Why I don't celebrate Halloween!

Just for the record - I don't celebrate Halloween because of this main reason:

It may have started as a festival with good intentions, but it has now turned very 'dark' for my taste. I feel that there is enough 'evil' stuff in our world, why would I want to align myself with any more?

You are entitled to disagree with me, but that's my simple take on Halloween. For a festival that began well as a 'Hallowed Evening' before All Saints Day (1st November) - it has now moved far from these original roots. We now have ghosts, vampires, spells, haunted houses and a whole lot of 'trick or treating' - and not to mention the pumpkins. I struggle to get excited about any of this...but hey, that's just me.

If I am going to celebrate anything 'Hallowed', it will only be God.

"Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name..."

Grace and peace to you,
D3LM3

P.S. For a really good summary and unbiased understanding of Halloween, go to wikipedia. Here is the link...
Wikipedia - Halloween

God has the last word

I came across this awesome verse from the book of 1 Peter. It encouraged me and gave me renewed hope - I pray that it does the same for you.

"So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ - eternal and glorious plans they are! - will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; Yes, he does..." (1 Peter 5:10 - The Message)

No matter what the world has told us, Jesus gets the last word. His word is 'Redemption.'

Saved by Grace,
D3LM3

Train

What do a Train, a Track, and a Table have to do with the Gospel?
Join us at 6pm on Sunday evening at Wesley Methodist to find out more...

Please have a look at this 30 second video - thanks.

Train Sermon from Delme Linscott on Vimeo.

If you are not in Pietermaritzburg, we will upload the podcast of the sermon at a later stage.

Blessings and grace to you all,
D3LM3

How can this be?

I was appalled by the news today. A young mother in our home town (Pietermaritzburg) killed her two children, a daughter (6) and a son (4) with a knife and an axe!
What was her reason for this brutal act?
Her answer ... to protect her boyfriend who had raped the young girl.
What on earth is this all about - how depraved are we as a species that this should take place? Is it really true that a mother would kill her own 'flesh and blood' to save a man from being exposed as a rapist? Have we somehow reverted back to sadistic behaviour, where people sacrifice their kids to 'idols and gods?'
I am horrified - I am angry - I am deeply saddened!

Oh, yes and then on the same News bulletin there was Trevor Manuel sheepishly admitting he make an 'error of judgement' in buying a R1.2 million car. This was his way of saying 'sorry' - well, almost! But will he hand the car back and get a less expensive car? His answer is a blatant 'NO way!'

It is one thing to say sorry for something, but it is another to make right the wrongs we have done. Repentance, is not only saying 'I made a mistake', it is asking for forgiveness and then making an about turn! Repenting from my sins is about choosing not to make the same mistakes. Grace forgives my sin, but I cheapen this grace, if I carry on living in the same cycle of sin.

Mr Manuel, you are cheapening Grace, my friend! But, may I be vigilant that I do not also cheapen Grace! The path is narrow...

Grace is a complex gift,
D3LM3

200th Post

I know that I am only a tiny spec in the Blogosphere, and my mere 200th post is nothing compared to Seth Godin or Chris Brogan, but I want to reaffirm my purpose in blogging.

I do this to inspire, motivate, encourage and bless anyone who is willing to read these simple words of mine. I have been 'marked' by God's Grace and my greatest desire is not to let His Grace go to waste (1 Corinthians 15:10).

Thank you for your willingness to allow my thoughts to 'infiltrate' your world.

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

The only thing that counts

If you were asked the following question, how would you respond?
"What is the only thing that counts in your life?"

I guess some people would answer with things like:
Family
Friends
Relationships
Career
Money
Their sports team winning
Church
Achieving a dream
Getting their own way
Getting the latest gadget

Paul answers the question like this:
"The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." (Galatians 5:6)

What do you feel about that?

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

It's better when we are together

The famous lines from the Jack Johnson song go like this...
"It's better when we are together!"

I see this as a mantra for my relationship with God. When my days get so hectic and I don't spend time with Christ, I feel that my days are not as 'good' as they could be. I am often more stressed, critical, impatient and unloving - the fruits of the Spirit don't seem to be as evident in my life as they could be.

A life spent in communion with Jesus takes lots of discipline and practise. There is no easy option, short-cut or microwave version of 'submitting our LIVES' to Christ. The secret lies in the 'long view' and realising that we need to try and cultivate our relationship on a daily basis.

I am sometimes asked how I spend my 'devotional' times and whilst I am not perfect in this arena, here are a few tips. If they help you, then please use them.

1. Space - I am a person who needs quiet for my devotions. This is not for everyone, but I like to lock myself away from the noise of the world. I find that I am more receptive to the promptings of the Spirit. For some of us, driving in the car listening to a Christian CD creates this 'space.'

2. Scripture - sounds obvious, but sometimes we can read so many other things that speak 'about' God, that we forget to read what the 'Word of God' says. I usually have my devotional guide with me - this has the scripture, a few comments and a short prayer. This is helpful to start off my time with God. Find something that works for you and if you need help, just shout!

3. Journal - I keep a journal, where I write down the scriptures that I read and if I feel God prompting me with something. To be honest, I have never ever heard God speak to me in an audible voice, but I have strongly felt His guidance and promptings through these devotional times.

4. Prayer - This is normally the hardest part for me, as I am a 'pray as you go' kind of person. I discipline myself to sit for a few moments, in order to allow God to whisper to me. I sometimes write my prayers down, as this allows God a chance to respond. I am good at giving God my 'story', but I am still learning to listen to His voice.

5. Do - if I have felt led to do something in the devotion, I make it a priority to do it soon.

I hope that this is helpful for some of you. I know that many of you are already further down the road than I am, but may we all be inspired to nurture 'quality time' with Christ. I think we need to be less stressed about how we do it and rather just plunge into it and commit to the process.

Growing in Grace,
D3LM3

In the Jungle

 

In the Jungle,
the mighty Jungle,
the Lion sleeps tonight...

...OK, admit it - how many of you are singing the rest of the song?!

I just thought I'd share the photo of one of the male Lions we saw last week. This guy was certainly not sleeping, but was contemplating how he and his brother were going to fight for control of a new pride. I think that by now he is either the 'king of the jungle' or else he is licking his wounds somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

The Lion of the tribe of Judah will never have to lick his wounds. Jesus will always be King, even if the enemy attacks him from all sides. I know which 'pride' I belong to! I trust that you do too!

Grace given by a King,
D3LM3

P.S. Thanks to Kim for this photo!

Our choice

It was Cher who made the following lines famous -

If I could turn back time
If I could find a way
I'd take back those words that hurt you
And you'd stay
If I could reach the stars
I'd give them all to you

Going back into the past to change our mistakes is not possible, unless of course you believe in movies like 'Back to the Future.' We get to live with our choices and if we are brave enough, we get to say sorry for some of the bad choices we have made.

Thankfully, Jesus doesn't dwell on the past - well, certainly not as much as we do. Jesus is more interested in the Now and how we can live in the Future. We heard tonight at Church (thanks to Dylan "Moses" Ellison) that Jesus wants us to embrace and enjoy the 'Abundant' Life. There is of course one pre-requisite - we need to 'Choose Life' (Deuteronomy 30:19). As we choose to live for God personally, so our decisions impact our community too.

Instead of dwelling in the past, let's choose to live for God NOW and perhaps we won't have as many regrets in the future.

Choosing Grace,
D3LM3

Turn back time!

At midnight tonight (24th) the clocks will go back another hour in Europe - so if you have family overseas they will be two hours behind us in South Africa. I know that South Africans have debated the idea of having 'daylight saving', especially in the Summer months, but that will probably never happen - the idea is too logical for our government!

Anyway, I was just thinking about the concept of 'turning the clocks back' and wondering how often we wish we could do the same. Haven't we all had a moment where we long to go back and fix something or take back some harsh words - I know I sometimes wish that I could go back.

In the end we know that we can't 'go back', but thankfully we have a God who has redeemed us and who gladly gives us a 2nd chance. His Grace gives us the chance to make things right.

"Whatever is has already been,
and what will be has been before;
and God will call the past to account." - Ecclesiastes 3:15

Grace transcends time,
D3LM3

Did you know?

Did you know that the South African One Rand coin has the following inscription on the front - "Soli Deo Gloria?" It means 'To God be Glory!' If you didn't know this, please go and check it out.

A friend of mine (Tim) pointed it out to me a few weeks ago & it raises a few interesting thoughts for me:

1. As a country is this something that our leaders are striving for (giving God the glory) or is this just a 'nice' thing to inscribe on our coins?

2. We complain about how Americans loosely use the phrase 'In God we trust' and yet we argue that we are not sure 'which god' they are referring to. Well, the same could apply to us South Africans - which 'god' do we give glory to? Power, Injustice, Corruption, Money, Culture? At the moment, God is certainly not being glorified by the actions of many people who call themselves 'Christians.' Harsh, but FACT!

3. Can I use this simple One Rand coin to influence my own use of money? If I ask myself a simple question every time I spend my cash, will I be more generous and less 'bound' by finances? The question is "Am I glorifying God with this purchase?"

Jesus was absolutely spot on when he said: "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." - Matthew 6:24

Grace to you,
D3LM3

God of Wonders

It is good to be able to write again!
We have just come back from 2 amazing days in the Sabi Sabi game reserve. Our friends, Hilton and Carol, took us there after the Mission in Benoni (Carol works for Sabi). It was indeed a brilliant way of resting after the emotional and physical drain of leading the mission.

Spending some time driving through the bush one gets to reflect on how amazing our Creator is. Not only do we see His handiwork in the landscape and sunsets, but also in the variety of animals, birds, reptiles and plant life. Our God is indeed the 'God of wonders!'

One of the highlights for me was our sighting of a Leopard. I love Leopards and to see one 'live' in the wild is truly special.

Isaiah 11:6 - "The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them."

I would love to hear which is your favourite wild animal, so if you have second reply to this post. Thanks and blessings.

Touched by Grace,
D3LM3

P.S. Thanks for the photo to - http://www.maxwaugh.com/images/tanzania07/leopard2.jpg

Givers of Grace

When we have received the blessing of God's forgiveness and grace, we need to make a choice how we live our 'new'lives. Do we show others the same grace that we have received from Christ? We live in a world of 'ungrace' (as Philip Yancey calls it), but we can set a new standard by 'Living in Grace.'

May we live to glorify God in all we do.

Grace and peace to you,
D3LM3

P.S. I will be having a 2 day break to recover from the successful mission trip, so I may not be blogging in that time. Blessings to you in the mean time.

Second Chances

Grace always reminds me that God is willing to give us a 'second chance' if we surrender our lives to His will and purposes. However, this doesn't give us a license to live without consequences - God's grace demands more from us.

C.S.Lewis - "To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you."

What are we doing with our Second Chance?

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Let me pay for that!

Yesterday I flew up to Jo'Burg from Durban. A friend of the family kindly dropped me off at the airport and as we got closer to the drop-off zone, I did the right thing - I asked if I could pay towards the petrol costs. He declined, but at least I felt good that I had offered. I have been raised to 'pay my way' where possible and to contribute my share.

When it comes to Grace, many of us think that God operates in the same way. God offers us His Grace, through His son Jesus Christ and most of us believe that we should pay our way too - or at least that we should contribute towards this gift. The truth is, we could never 'pay' enough. The Sacrifice was total and it all depended on Jesus - nothing depends on us.

"For is it by Grace that you have been saved - through faith. And this is a gift from God, so that no one can boast..." - Ephesians 2:8-9

So as I got out of the car and walked to the check-in, I reflected on how grateful I was to get a lift to the airport. This morning, I reflect on how grateful I am for God's GRACE.

Grateful for Grace,
D3LM3

Independence vs. Dependence

Bittersweet! That's what it tasted like this morning. Sweet, but a little nostalgic. We have been trying to get Declan to do his own tie in the mornings for ages - at least that it doesn't look like a mangled mess. Anyway, without any prompting this morning he proudly walked into the room and showed us his tie - even I was impressed - it was perfect. But, that's when it hit me - I won't be doing his tie anymore. Whilst, that may seem like a good thing, it dawned on me, that my boy is growing up fast! In the blink of an eye he will be totally independent.

So here is the catch. As parents our goal is to bring up our kids in the best way possible and to prepare them to become independent. Independence is seen as the right way to go. However, as Christians we need to operate in the opposite way, when it comes to our relationship with Jesus. We need to become more dependent on Jesus Christ than on ourselves.

"Trust in the Lord your God and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6

Depending on Grace,
D3LM3

May you be Blessed

I remembered this ancient blessing and prayed it for you today...

"May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand." - Old Irish Blessing

I will be travelling up to Benoni tomorrow to lead a series of sessions on the theme of 'Living in Grace.' My family would appreciate your prayers at this time. Many thanks and God bless.

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Storms

When last did you experience a Storm?
We had one in Pietermaritzburg last night and it was a BIG! We will have to wait until this morning to see the after effects of the storm. It wasn't of Tsunami or Hurricane proportions, but it was enough to make a lot of people fearful.

As I sat looking at the rain pouring down, outside my lounge window, I wondered about the millions of people that had to endure the storm with no adequate shelter. Then I came back to Gary Haugen's haunting question:

"In this world of suffering, why have I been blessed with so much?"

Oh man, I wish I had never heard that question!

On a spiritual level, there are millions of people who still don't realise that Jesus can be their 'shelter' in the midst of their personal storms. So, we are faced with a double tragedy - people who have no physical shelter and people who refuse to allow God to be their personal shelter.

"God is our refuge and strength. An ever present help in trouble." - Psalm 46:1

Sheltered by Grace,
D3LM3

P.S. - Thanks for the photo to http://media.photobucket.com

Jacaranda's warning

Do you know someone who is writing exams this year - or is that person perhaps YOU?
It has been said that if you haven't started studying by the time the Jacaranda Trees are in flower, then it is getting too late. Well, they have been flowering for a while now, so ....

...start praying hard!

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

P.S. Thanks to http://hubpages.com/hub/jacaranda for the photo.

Levi's Gene

Those of us who can't afford Levi jeans probably wish we could. However, there is a different 'gene' I want to recommend today. I pray that we may have the 'spiritual gene' of Levi (a.k.a Matthew). When Jesus called Levi to follow him into the unknown, Levi said "Yes" without a moments hesitation. Now that is Faith in Jesus!

Mark 2:14 - "Come be my disciple", Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him.

Grace moves us to say 'Yes',
D3LM3

Death of another Singer

Stephen Gately died today. News of his death is slowly spreading around the world - no one knows for sure how it happened, but his voice has been snuffed out.

Whatever we feel about Stephen as a person and as a musician is a matter of opinion. The reality is that another young musician (he was 33) died today. Whilst the music world mourns his death and many of his family, friends and fans ask 'why' - we should allow the news to serve as another clear reminder ... Life is short; Life is a mist; Life is fragile. Why are we putting off doing the important things in our lives until later? We may never get that chance.

Another man died at age 33. His death was more public and traumatic than anything seen before. He was also loved in some quarters and hated in others. His family, friends and fans also grieved his passing - many also asked 'why?' His name? Jesus of Nazareth.

Whilst one never knows how long people will remember Stephen Gately's music, people are still singing Jesus' song of 'Love', 'Grace' and 'Forgiveness.' 2000 years is a long time to be remembered. Remember to honour Christ with your life, today!

"Choose Life!" - Deuteronomy 30:19

Grace to you,
D3LM3

Inspirational

There are a few moments in our lives which we may consider to be inspirational and "potentially" life-changing. I believe I had one of these moments today!

Attending the Global Leadership Summit has been the tonic my thirsty soul has been needing for a while. To be inspired to be a great leader is a privilege and many of the speakers at the Summit 09 have done that for me.

Today, people like Dave Gibbons, Tim Keller, Dan and Chip Heath, Harvey Carey and of course Bono (from U2) all touched me in some way. It would take too long to go into their messages now, but I want to spend more time reflecting on the kernels of truth that came from these leaders.

However, I don't want to only 'reflect' on these powerful statements, I want to 'ACT'. You see, in the first sentence of this blog post, I put the word "potentially" in inverted comma's for a reason. Life can only be changed when something radical is done to us OR we choose to do something in order effect the 'life-change.'

"You must be the change you want to see in the world." - Ghandi

1 Samuel 10:6 - "The Spirit of the LORD will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person."

Growing in Grace,
D3LM3

Leadership Summit

We spent today attending the Global Leadership Summit in Durban and it has been great. The privilege to have 5 quality sessions on Christian leadership is overwhelming. A lot of the input needs a few days to digest and I hope to do some hard 'thinking' next week. One of the watershed Scriptures for me today was this one:

"LORD, I have heard of your fame;
I stand in awe of your deeds, O LORD.
Renew them in our day,
in our time make them known;
in wrath remember mercy." - Habakkuk 3:2

May God work in our time, just as He has worked in previous generations.
May we be willing to be partners with God as the world seeks 'Grace.'

Grace & Peace
D3LM3

How long must we sing this song?

"I cant believe the news today
Oh, I cant close my eyes and make it go away
How long...
How long must we sing this song?
How long? how long..."

These are the opening lyrics to the famous U2 song, Sunday Bloody Sunday. For a full explanation of why they wrote the song, you will need to go to their website, but it is worth pointing out that U2 were not the first group of people to sing these same words. About 3000 years ago the Psalmist's were singing the same lyrics - at the time they were feeling lost and abandoned by God.

"How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and every day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?" - Psalm 13:1-2

Psalm 35 & 79 also include similar lyrics.

If you are feeling that God is taking a long time to answer your cries, may the Holy Spirit grant you the strength to persevere until you hear from God again.

Holding onto Grace,
D3LM3

Something worth singing about!

Have you heard the phrase "Now that is something worth singing about?" I can't manage to find out who coined this phrase, but we use it in all kinds of contexts. In most of these situations, it is when we have been moved or excited by something we have experienced.

For example, people may say 'that is something worth singing about' when:
1. They get offered the job
2. They fall in love
3. They have a child
4. They are blessed by a surprise
5. They discover something amazing
6. Their rugby/soccer/cricket team wins
7. They see an awesome sunset

When we get to fully understand how much God loves us, I hope that many of us say, "That is something worth singing about!"

Ephesians 1:7-8 – “He is so rich in kindness that he purchased our freedom through the blood of his Son, and our sins are forgiven.”

David and the Psalmists wrote some of their 'songs' because they had discovered something worth singing about. Moses and Miriam wrote their song (Exodus 15) because God had saved them. Charles Wesley, Fanny Crosby and Chris Tomlin have written thousands of songs - all out of a response to God's grace.

Do you have something worth singing about? If yes, then follow James' advice - "Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise." (James 5:13)

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Your Song?

What is your song? You know what I mean - which song is the one that opens the floodgates of memories? Or the song that stirs up a million emotions? The song that you know every word of, even though it is years old? The song that gets you singing in the shower or turning the volume up on your radio or ipod?

I do have a few songs like this on my list, but the one I want to mention is Kim's and my 'Wedding Song.' We had a friend sing it for us at the Wedding Service and every time we hear it, the memories of that special day come back in waves!
The song is 'Isis' by the Goo Goo Dolls. Some of the words go:

"And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life...
...I just want you to know who I am."

I think that every time that God sees us, He wants to burst out in song. God's love for us is more dramatic than a song. He longs for us to think of him, just as we think of songs with memories.

The world gets to hear millions of songs everyday, but how many people have heard Christ's song of 'Grace?' Let's live in Grace and pass this 'song' onto a world in desperate need of a good song!

"May they sing of the ways of the Lord, for the glory of the Lord is great." - Psalm 138:5

Singing about Grace,
D3LM3

P.S. - For a while, I would like to add a list of 'Your Songs' on my blog, so please let me know which songs 'speak' to you. Thanks

Music that moves you...

Why is it that sometimes I wake up in the morning and I have a song in my mind? Does it also happen to you? I am not one who wakes up to the radio, but I do find it strange that a song immediately pops into my head. This song normally lives with me the rest of the day - weird, isn't it?!

Music is powerful.
Music can fuel our emotions.
Music can change our moods.
Music moves us.

The Bible speaks about music in a number of places, but the Psalms are the obvious epicentre of these lyrics and songs. Listen to what the Psalmist says:

"Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord..." - Psalm 98:4-5

May you be moved by music today.
May the 'love songs' of God speak to your spirit.

Singing the songs of Grace,
D3LM3

Fruitcake and Ice Cream

I have just finished watching the 'Fruitcake and Ice Cream' DVD by Louis Giglio. Wow, it is amazing. I have to admit that it brought a tear to my eye. I don't want to spoil it for you if you haven't watched it, but it is essentially about Grace.

It is amazing how many people feel that they don't deserve to be loved (or can't be loved by God), yet God treats us very differently. The DVD covers the story of a young student Ashley who believed that she was too much of a freak/sinner to be loved by God, yet through the love of her flatmate (nicknamed 'Fruitcake'), Ashley finds Christ in a powerful way.

Check out this brief review of the DVD - http://bit.ly/ixUSl

Romans 5:8 - "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

This DVD reminded me again of why I want to 'Live in Grace' - there is no other way!

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

P.S. Louis Giglio is one of the leaders who head up the "Passion" events. Check out their blog http://268generation.com/blog/

The Locked Cupboard

In our privacy of our personal lives we all have a 'Locked Cupboard.' It is often the place where we keep our biggest secrets, failures, fears and most certainly our feelings of guilt. Most of us are petrified that the contents of our 'cupboard' will be discovered, so we do all we can to guard the cupboard. The amount of emotional time and energy we spend in hoping to protect these things will eventually take it's toll, but we insist on playing our own games.

When we invite Christ into our lives, we need to give him the keys to this cupboard. Only the breath of the Holy Spirit can clean out the smell of the contents. Sadly, we mistakenly believe that Jesus is too Holy to be concerned about my sins and secrets. The Gospel message is about Jesus seeking out smelly cupboards and airing them out - it's about Jesus coming to seek out sinners and bringing redemption.

Luke 19:10 - "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

Psalm 51:10 - Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

What is hidden away in your cupboard? Are you brave enough to hand the key to Jesus?

Set free by Grace,
D3LM3

P.S. If you are finding these posts helpful please pass them on to whoever you feel may benefit from them.

Childhood memories

Yesterday we cut the lawn at home - don't you just love the smell of freshly cut grass? Every time I catch a whiff of a lawn that has just been cut I am transported back to my childhood - actually more specifically back to junior school. Freshly cut grass speaks to me of fridays and freedom. Why, you maybe asking? Well, the school lawn was always cut on fridays and I distinctly remember walking out of school, for the weekend (i.e. Freedom) with that smell in my nostrils.

What childhood memories do you have? I would love to hear your stories, so if you have moment send me a mail or comment.

By the way, I think Jesus had many childhood memories - playing with his siblings, working with Joseph in the workshop, listening to the Scriptures read in the Synagogue and many more.

Luke 2:52 - "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men."

Look forward to reading your stories.

Living in Grace,
D3LM3

Technology Sabbath

I did it! I managed to go 8 whole days without the internet, emails and a cell-phone. I know it sounds crazy that I would be chuffed about something as silly as this, but in our new world of technological dependence I wanted to prove to myself that I am not addicted to Facebook, Twitter, SMS's and Blogging. The first few days were the hardest, but eventually I got used to it. In the end, it was a worthwhile discipline and I feel better for having taken a 'technology Sabbath.'

Mark 2:27 - Then Jesus said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."

These words of Jesus are so true - we needed to be taught to rest, that's why God rested on the 7th day. When we think that we can work perpetually we border on blasphemy - we begin to think that we can 'out-create' God.

How about you? Is there something that perhaps you need to take a 'Sabbath' from? Is your Spirit craving some alone time with Christ? We need to make it happen...

Dependent on Grace,
D3LM3

Rain, Rain go away...

There is a lot of talk at the moment about banning ‘things’ or various people. Here are a few of these:

We must ban smokers from almost everywhere…
We will probably have to ban Caster Semenya from competing in ‘female’ athletics events…
We must definitely ban Julius Malema from opening his mouth…
We will have to ban the Protea’s from trying to play cricket…

I think you understand what I mean - there is lots of ‘banning’ going on at the moment. I would like to add one more item to this list. Here it is:

There should be a ban on ‘Rain’ during holidays, especially when you are camping with small kids.

What do you think? I think it is fair, don’t you? Having just had a week dodging rain drops I am tired of rain. So, Lord if you are listening, please can you ‘ban’ rain from our next holiday.

Swimming in Grace,
D3LM3

P.S. On a more serious note, our week of rain is nothing in comparison with what the people in Samoa and Sumatra have to deal with right now. Let’s spare a thought for them and lift them up in our prayers.