Knowing your True Identity!

...his father called him Benjamin. Genesis 35:18

When people label you, those labels can cause you to shrink instead of to stretch to your full potential. But the God who gave Jacob a new identity can give you one too. Are you struggling with the old names people called you and the old images you have of yourself? Nothing will change in your life until it first changes in your mind. Jacob's wife Rachel died in the desert in childbirth. Just before she died she named her son Ben-Oni, which means 'son of my sorrow'. When the midwife handed him to his father Jacob, he said, 'He shall not be called Ben-Oni, the son of my sorrow; he shall be called Benjamin, the son of the right hand' (the son of power). Guess which name prevailed? Benjamin! Hear this: you are who God says you are, not who others say you are! If God didn't give you the name, it's not yours. Only believe what God says about you. Nobody understood better than Jacob the power of a name change. It was in God's presence that Jacob the trickster was renamed Israel, '...a prince... with God...' (Genesis 32:28). Christ breaks the power of every negative thing that attaches itself to you. 'You're a saint, not a sinner; not a loser but a winner.' When people try to label you, tell them you don't answer to that name any more. Tell them the person they're talking about died, was buried, and rose brand new in Christ. God sees you as a new creation, so start thinking, talking and acting like one!

Getting Out of a Spiritual Slump - Part Two

'Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He talked with [God]...' Genesis 35:14
When you recall God's faithfulness to you it causes hope to rise in your soul. It enables you to face the future with confidence and say, '...He is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who... keep his commands' (Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV). Looking back and remembering is a scriptural principle that works. 'Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He talked with [God]'; 'Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan...' (Joshua 4:9 NAS); 'Samuel took a stone... set it up... and called [it]...Ebenezer, saying, '..."Thus far the Lord has helped us"' (1 Samuel 7:12 NKJV). The Bible says, 'No test... that comes your way is beyond... what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God... [will] always be there...' (1 Corinthians 10:13 TM). Going back through Scripture and remembering the ups and downs of God's people and how He consistently came through for them, lends fresh perspective to your own situation and enables you to see a bigger picture. In Psalm 22 David starts out saying, 'God... I call to you... but you do not answer' (v. 2 NCV). But as soon as he starts remembering God's faithfulness he does a 180-degree turn around and says, 'Our ancestors trusted you... and you saved them. They called to you for help and... were not disappointed' (vv. 4-5 NCV). When you're in a spiritual free fall, stop dwelling on yourself and your disappointment and begin to focus on God. '...Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave...' (1 Kings 8:56 NIV). He's still the same; He hasn't changed

Getting Out of a Spiritual Slump

'As soon as they began singing...' 2 Chronicles 20:22
Here's a simple but effective formula for handling a spiritual slump. Praise your way out! David starts Psalm 22 by asking, 'God, why have You forsaken me?' and ends it saying, '...You... dwell... [where]... praises... [are offered]' (Psalm 22:3 AMP). You won't always feel like praising God - that's why it's called '...the sacrifice of praise...' (Hebrews 13:15). But when you're in a slump you need the discipline of praise more than ever. It brings a sense of God's power and presence like nothing else does. That's why the Psalmist wrote, 'I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth' (Psalm 34:1). By praising God in advance for the victory, you open a channel for Him to intervene in your circumstances, hope rises in your soul, and it's impossible to stay down and defeated. And praise fits every personality, so you've no excuse! You can clap and shout (Psalm 47:1), use music and dance (Psalm 150:4), sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19-20), make a joyful noise (Psalm 98:4), lift your hands (Psalm 134:2), be still before God (Psalm 4:3-5), and you can even be loud! (Psalm 33:3, 95:1-6). Your praises thwart the enemy's best-laid plan! When the Israelites were outnumbered, they prayed and God told them the battle was His and that He would do the fighting. Judah (which means 'praise') went out ahead of the army, and 'As soon as they began singing, the Lord confused the enemy... and... they turned against each other'. The minute you start praising God He releases His power to start working on your behalf.

Learning to focus on Jesus!

'I have set the Lord always before me...' Psalm 16:8

Frank Laubach's life began to fall apart when his plans for the Maranao people of the Philippines were rejected. Then, after losing three children to malaria, his wife and remaining child moved away. In despair, Laubach climbed a mountain to seek God. He writes, 'My lips began to move and it seemed God was speaking: "You failed because you don't really love these people. You feel superior... because you're white. Forget your skin-tone; think only about how much I love them and they'll respond." I answered, "God, I don't know whether you spoke through my lips, but I know it was the truth. My plans have all gone to pieces. Drive me out of myself, take possession, think your thoughts through my mind."' That day Laubach decided to live - focused on God's presence! He writes about two things: double vision - 'See others not as they are, but as God sees them'; and problem solving - 'You'll think more clearly by including God. At mealtime put an extra chair at the table to remind you He's always present. Set a picture of Jesus or a scripture where you'll see it as you're falling asleep and waking up. Count on it - this will set the tone for your day.' The New Living Bible paraphrases the Psalmist's words, 'I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me' (Psalm 16:8 NLT). What you focus on becomes the dominant influence in your life. Frank Laubach went on to write books, lead world literacy crusades and become an adviser to kings and presidents. But his biggest accomplishment was learning to focus on Jesus.

USE your GIFT - 1

Having...gifts...let us use them... Romans 12:6
The Bible says, 'Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them...' (Romans 12:6 NKJV) God has 'graced' you to do certain things well. Now, that doesn't mean doors will automatically open, and, like cream, you'll just rise to the top. Indeed, what you get overnight you can lose overnight. You must first discern your gifts, use every opportunity to sharpen them, learn from your mistakes, and be tenacious about what God's called you to do. In high school 'Sparky' flunked Latin, algebra, English and physics. He made the golf team but promptly lost the only match of the season, then he lost the consolation match. He was awkward socially-more shy than disliked. He never once asked a girl out on a date in high school. One thing, however, was important to Sparky-drawing. He was proud of his artwork even though nobody else appreciated it. He submitted cartoons to the editors of his high school yearbook but they were rejected. Even so, he aspired to be an artist. After high school he sent samples of his work to The Walt Disney Studios. Again he was rejected. But Sparky didn't quit. He decided to write his autobiography in cartoons. The popularity of his cartoon strip eventually led to countless books and television shows. You see, Sparky was Charles Schulz, creator of the Peanuts comic strip, the most famous cartoonist of all time. Like his main character, Charlie Brown, Schulz seemed unable to succeed at many things. But he made the most of his God-given talent, refused to quit, and ended up winning. So, use your gift.

Running the Race!

...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1
In Greece there's a place tourists seldom visit. The writer of Hebrews may have had it in mind when he wrote, '...lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and...run with endurance...'(Hebrews 12:1 NJKV) It's where the Isthmian Games, a forerunner to the Olympics, were held: a place where athletes were hailed as heroes. To develop muscle they trained with weights strapped to their legs, but on the day of the race they stripped off anything that wasn't essential. There's a lesson here. We think what we're clinging to is important. If we didn't, letting go wouldn't be a struggle; we'd simply set it down. The Christian life is a race that starts the day you accept Christ and ends when you meet Him face-to-face. In order to cross the finish line as a winner you must eliminate: 1) Anything that slows you down. In other words, anything that hinders your spiritual progress. In and of itself, it may not be wrong, but it becomes a 'weight' when it stops you from living for God to the fullest. 2) Anything that causes you to stumble short of the finish line. You must constantly monitor the level of your commitment to Christ, the growth of your faith, your home life, your relationships, your integrity, your work ethic, your thought life and your habits. Make up your mind to stay focused on the prize. Greek athletes who won received a garland that eventually withered, but '...you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade' (1Peter 5:4 NIV). Isn't that worth running the race for?

Seeking God, not THINGS!

We live in a day and age where MATERIAL and FANCIAL gain is at the top of most people lists. The problem with the statement above is that the things own us and not us the things. At the end of the day is just a worldly item and of no eternal value. Is it wrong to have nice stuff in our homes. No. It only becomes a problem when we become obsessed with gain and our lives are turning into a carnal who's who of society.

Get back to basics. If you feel something is owning you rather than you it, ask God for wisdom on what to do with it. Sell it, bless someone with it and break the Power it has over you!!

Blessings to all!

The following article inspired me the write this blog.

Seeking God, Not Things!
The Lord... closed her womb. 1 Samuel 1:5
Sometimes the door will open only when you understand why it was shut in the first place. Consider the story of Hannah. She wanted a son but God wanted a prophet. When she prayed, 'If you...give me a son, I will give him back to you all his life...' (1 Samuel 1:11 NCV), God not only gave her Samuel, but also six more children (1 Samuel 2:5). When you pray for a harvest God will ask you to sow a seed. That seed may be something you love and want to cling to, but don't - rather, surrender it to God. Hannah discovered she couldn't be satisfied with less than God's will. Elkanah had two wives, but he loved Hannah the most and granted her 'a double portion' of his possessions (1 Samuel 1:5). But when you're not doing what you know God has truly called you to do, the love of people and material things won't satisfy you. 'Ordained' people are not just those in pulpits! Hannah was ordained to be a mother. You may be ordained to be a secretary, a landscape gardener or a teacher. Find whatever God's called you to do, and do it! Finally, Hannah's desperation led her to her destiny: 'The Lord... closed her womb.' Why? To get Hannah's attention, to draw her closer to Himself. Hard times cause us to re-examine our lives and seek God as never before. Our emphasis changes from 'Lord, here's what I want' to 'Lord, what do You

WALK FOR BIBLES!! Saturday, 21st May 2011 Alexander Bay R20 Entry. Raising funds for the Bible Society of South-Africa. Medals will be given to those who Complete the Race. Donation Forms are also available on the day. Contact the Church Office for more details at: 027 8311 577 WE AIMING FOR A 100 WALKERS OR RUNNERS, BRING A FRIEND TO SUPPORT THIS GREAT CAUSE!!

FFI - FAMILY FOUNDATIONS INTERNATIONAL - FINANCES

Each Ancient Paths Experience is a balanced ministry of Biblical teaching based upon Jeremiah 6:16, followed by Spirit-led praying in small groups.

The teachings are on video by founder Craig Hill. They give solid principles and moving examples that open the heart up for ministry to receive healing from a cursed identity and to bring revelation and resolution to many negative life issues and habits. The intent of the teaching is not just for cognitive information, but to provide the opportunity for God to touch the heart with authentic life change.

In these weekend experiences, when a teaching session ends, participants go to an assigned small group for prayer led by trained facilitators. The purpose of the group is not discussion, counseling, or exhorting, but for asking the Holy Spirit to show participants where the soul is out of peace, to expose any schemes of the enemy, and to allow the Lord to show the truth and light that He wants in our hearts. Participants may pour out emotional pain to God that has been bottled up for years, but no one in the group is forced to open up in prayer. Those who do not respond outwardly often receive healing as they identify with those who do.

The end result of this ministry is that people are healed and released to be spouses, parents, children and friends who bless one another more and curse each other less.

The purpose of this ministry is to restore God's timeless foundations to families by facilitating God's process of imparting identity and destiny to His people and to reestablish a culture of blessing within the church and community so that God may receive his full inheritance in the saints (Eph 1:18).

This financial seminar from Family Foundations is different from other finance seminars in that it does not feature merely "practical" information on finances, but follows Craig Hill's anointed understanding of God's Word in teaching finances from a biblical perspective. Craig brings a special insight on God's provision in the concept of "Sparrow Faith," and shows participants how the world's financial system is driven by the Spirit of Mammon, the force who would draw people away from believing in God's provision for them. The teaching includes the building blocks to help people understand God's plan for their provision, and the five biblical uses of money.
Who should come?

Anyone who is struggling to get by and desirous of getting out of debt
Anyone who has trouble saving money
Anyone who wants to learn God's wisdom on finances
Anyone who wants to learn how to be a better steward of what God has given him or her
Topics Include:

Discover the difference between wealth, riches and money
What is "Mammon?"
Learn a systemized guide to getting out of debt
Learn five scriptural uses of money
Learn how to release God's blessing in finances
Personal ministry
Registration:
In order to secure your place in the upcoming seminar, your registration form and payment must be received by the early registration deadline (typically one week prior to the start of the seminar). Registration after this date is accepted on a space-available basis and the early discounted registration fee will not apply. Because space is reserved for each registrant in a small group led by trained facilitators, all registration fees are nonrefundable after the early registration discount deadline.

A love offering will be received.

KOINONIA FULL GOSPEL CHURCH - 17-18 March, Contact Church Office: 027 8311577 For more details!!!

Finishing Strong

'...I have finished my course...' 2 Timothy 4:7
The course God sets before us is seldom easy. Running it takes commitment. James MacDonald says, 'I've lived long enough to know men and women whose lives were sold out to God a few years ago, but who've since walked off the track... gone AWOL... lost their longing for God. Fear of following in their footsteps haunts me... and it should you, too... The faithfulness of my walk with God depends on my willingness to stay in a relationship with Him. I never want to lose the grip His greatness has on my life and the privilege it is to... serve Him till the day I'm welcomed into His presence. That passion compels me. It keeps me honest and humble... the last thing I want to do is crawl across the finish line a defeated, derailed Christian, or worse - give up the race before my life's over. I want to break that tape with arms high, my face to the sun.' Paul said, '...I have finished my course... Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown...' Notice, courage plus endurance plus faithfulness equals reward. Photographer Jacob Riis said, 'When nothing seems to help, I go look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps 100 times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the 101st blow it will split in two, and I know it wasn't the last blow that did it, but all the blows that have gone before.' God's Word is '...a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces...' (Jeremiah 23:29 NKJV). So, '[hold] fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ [you'll] have reason to glory because [you] did not run in vain...' (Philippians 2:16 NAS).

Jehovah Jireh from Alexander Bay to Jerusalem

WOW!!! We had an awesome time in the Holy Land!! What an experience!!! Seven of us from Alexander Bay went, that will also be an unforgetable experience. It was nerve racking at times, as we needed lots of finances. But God made a way!!! When we got to the airport 7am in the morning, our flight were over 9 hours delayed, and almost miss our flight to Cairo due to 1time's bad service. Pastor Carel and Estelle had to stay behind and wait for a later flight. When we arrived at OR Tambo we were already late for the check in and had to rush, as they lost some of our bags aswell. It was well stress-full. After our bags got checked in, so last minute, we had to run from the one side of the airport to the other and just made it in time for our Air Egypt flight. We were well tired after this, my so thankfull to be on this flight as Pastor and Estelle is still waiting at Cape Town.

Had a good flight to Egypt, with another delayed and then cancelled flight we finally made it to Tel-Aviv. From there we had an amazing time. We visited Jerusalem, Mount of Olives, Upperoom, Bethesda, Garden Tomb, Masada, Qumran, Dead Sea, Cana and many more. But we were blessed out of our socks when we visited the Sea of Galilee!! It was raining that day and it made the perfect setting the board the boat called Faith. The song of Michael W. Smith "Let it rain" was playing in the background. This was the only Christian Worship Boat. The presence of the Lord were so tangible on that boat. No words can explain what really happened that day.

It was great fun and we felt so blessed and privelaged to do what we were able to do.

To God be all the Glory and Praise for making this possible for us.

Who know what was birthed out of our trip to Jerusalem? Only time will tell. Watch this space...

10 Things You Should Know About the Gospel

10 Things You Should Know About the Gospel

"Gospel" is an often-used word, but what does it mean? And how can we understand it? Here are some important points that you can know about the Gospel:
Excerpted from a sermon by Roy Gustafson


1. ITS DEFINITION IS CLEAR
What is the Gospel? Let us ask Paul for the answer. He wrote: “Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved ... For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve” (1 Corinthians 15:1-5, NIV).

2. IT'S SIMPLE
You will be quick to notice that the Gospel is composed of two parts: First, Christ died for our sins; second, Christ rose from the dead.

3. IT'S NOT A RELIGION
Religion is mankind’s quest for God. The Gospel is the Savior-God seeking lost men and women. At its best, religion can only succeed in producing an outward reformation. The Gospel creates an inward transformation.

4. IT'S FREE
Even the wealthiest are so pitifully poor that they couldn’t purchase salvation. It comes as a free gift—by grace, through faith, plus nothing!

5. IT'S FOR ANYONE AND EVERYONE
It is called the “Gospel of our salvation” because it is “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).

6. IT WILL FREE YOU FROM BONDAGE
It is called the “Gospel of peace” because through Christ it makes peace between the sinner and God, and imparts inward peace.

7. IT HAPPENED ONCE FOR ALL OF TIME
When Martin Luther saw the great truth that justification was by grace, that justification was by faith, that justification was by the blood of the Cross, he cried out: “Calvary seems as though it were only yesterday!” We human beings, with our limitations of time and space, date the Lord Jesus’ death in the first century of this present era, and place it upon “the green hill far away without the city wall.” But as far as God is concerned, it is a timeless event.

8. IT'S UNIQUE
The vital difference between our supernatural faith and all of the naturalistic religion of the world is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from among the dead.

9. ITS WORK HAS BEEN DONE
A young pastor asked an aged and dying woman if she had made her peace with God. “No, I have not made peace with God, and I am not afraid to die," she said. "You see, I do not need to make peace with God. Jesus Christ made peace with God 2,000 years ago, through the blood of His cross, and I am simply resting the peace that He made.”

10. YOU CAN RECEIVE IT
"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—" (John 1:12).

If you will receive Him, He will receive you, and you will find that this Gospel, which tells of His death, burial, and resurrection for you, is the power of God unto eternal salvation.

Here is how you can receive Christ:

•Admit your need. (I am a sinner)
•Be willing to turn from your sins (repent).
•Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross and rose from the grave.
•Pray a prayer like this: Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name, Amen.

Be Humble!

...no...messenger [is] greater than the one who sent him. John 13:16

One of the reasons God chose John the Baptist as Jesus' forerunner is because he was humble. He's introduced simply as a '...voice...crying in the wilderness' (Mark 1:3 NKJV), no pretentious preambles or highfalutin titles. Many notable saints came before John, but Jesus said, '...Among those born...no one has arisen greater than John...' (Matthew11:11 RSV). John had no hidden agenda or overblown ego; his message was: 'He must increase, but I must decrease' (John 3:30 NKJV). John Barnett says: 'Pride is the sin of competing with God...it makes you self-reliant, self-absorbed, self-deceived, self-confident, self-conscious, self-sufficient, self-satisfied, self-focused, self-centred and self-driven. It makes you unreliable, because nobody can tell you what to do...unloving, because you won't sacrifice for others...unteachable, because nobody can correct you...competitive, because you'll always try to outdo others.

Humility means not always having to be asked, reminded and recognised ...you go round looking for ways to serve.' Somebody asked Hudson Taylor, 'Are you conscious of the way God has prospered you in the China Inland Mission? I doubt any man has had greater honour.' Taylor replied, 'I don't see it like that. I think God must have been looking for someone small enough and weak enough to use so that all the glory might be His...and He found me.' Bottom line: 'God gives special blessings to those who are humble, but sets himself against those who are proud' (1 Peter 5:5 TLB). So, be humble!

Vision!

Your vision - you must 'feel' it!

..."Write the vision and make it plain"... Habakkuk 2:2

Habakkuk describes his vision as, 'The burden which the prophet...saw' (Habakkuk 1:1 NKJV). He 'saw' it wherever he went. It drove him to his knees. He prayed, 'O Lord, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear?...Why do You show me iniquity, and cause me to see trouble?...the law is powerless, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore perverse judgment proceeds' (Habakkuk 1:2-4 NKJV). Before God blesses you with a plan of action He will burden you with the problem you've been called to help solve. Lewis Braille wanted to read and write. But at three years of age he was blinded in a tragic accident while playing in his father's harness shop. Refusing to settle for a world of darkness he said, 'I will make a system so that the blind can read and write.' As a result, millions of sight-impaired people have been blessed by the Braille system. The Psalmist cried: 'The zeal for [my Father's] house has consumed me...' (Psalm 69:9 NAS). What's your all-consuming desire? What are you passionate about? What has God called and gifted you to do? Paul's burning desire was to reach the world for Christ. And he succeeded. When his enemies imprisoned him, instead of giving in to defeat he turned his cell into a writer's retreat and penned thirteen epistles that would change more lives after he left the world than he could ever hope to touch while he was in it. What are you willing to give your life to, and for? If your vision is truly of God, you will 'feel' it.

The ARK had a MERRY MERRY CHRISTmas!!

It was a Merry Christmas!!!


The children of the Ark enjoyed a massive christmas with gifts, cake, sweets and a fun day of activities!! In this photo the exuberence of the children is cleary seen, they are bursting with all the excitement. This photo was taken just before the Christmas Special Ark Give Away!!! For most of these children it is the only gift they will get. So we wanted to make it SO special!

The Ark is the hands and feet of Jesus!! What an awesome privelage!!