and they were able to witness boldly for Christ. For them prayer was not an option but a duty and responsibility in light of their calling as Christians to be witnesses for Christ in this fallen world.

It is time that Christians awakened to this fact and begin recognising that failure to join with other believers in corporate prayer is in effect to deny their Lord and Master, Jesus Christ and to undermine their calling and responsibility as Christians. While there may at times be legitimate reasons why Christians cannot attend the prayer meeting this ought to be the exception and not the rule. I wander whether we realise how serious it is to absent oneself from this call to duty. For a soldier to go AWOL in the line of duty is a serious offence. For a Christian to desert the watch tower of prayer is just as alarming and serious before the Lord before whom we must one day give an account of our faithfulness in the line of duty.

6. Prayer meetings are dull and boring

One of the things that believers may find in a prayer meeting is a certain dullness and lifelessness that can be very off-putting and discouraging. This may be because the believer is weak in the faith and cannot function without being in an atmosphere of constant excitement and noise such as in a lively worship service or other Christian event. So to come and sit through an hour of prayer which requires concentration and agreement with the prayer requests of others is just too much to ask and they thus eliminate the prayer meeting from their agenda. Believers however who love the Word, read it and are growing in Christ find that the prayer meeting is a place where their hearts are really enlarged in grace and love for the church and the kingdom of God. The prayer meeting is a place where believers can one by one bring their praises and requests before God in a humble manner which is well pleasing in the sight of God.

There may however be some truth to a prayer meeting being dull and boring in that the leader spends too much time talking before prayer and dampens the spirit of prayer. It may be that a person hogs the prayer meeting and goes on and on when shorter, more pointed prayers are required to keep the fires of fervent prayer burning brightly. It is important here that the leader give only a short exhortation before prayer and remind the people when necessary to be to the point while encouraging as many as possible to participate in the prayer meeting. There also ought to be clear guidelines as to what needs to be prayed for so that the prayer meeting has a certain focus and direction instead of being a lot of random, aimless prayers.

It is good to begin the prayer meeting by praising God for who he is and what he has done. Then the gospel of Christ needs to be absolutely central in the requests. It is fine to pray for the sick and needy in the church but the greater needs of conversions and of God’s blessing upon His Word in the pulpit, ministry, outreach and mission needs to be at the heart of the prayer meeting. There are also times when it is important to spend time confessing sin which can be very meaningful in helping people to be open and honest before the Lord. Repentance leads to God’s restoring grace and this may be just the tonic the church needs for a work of God’s Spirit in renewal of His work. People are also burdened with various matters and so it is good to remember to pray for the different needs in the church such as those struggling to find employment, those battling with various illnesses and whatever other burdens there may be. Of great importance in all these requests is to remember the promises of God in prayer. It is interesting in studying the prayers of God’s saints in the Bible how they reminded God of His covenant and promises he made with His people. For example in Exodus 32:13 in the context of God’s impending judgment, Moses calls upon God to remember the promise he made to Abraham, Isaac and Israel to multiply their offspring and give them the promised land. It was on the basis of this request that we read in verse 14 that the Lord relented from the disaster he had spoken of bringing upon the people. God must be faithful to His own Word for it is impossible for him to lie. Therefore we need to make more use of His promises when it comes to prayer. We need to be able to say humbly and reverently to God, “Did you not say… Have you not promised..?”

One final thought with regards the supposed dullness of a prayer meeting is this – how much do we pray for the prayer meeting itself? We pray for all our other church ministries then why not for the prayer meeting? Should we not in line with the promise of Zechariah 12:10 be imploring God to pour out upon His people a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy. We must pray for a burden to pray. Our hearts must be right when it comes to prayer then there will be no dull and boring prayers in our prayer meetings.

7. I don’t see any answers to prayer.

Some people pray because they are desperate for an answer from God. They may enter a time of real testing, whether it has to do with their work, their health, a longing for a particular need to be met. So they might come to the prayer meeting and request prayer for this particular burden. The answer to those prayers may be slow in coming or may not come at all because God in His sovereign wisdom does not give us our every desire. This test of faith may lead some to give up on the prayer meeting because they don’t see any answers to prayer. In other words it requires too much effort for too few results in their eyes and so they abandon the cause of the prayer meeting.

What needs to be recognised here is that God calls us to persevere in prayer. He may not always give us what we want when we want but he does answer prayer. 1 John 5:14 says, “And this is the confidence we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” Prayer, as someone has said, is not so much about us changing the mind of God as about God changing our minds and bringing us in conformity with His will so that we begin to ask for that which he has purposed to give. And what joy when we do submit to God’s will and see answers to our prayers in the way God has ordained.

We must be encouraged then not to lose heart when our prayers seem to fail. They are being heard and God is at work changing us and guiding us to pray for those things he wants to bless us with that are in accordance with His Word and will.

8. The devil will be around when it is time to pray.

We also need to recognised that when we pray we have a real adversary who will do all he can to keep us from prayer. Do we not find many distracting thoughts as soon as we would wish to pray? Are there not certain “important” matters that suddenly need to be attended to the moment we decide we need to commune with God in prayer. And so you will find that there are many excuses that knock on the door of your mind and heart when you determine to join in prayer with others including some of the matters mentioned in this article.

The Bible says that we are to resist the devil and he will flee from us. When we determine to allow nothing to deter us from prayer and particularly the corporate prayer meeting we will soon find that the excuses vanish and we will be well rewarded for the time spent in prayer. So be alert when you make that decision to heed the command and call of Christ to pray. You can expect certain obstacles and excuses put before you but you must resolve to allow nothing to hinder you from your determination to pray with fellow believers.

Why should you commit to the prayer meeting?

There are many reasons why you should pray some of which have already been referred to. Very briefly some that need to be reiterated and underlined are the following:

1. You glorify the Lord in your obedience

Why pray? For some it is to receive from the Lord blessing for example healing, work, and deliverance from some or other problem. But that should never be our primary motive for prayer. It must be to glorify the Lord; to honour Him; to come and show our faith and confidence in Him; to declare our love for His Word and commands in which he exhorts us to pray. When we pray God is given the glory and honour through our obedience. Is that not what we want above all else?

2. You advance the cause of Christ

In what is called “The Lord’s Prayer” which Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 6:9-15, the second petition is that God’s kingdom would come. We understand God’s kingdom as his rule and reign in the hearts of mankind. This takes place as the gospel is preached when sinners are saved and delivered from sinful rebelliousness to live in humble submission to Christ Jesus as Lord. Surely, as children of God it ought to be our sincere desire and longing that this reign of Christ over the hearts of men, women and children would be extended through the preaching, ministry, outreach and mission endeavours of the church? Do we not want to see the promises given to the Son fulfilled which we read about in Psalm 2:8 that says, “Ask of Me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.”? Again Psalm 22:27 promises of the Messiah that all the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord and all the families of the earth shall worship before Him. Surely we want to see these promises fulfilled in the advancement of Christ’s kingdom in our churches, our community, our country and in lands and among peoples right across the world. Then we must pray together to this end that the cause of Christ may advance and prosper on earth and that righteousness may be exalted.

Edwin Orr in recounting the work of God in revival as a result of joint, united prayer mentions the effects of the revival in Wales in 1904. Orr wrote that “Judges were presented with white gloves, not a case to try; no robberies, no burglaries, no rapes, no murders, and no embezzlements, nothing. District councils held emergency meetings to discuss what to do with the police now that they were unemployed. In one place the sergeant of police was sent for and asked, ‘What do you do with your time?’ He replied, ‘Before the revival, we had two main jobs, to prevent crime and to control crowds, as at football games. Since the revival started there is practically no crime. So we just go with the crowds.’ A councilor asked, ‘What does that mean?’ The sergeant replied, ‘You know where the crowds are. They are packing out the churches.’ ‘But how does that affect the police?’ He was told, ‘We have seventeen police in our station, but we have three quartets, and if any church wants a quartet to sing, they simply call the police station.’

As the revival swept Wales, drunkenness was cut in half. There was a wave of bankruptcies, but nearly all taverns. There was even a slowdown in the mines, for so many Welsh coal miners were converted and stopped using bad language that the horses that dragged the coal trucks in the mines could not understand what was being said to them. That revival also affected sexual moral standards. I had discovered through the figures given by British government experts that in Radnorshire and Merionethshire the illegitimate birth rate had dropped 44% within a year of the beginning of the revival.” [1]

3. You receive the blessing God promises to those who obey His Word

In John 15:10 Jesus said “If you keep my commandments your will abide in my love.” We may forget that there is blessing promised to those who obey the Word of Christ. Perhaps we condition ourselves into thinking that our best efforts are like filthy rags and therefore are counted as nothing before the Lord. We think therefore that any obedience on our part is relatively worthless in the light of our sinfulness and God’s holiness. While that may be true with regards to our justification it is certainly not true when it comes to our sense of enjoyment of God here on earth. Jesus is saying that our obedience as His disciples has much to do with our enjoyment of God’s love and a deeper sense of assurance of God’s presence in our lives. While our daily obedience is far from perfect and we are in constant need of God’s forgiving grace he nevertheless blesses those who humbly and diligently seek to obey all the commands given to us by Christ in His Word. Prayer is one of those commands which carries with it the prospect of real blessing as we are communing directly with God through Christ. It is often in the place of prayer that we find our souls revived, our anxieties removed and a sense of perspective and hope given which we did not enjoy before. Therefore we are the losers if we fail to obey the command to pray.

4. You encourage other believers who are engaged in prayer

When few turn up to the prayer meeting we might try to encourage ourselves with the words of Jesus who said in Matthew 18:20 “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them.” The truth however is that we are often discouraged when few turn up to corporate prayer meetings and that for good reason – why do so few see the importance of prayer when the gospel task and spiritual battles are immense? But when fellow believers do make the commitment to come to the prayer meeting and become regular attendees what encouragement it affords to the others that are there.

Hebrews 10:25 is sometimes applied to corporate worship services but can be equally applied to our church prayer meetings. This verse reads, “…not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” When we are faithful in attending church meetings which includes not only the corporate worship service but also the prayer meetings what encouragement it gives to fellow believers in Christ who at times feel that they are waging a lonely spiritual battle.

I have often heard of services that are abandoned, ministries that come to an end because of the poor response from Christians to encourage others by committed attendance and involvement in these ministries and meetings. When you decide to join a prayer meeting you become a great encouragement to fellow believers.

5. You grow in your faith and as an intercessor for the work of Christ

There is no doubt that growing believers are praying believers. The two go hand in hand. A Christian who doesn’t make prayer a regular habit is a Christian who is stagnating and luke-warm in the faith. To be filled with the Spirit; to walk closely with God and become more like Him in terms of holiness and godliness, one has to be in communion with Him. When you join a prayer meeting you are making use of a means of grace God has given to grow in Christ. Spending time in prayer with others will enliven you and give you more faith and zeal in the service of the Lord. You will also grow in the area of intercession and find it easier to pray for the work of the Lord as well as others within the church. And how desperately we need intercessors in our day and age when even Christians seem to be far too busy to worry about prayer.

Isn’t it time you decided to put aside your excuses when it comes to prayer and resolve to join a prayer meeting. What glory will be given to Christ if you do; what progress will be made in the work of the gospel through your prayers; what blessing will come your way in your obedience to Christ in this vital matter; what encouragement it will give to fellow believers and what spiritual growth you will experience in your own life as a Christian and intercessor for Christ.

Will you make a commitment to Christ to become a prayer warrior and join a prayer meeting for His glory? May God give you the grace in Christ Jesus to become a faithful intercessor for His glory and honour.

[1] Orr, Prayer and Revival, http://www.jedwinorr.com/prayer_revival.htm

““Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” (Jeremiah 2:13, ESV)

In these words God calls us to be amazed and shocked at the absolute stupidity of our decisions when it comes to finding satisfaction in life. We all want to be happy. We make decisions that we suppose will lead to happiness but often we leave God out the picture. We don’t ask, “What is His will.” We don’t seek to please Him in our decision making. It all boils down to what we want; what will make us happy without any thought of God. The result of this is that we find ourselves frustrated and dissatisfied in many ways. We are like Cain, restless wanderers, until we find true rest and full satisfaction in the living water that God provides.

In our text, Israel had committed gross sin. She had turned to idolatry in her quest for fullness and enjoyment of life. These idols supposedly brought blessing and good fortune to those who followed them and worshipped them. They lived in superstitious fear that unless they acknowledged these idols they would not enjoy the prosperity of the surrounding nations. In doing this they were digging for themselves “broken cisterns that would run dry”, ways of living and practice that would lead to ultimate disappointment and dissatisfaction in life as well as the judgment of God.

What are some of the ways in which people pursue satisfaction in life that ultimately fail? Some seek satisfaction in the pursuit of wealth. “Money, money, money is what I want” would be the passion of so many. And yet it provides no inner peace and joy – only temporary, vain, and fleeting moments of pleasure. Others seek satisfaction in knowledge. The more they can learn and study the greater the fulfilment that hope to acquire. Still others will look for change in their life to acquire satisfaction e.g. a new hair style; a change in diet; a change in jobs; a change in vehicles; a change in dwelling places or a change of habits. But still there is an on-going restlessness and dissatisfaction. Still others will seek satisfaction in entertainment, indulging in movie after movie, reading novel after novel or clubbing week-in and week out, all in a vain pursuit for satisfaction and happiness. Then there are those that will seek it in sinful pleasure and indulge in drink, drugs and sex to meet their hedonistic craving for satisfaction. Then of course there are millions that pursue this satisfaction in religious practices and ways that they believe will meet the needs of their soul. All of these things may provide an illusion of something that will satisfy but the well and cistern of life remains empty and deep down there is this empty void and dissatisfaction in life that is never filled.

To such restless and wandering souls, God invites to drink from the living water that flows from the fountain of life. Who is this fountain of life? None other than the Lord Jesus who said in John 14:14, “…whoever drinks of the water that I will give him, will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” O to be truly satisfied; to have the longings of the soul quenched with the pure water of life found in Christ. O needy sinner, come to Christ, drink and live! Find your souls delight in Christ Jesus and the living water He freely gives to those who come to Him in faith. I write as one of those who found nothing but temporary, vain, empty pleasures in this sin-sick world but who by God’s grace alone have come to find true delight and joy, peace and full satisfaction in Christ Jesus, the Saviour of sinners. Where are you looking for satisfaction, dear friend? In the empty pleasures and pursuits of this world or in the One who is the eternal Son of God, Jesus Christ, who came into this world to save sinners and give them life! Full and lasting satisfaction is found in nothing and no one else. O may you find full satisfaction in the living waters of life that Jesus freely offers to all who will come to Him in believing faith.

Mashushu, a remote tribal village nestled between mountains in the Limpopo province was our destination as we left the city of Pretoria on Friday, 11^th November. At about 10am a group of six men climbed into two vehicles and headed North on the 7 hour trip. This group consisted of myself, Buks van Ellewee, Danie Nel, David Sage, Benji du Toit and Martin Geerdink. We stopped off for an hour in Hammanskraal to visit pastor Johannes Sebopa who is busy with a church planting work in a poor section of Hammanskraal. Driving out of Hammanskraal one was made aware yet again of the massive need there is for church planting and solid gospel preaching across our needy land. Just after 5 pm we arrived out our camp site in Mashushu. We were grateful for the vehicles of Danie and Martin that enabled us to negotiate the rough and rocky roads from Mafefe to Mashushu. Pastor Lazarus and his wife, Rose joined us later that evening for supper. He spoke of the numerous challenges and difficulties they were experiencing including the problem of sexual immorality among some members within the church. He spoke too of the witchcraft in the valley. We knew this was a spiritual battle and that we needed to be clothed with heavenly power in our ministry as well as to be in fervent prayer for Lazarus and the church.

The next morning we made our way to the church building where Lazarus and his wife were staying. We are in the process of building a small church manse for their use. In the meantime they have to use half of the church building for their living quarter which is not ideal. Some of the team began working on fixing the fence around the church property and a swing for the children while Robert began laying the bricks for the church manse. Buks and myself taught a small group from God’s Word about prayer and the need for a love for Christ and His Word. Sadly, apart from Pastor Lazarus, the group consisted of about 6 or 7 women. There is a critical need for the conversion of men in the village. This is vital if we are to see a godly eldership raised up. Following the morning of teaching we made our way back to the camp site to prepare lunch. The afternoon was sweltering and the heat tremendously sapping. There is hardly a suitable tree for shade in the camp site and one just has to patiently wait for the cooler evening to arrive before one can feel a sense of energy return. At 7pm we had a church meeting. We enjoyed the singing of the children, young people and adults as they lifted their voices in typical African exuberance and sang praises to our God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. I then preached on holiness and sensed the Lord’s help in ministering His Word. After the service we headed back for our evening supper and much needed sleep. The next morning we packed up and after a final walk to the cool river, we headed to the church for the Lord’s Day service. We were thrilled to be able to celebrate communion with them. Bethany donated an old communion tray and cups for this purpose. After explaining to them the meaning of the Lord’s Supper and warning them that none should participate in an unworthy manner, we gladly received the bread and cup as we remembered the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. After some singing again I then preached the Word focusing upon the dangers of sexual immorality and reminding them that their bodies have been purchased and redeemed by the Lord for His glory and honour. After the service we all shook each other’s hands before bidding our farewells and heading back home.

All in all it was a blessed week-end. There are many challenges and difficulties that will need to be overcome in this valley but the light is shining all be it in a small way. More fervent prayer is needed that the Lord would pour out His Spirit in reviving power and that the valley would be awakened by the power of the Holy Spirit. On Saturday evening as I read Isaiah 55 God’s Word gave me comfort when I thought of Mashushu. The words of verse 10 to 13 give a promise that is well worth holding on to and praying with regards the work we are doing in Mashushu. It reads as follows…

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” (Isaiah 55:10–13, ESV)

Just after Steve Jobs was diagnosed with cancer he gave an address in 2005 to Standford graduates. In this address he said, “No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.”

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary”

In one sense, Steve was right – we are all going to die at some point. And yet in another sense, Steve was totally wrong! His view of death according to the above statement is that it is merely the product of nature. It is nature’s way of clearing away the old and making way for the new. He held to Buddhist beliefs which would have affected this view that he held. Evolutionary thinking would hold to the same idea. Sadly, Jobs view of death is far from the truth. The Bible teaches us that God created the heaven and the earth. He saw that it was all good. There was no suffering and death in the world God created. Everything was good, beautiful and full of life. This did not last however. In Genesis 3 we read of the tragic deception of man who believed the lies of Satan. The result was devastating – judgment and death! The Bible teaches that death is an invader into God’s perfect world; the result of sin and rebellion against God. Romans 5:12 says, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned…” In Adam, the entire human race has fallen. We have been cut off from God who is the source of eternal life. And death is the result of sin and judgment. Therefore it is not to be embraced as the greatest invention of all time but rather mourned as the greatest evil that has fallen upon mankind as a result of our sin against God. What hope is there for fallen sinners like us when it comes to death?

Our hope lies in the Son of God whom God the Father sent into this world. He came in the flesh to rescue people from a hopeless eternity of utter torment in the everlasting flames of God’s wrath. He came to give life and life in abundance. He suffered and died on a cross to pay the penalty for the sin we commit. And He rose again from the dead to signal the end of suffering and death for those who believe in Him. It is because of Jesus Christ alone that a believer can stare at the grave in triumph and say “O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Resurrection from the dead with a new perfect body and immortal soul is promised to all whose faith and hope are in the Lord Jesus Christ. Outside of Him there is only sadness, sorrow and eternal ruin. The fires of God’s judgement burn for all eternity upon those who rejected His Son, Jesus Christ. John 3:36 says, “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” Have you repented of your sin and believed in the Son of God, Jesus Christ?

Steve Jobs told people to follow their hearts and inner voice. Everything else is secondary he said. Jesus would say “Follow me!” Everything else is secondary. In Mark 8:36, Jesus said, “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul.” Apple Macs, iPads, iPods and iphones matter nothing at all in the light of eternity! Whom are you following – your own ambitions, wealth, fame, pleasure which are destined to perish with you one day? Or are you following Jesus Christ the giver of the greatest gift of all – eternal life?

Pastor Jonathan Holdt

The two Pregnancy Crisis Centres started distributing their 1m bead packs since April this year in order to raise funds to enable them to continue providing their services for free. Once these strings of beads have been threaded, they were returned to form part of the record attempt. Most of our strings were received from all over South Africa and locally, Bethany Baptist Church, Humpty Dumpty Christian Nursery School, Pretoria Boys High School, Varsity College and University of Pretoria contributed most of the lengths.

The longest string of beads started with beads that was sent from Canada and was ended by Cora Kruger, 90 year old great grandmother that wanted to be part of the record attempt. A visually impaired woman also managed to string 2m, locating the holes in the beads with her tongue. Three surveyors and two witnesses monitored the process; one of the surveyors being a quantity surveyor checking to see that the beads conforms to the requirements set by Guinness World Records® of a diameter between 5mm and 25mm.

At 12h30 the current record length of 1 759m was equalled and after 13h00, we achieved a total length of 2 496m. This length was confirmed independently by all three surveyors. This exceeds the current record length by 42% or 737m. The total amount of beads that was used in this attempt was 267 409, an average of 107 beads per meter! The record not official until all the evidence is submitted to the Guinness World Records® organisation and approved by them.

The Amato and Bethany Pregnancy Crisis Centres benefiting from the sales of beads have been helping women in crisis for a number of years. In caring, loving and non-judgemental surroundings, we provide the women with all the information they need to make an informed decision by utilizing the information proved and therefore take ownership and accountability for their decisions. In addition they provide specialized counselling in the form of Post Abortion and Trauma counselling.

Bethany Pregnancy Crisis Centre was donated a sonar machine recently and the counsellors have been trained to use it. All these services are provide free of charge to all in need irrespective of race, religion, age, or nationality.

The article appeared on BBC sport on Thursday the 22nd of September 2011 and can be read here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/15016776.stm

Past Jonathan Holdt