e-Devotions

Honest to God.

2011-05-18T12:42:00.006+08:00

Sometimes prayer can get ugly... even messy. When we truly open ourselves up to God and pour our honest feelings, thoughts and fears out to Him, it's not all nice and rosy. But that's the kind of prayers that God loves. He sees through all our pretence anyway.

1 Samuel 1:10 'In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord.'

This childless woman longed with her whole being to conceive, but for years she had been struggling. Over the years she probably prayed nice, "clean" prayers. But here she reached a point where she doesn't hold back any more. Her prayers are like a groaning from her deepest being reaching out to the highest God.

When asked by the priest (Eli) why she was 'acting this way... like a drunkard?' she gave a revealing answer. (v15-16). "I was pouring out my soul to the Lord... out of great anguish and grief."

He then speaks a blessing on her. SHALOM! 'Go in peace and may God hear your prayer.'

Somehow, after bearing her soul to God and excepting the word of peace spoken over her, the storm inside her subsides. We read in v.18 that 'she went away and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast. (take note... this 'peace' came upon her before her prayer was even answered.)

May you also experience such peace as you call on God in honest prayer.

Shalom!

Worrying my life away.

2010-03-19T08:03:00.008+08:00

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Are you spending hours worrying over stuff?

Stop it!

Worry does not help.

All of us can testify that it's a waste of time. It achieves nothing good and robs us of joy (and sleep).

'Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?' asked Jesus in Matt 5:27
In that same passage He commands us: 'Do not worry!' (v34)

Rather we are invited to trust God. To have faith that He will take care of us.

Does that mean I just sit back and do nothing?
No, that's complacency.
A golden rule to follow is "do your part, and trust God for His part."

A farmer diligently works his land, but trusts God to send rain.
A preacher prepares a sermon, but trusts God to make hearts receptable.
A student studies for an exam, but trusts God to give clarity of mind.

If, as a Christ follower I've done all I can (and should have done), then all that is left to do is 'have faith in God.' He takes care of the bigger picture.

'But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.' (v33)

Imagine people think you’re dead... but you’re not.

2010-02-25T10:22:00.005+08:00

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"I just want to be alive again. I just want to be brought back from the dead," said a Sandford woman after she couldn't open a bank account or even upgrade her cell phone, because the 'Social Security Administration Dept' had mistakenly declared her dead along with her deceased husband.

For this women it’s an administrative plea to the U.S. government. For us as Christ followers, it’s a prayer that Jesus will answer on His 2’nd coming.

John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies...”

Jesus stated plainly that there is life after death. Even though we die and our earthly bodies decay and turn to dust, we continue to exist in our spiritual bodies. But at His second coming our earthly bodies will be resurrected and reunited with our spirit. It’ll be a miraculous, supernatural experience as we are given glorified bodies. We will be like Him.

1Jn 3:2b But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

Christ died, and his earthly body was laid in a tomb. But by God’s power He was raised again. And He was given a glorified body. One that looked exactly like before, but this time it was perfect, and better, and heavenly... it was a glorious version of the old one.
We who are in Christ will be like Him. We shall rise again and our resurrected bodies be made glorious.

Rom 6:5 If we have been united with Him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with Him in his resurrection.

This ‘resurrection of our bodies’ is a promise we can cling to.
Though we die... we will rise again.

Wired Differently

2010-02-18T12:59:00.010+08:00

Remember your school days?

Did you excel at sports or academics? If yes, you were probably in a popular school group. If no, you probably struggled with a low self esteem.
That was the case for me. I’m just wired differently... more of an artist. I learned best when pictures, colour and object lessons were used. I really struggled with learning from pages full of writing which contained only worded theories, arguments and numbers.

I scored high marks in History. But that was because I converted the facts into cartoons, much like newspaper cartoonist would do. My teacher was most intrigued with how I could remember the facts with pictures. To me it was a necessity. My brain just couldn’t grasp it otherwise. It’s something I still do today.

As a pastor, some of my sermon notes have small picture boxes to one side, and bullet points on the other side. Other times I use more document type sermon notes, but then I highlight them with colour markers. Green = headings. Yellow = sub points. Blue = scripture reference. Orange = illustrations.

God made us all different. On purpose! That’s His creative design.

Psalm 139:13-14 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

In a book by Howard Gardner, ‘Frames of Mind,’ he lists 7 types of geniuses (or intelligences). He points out that we all learn differently, and we all excel in different fields. Everyone will be stronger in some areas, and weaker in others. We all have at least one type of genius locked up within us. As parents and teacher we need to help our kids discover what it is, develop it and celebrate their achievements in those respective areas.

I’ll list the 7 types of geniuses here with cartoons that I used for a family service based on Psalm 139.

Verbal Linguistic:
A person gifted with a natural ability to read and write. Gifted to gather and share information. E.g. journalists, writers, attorneys and teachers.

Numerical:
Someone who loves dealing with data that is measured in numbers. E.g. mathematicians, computer programmers and engineers.

Physical:
Those who are gifted to be great in mechanics, building trades and sports people, like athletes and dancers. Often people who learn better with 'hands on' learning. They love doing more than they love sitting behind a desk.

Spatial:
Creative thinkers, artists and designers.
They think in pictures, and have a natural ability to perceive and create art in its various forms, like music, painting, design and productions.

Entrepreneurial:
Folk who have a gift in commerce or business. They are able to see a niche in the market. They are able to take calculated risks and build businesses out of very little, and thereby employ many others. Just think of Richard Branson from the Virgin group. He failed at school, but is one of the greatest entrepreneurs of our times.

Interpersonal:
People who talk easily with others. They are the great communicators of society. They often end up being great communicators, singers, sales people or preachers.

Environmental:
This is the genius that emanates from human beings to the things around them. It's people who are naturally gifted in dealing with things like trees, plants, fish, the ocean, animals and the land. Think of farmers, park rangers, animal trainers and oceanographers. (Like Steve Erwin... the famous crocodile hunter.)

Our God IS an awesome God!

2010-02-11T08:27:00.007+08:00

There's a few times I've tried to comprehend how big the sun is, and how relatively small our planet earth is. And then to think how relatively small I am compared to the size of the earth. I look at the mountains, and the ocean and nature all around me... to think, it's been here for thousands of years before me and will be here for thousands of years after I breath my last breath.
Man, I'm really small! And my life IS but a vapour.

Then I look at the stars, and I'm blown away by its size and brilliance. And to think God knows each star by name... now that's mind blowing!

I can't help but echo the words of the psalmist; "what is man that You are mindful of him?"

Then He reminds me of the words... "I know your name."
In the end, that's all that matters... He knows my name. (John 10:3)

Even if you cannot comprehend how big the universe is, or how long the earth has been in existence. The one thing that matters most is this - that He knows your name, and that your name is written in His book of life. (Rev 20)

Isaiah 40:25-26
"To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One.
Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one,
and calls them each by name.
Because of His great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing."

Our God IS an awesome God!

The Wonder of Laminin

2010-02-04T16:28:00.004+08:00

Sometimes I come across emails that people forward to me, and this one is worth publishing here!

Shared by an anonymous doctor

A couple of days ago I was running (I use that term very loosely) on my treadmill, watching a DVD sermon by Louie Giglio... And I was BLOWN AWAY! I want to share what I learned... But I fear not being able to convey it as well as I want. I will share anyway..

He (Louie) was talking about how inconceivably BIG our God is... How He spoke the universe into being.... Then He went on to speak of how this universe creating God ALSO knitted our human bodies together with amazing detail and wonder. At this point I am LOVING it (fascinating from a medical standpoint, you know.)... And I was remembering how I was constantly amazed during medical school as I learned more and more about God's handiwork. I remember so many times thinking.. 'How can ANYONE deny that a Creator did all of this???'

Louie went on to talk about how we can trust that the God who created all this, also has the power to hold it all together when things seem to be falling apart..how our loving Creator is also our sustainer.

And then I lost my breath. And it wasn't because I was running my treadmill, either!!! It was because he started talking about laminin. I knew about laminin. Here is how Wikipedia describes them: 'Laminins are a family of proteins that are an integral part of the structural scaffolding of basement membranes in almost every animal tissue.' You see... Laminins are what hold us together.. LITERALLY. They are cell adhesion molecules. They are what holds one cell of our bodies to the next cell. Without them, we would literally fall apart. And I knew all this already. But what I didn't know is what they LOOKED LIKE.

But now I do. And I have thought about it a thousand times since (already).. Here is what the structure of laminin looks like.... AND THIS IS NOT a 'Christian portrayal' of it... If you look up laminin in any scientific/medical piece of literature, this is what you will see..

Now tell me that our God is not the coolest!!! Amazing. The glue that holds us together..... ALL of us.... Is in the shape of the cross. Immediately Colossians 1:15-17 comes to mind.

'He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible And invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in Him all things HOLD TOGETHER. ' (Colossians 1:15-17)

Call me crazy. I just think that is very, very, very cool. Thousands of years before the world knew anything about laminin, Paul penned those words. And now we see that from a very LITERAL standpoint, we are held together... One cell to another... By the cross. You would never in a quadrillion years convince me that is anything Other than the mark of a Creator who knew EXACTLY what laminin 'glue' would look like long before Adam breathed his first breath!!

What an amazing God!

you ARE A MIRACLE

2010-01-28T13:43:00.010+08:00

Psalm 139:13-14 For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

The human body's design is absolutely miraculous! Here are 30 mind blowing facts:

The female human body is capable of having 35 children in one lifetime.

The average females ovaries contain about two million eggs.

Each egg contains the genetic code of countless generations of human beings.

The largest cell in the human body is the female egg and the smallest is the male sperm.

At the moment of conception, you spent about half an hour as a single cell.

When you were born, you had 350 bones in your body, and after childhood 144 of these bones fused together.

Your jawbone is the hardest bone in your body.

The spinal cord is 45cm in length and is the same diameter as your index finger, yet the spinal cord contains over 10 billion nerve cells.

You use 200 muscles to take one step.

A pair of human feet contain 250,000 sweat glands.

The acid in your stomach is strong enough to dissolve razor blades. (THAT DOES NOT MEAN IT IS SAFE TO SWALLOW THEM)

Your stomach produces a new lining every 3 days in order to avoid digesting itself in its own production of acid.

The human brain cell can hold 5 times as much information as the Encyclopedia Britannica.( AS YOU GET OLDER THE PAGES FALL OUT)

The enamel in your teeth is the hardest substance in your body.

Your thumb is the same length of your nose. (go ahead - try it.)

The length of your foot is the same as from your wrist to the crease at your elbow.

The nervous system transmits messages to the brain at speeds of 290 km per hour!

The human nose can remember 50,000 different smells.

The human eye can detect over 10,000,000 different colors!

We are unable to taste our food until it is dissolved by saliva, of which we produce around 35000 litres during a lifetime.

Our middle fingernail is the quickest one to grow. It takes about 150 days to grow out a full length fingernail.

There are over 650 muscles in your body. A smile uses 17 muscles, a frown uses 43!
It takes approximately 200,000 frowns to create one permanent brow line.

The average adult has about 9,000 taste buds on each surface of the tongue, roof of the mouth, and throat.

The human body contains up to 4,7 litres of blood. Red blood cells are formed at a rate of 2 million per second.

About every seven years, your body replaces the equivalent of an entirely new skeleton.

Ever wonder if you stood on your head while eating at the same time if your food would go down or not? Well, your food would actually go up because the muscles in the esophagus will still pull the food into the stomach.

A person at the age of 70 will have shed approximately 18 kg of dead skin.

Blood type A can receive blood types A & O safely.
Blood type B can receive types B O.
Blood type O can receive only O blood but are "universal donors" because O is acceptable to all other blood types.
Blood type O is the most common blood type worldwide.

The eye muscle is the fastest reacting muscle of the whole body. It contracts in less than 1/100th of a second.

The brain requires large amounts of stored energy for thinking. This is why you may feel the same exhaustion with intense thought processing as you do with a physical workout.

Stand in Awe.

2010-01-22T16:13:00.006+08:00

The Southern Cross

Zoom in on the left star of the cross. Northern star glare still visible.

Left star of the "cross" close-up.

Cluster of stars appears to the left of the screen.
*Notice the thousands of stars appearing in what we see as the black sky.

Zooming in on the cluster of stars.

Close up of the star cluster called 'The Jewel Box.'

Zoom in on the Jewel Box. Notice the specs of light around and behind it.
Some are stars, some are actual galaxies.

'The Jewel Box' - Hubble Space Telescope.

Psalm 8:3-4 I think about the heavens. I think about what your fingers have created. I think about the moon and stars that you have set in place. What is a human being that you think about him? What is a son of man that you take care of him?

Tonight, when it’s dark, take five minutes, walk outside and look up at the stars. Wait for your eyes to adjust. Let your eyes take in as much as possible of the brilliance displayed in the skies above you.
Stand in awe of God's creation.

(Pics thanks to Google Earth’s Sky viewer. You can try it too. Just type “Crux” in the search box. Remember to change your view to “sky.” Zoom into the left arm of the cross.)

Creation Calls

2010-01-14T11:08:00.007+08:00

Have you been down to the beach lately?
It's a shame how close some of us live to the beach, and yet rarely do we go out and enjoy it.
Maybe you're like me and you've gotten used to it... taking it for granted.

Let's be different this year. Let's appreciate the blessings of God's creation around us. Take a moment. Look intently. See His craftsmanship. See the wonder and beauty of His creation. Be amazed! And think - He gave us eyes and ears to take it all in.

God's the greatest Artist I know, and He left His fingerprint on all of creation - so we could find Him there.

*A friend of mine sent me these amazing pictures taken by the number one photographer of surf, Clark Little.

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Psa 148:7 Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,

Christmas Gift Idea

2009-11-25T08:58:00.010+08:00

"I hate Christmas!"
said a lady as she walked through the church doors.

"But why?" I asked.

She spelled it out for me: "Because I watch everyone else spend it with their family and friends, and I have to go it alone. I hate singing 'Joy To The World' when I feel sad and lonely."

I thought to myself; "the Gringe must be real. He stole this poor lady's Christmas joy"

"Merry Christmas" I said to another family walking through the doors. They were newly arrived migrants. They smiled bravely, but their teary eyes had a glossy shimmer. I noticed that the wife was holding a wet tissue in her hand. This would be their first Christmas alone, far away from the big family gatherings they used to attend.

Most of the folks who walked though our church doors that day were happy and looking forward to our Christmas Day Service. Everything was ready. A sermon had been prepared. The right songs were chosen. There would be coffee and eats afterwards.
I wondered... when this is all over, where is everyone going? What will they be doing? I'm sure the majority would be gathering somewhere with friends or family. They'll be eating nice food. Kids will be playing with their new toys and it would be a day to remember.

I thought of the lonely lady.
I wondered about the newly arrived migrant family.

"The church should do something!" I said to myself.
But I quickly realised that church is made up of people like you and me. We are the church.
I felt God tapping me on the shoulder and asking "What are you going to do about it?"

I quickly checked with my wife, and we both agreed that the obvious things to do was to invite those folks to come along with us for the day. "Just grab some snacks and come hang out with us. We'd share whatever food we had with you."

And that's the happy ending.

No - not really. The grumpy lady declined. It seemed she had alreay decided to have a lonely christmas day and no one was going to take that away from her.
The migrant couple felt a bit unsure at first, but with some encouragement they agreed to come. And we made some new friends that day.

* Let's determine this year that no one in our church will spend christmas alone. Open up your home or 'picnic event' to others. We can reveal glimmers of God's love and kindness by giving 'the gift of an invitation.'

Luke 2:10
The Angel said to them, "Do not be afraid.
I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people."

Designed To Work

2009-11-18T13:04:00.012+08:00

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Gen 2:15 “The lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”

Def' of Work: 'To obtain something with effort/to bring about or to produce a result.'(WORDPOWER dictionary)

Work was part of God’s perfect design for man. It was given to us before sin entered man’s heart. Work is a gift of god. It gives us fulfilment and joy. Especially when we do that which we were designed to do.(Our God given purpose.)

It is good for my motivation to realise that God wants me to be fruitful (productive.)

Here's an interesting observation: Things God gave man BEFORE sin entered in:
• Work (Gen 2:15)
• Responsibility (Gen 1:26-28)
• Free will (Gen 2:16)
• Boundaries (Gen 2:17)
• A wife (singular - v.18,22)

To see any of the above as “Burdensome Duties” is wrong. They were the things God intended to bless me with - part of my God ordained purpose. Though we might live in a sinful world where work has now become toil, and we find ourselves effected by broken marriages, being overworked and victims of burnout - we can find our redemption in God. In the midst of our brokenness and frustration, He is able to make all things work together for those who love Him.

Prayer: God, help me live my life - every part of it - for You.

The Sin Monster

2009-11-11T10:43:00.007+08:00

God's speaks to Cain:
Gen 4:7 "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door, it desires to have you, but you must master it.”

We all are in Cain’s shoes. We are sinful at heart, deserving of God’s wrath. But here God gives us a glimpse into the dealings of sin. He personifies it - painting a picture of a sly invader wanting to overpower you and take you into it's control. But then the simple strategy follows. You must master it!

Sin means to miss the mark of what God intends. It is anything I do that does not glorify God. Sin is addictive. It's dangerous and deceptive... especially when we start justifying it.
Do whatever it takes, just make sure you master it. Fight it. If you fail - start again. Pray about it. Confess it honestly to God. Repent. Read books about overcoming specific issues in your life. Seek council. Just do something.

Jesus died for our sins. We've been victims to sin before and who can say that they will never sin again? But before, I was a slave to sin, but now, because I am saved by Grace, I can master it. For God enables me to live a life that is pleasing to Him.

Prayer: "Lord, thank You for these words. I miss the mark so many times, and when I do it gets me down. But l will continue fighting sin in my life. Work in me to live a life that is pleasing to you."

'I Am' your Shepherd.

2009-11-04T11:35:00.005+08:00

Thus says the Lord:

'I Am' your shepherd,
you shall not be in want.
I make you to lie down in green pastures,
I lead you beside quiet waters,
I restore your soul.
I guide you in paths of righteousness for my Name's sake.
Even though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
you will fear no evil,
for I am with you;
My rod and my staff, they comfort you.
I prepare a table for you in the presence of your enemies.
I anoint your head with oil; your cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow you all the days of your life,
and you dwell in my house forever.

Psalm 23 - - - a prophetic paraphrase.

Joe Vermeulen
*(Refer John 10:1-16)

Creativity... we've all got it.

2009-10-29T09:48:00.007+08:00

Are only artists who paint and sing creative people?
I've got good news for you! - Everyone has built in creativity!

A mother trying different ways to get a toddler to eat her meal is ‘Creativity In Action’. A mechanic trying to fix a run-down car has to be creative in finding a solution to fix the problem. A sales person makes a living by finding creative ways to sell a product. Working at a sound desk, mixing the perfect sound is an art form. It takes a very creative person to hold the attention of a classroom full of kids. To say that some people are more creative than others, is kinda' true, but not fully.

We are all gifted with creativity. It might need developing and practise. But we've all got it. We express it in different ways, but God gave you a specific area of creative ability that He knew you'd need in life for your benefit and for others, but mostly for His Glory!

Our God is THE creative One; Artist, Mathematician, Engineer, Architect, Designer, Planner, Builder, Life Giver and so much more... and we were created in His Image.

Gen 1:1(a) “ In the beginning, God created ..................”

Prayer: God, thank you for making us in Your Creative Image. Inspire me today to use my creative ability to solve problems, overcome obstacles, to be a blessing, to Glorify You, to change the world around me into a better place. Be glorified in how I use my gifting and abilities

The short facts on Psalms.

2009-10-22T09:16:00.007+08:00

Thank the Lord for Psalms.

It's probably the most read of all the bible books. When we’re looking for something to write in a sympathy card or want to send a word of encouragement, we often turn to Psalms. How often do we hear Psalm 23 read at funerals? It's a comforting passage to so many.

As a pastor I do a lot of home visitations, and I must admit, often times my bible readings come from the book of Psalms.

As a song leader, I often do the Call to Worship from Psalms.

The book of Psalms is the longest book in the bible. It is filled with prayers, laments, praise and adoration.

The longest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 119.

The shortest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 117.

Interesting enough, if you were to calculate the middle chapter of the whole bible, it would be Psalm 117. It consists of 2 verses:1 Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol Him, all you peoples. 2 For great is His love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD.

The book of Psalms (chapter 1) starts of by showing us God’s way of blessing – by living life His way.

The closing chapter (150) commands us to Praise the Lord. Praise Him for all He has done, for who He is. Praise Him with all kinds of instruments.

God at the start, God in the centre, and God at the end. He is the focus of it all. A meaningful life begins with Him. He's to be the central point around which our whole life revolves. And when all is said and done... and I breath my last breath here on earth, how marvellous will it be to think I have lived a life that brought Him glory, and so will I praise Him even in death.

This reminds me of some wise words I've read and believe in with my whole heart: The chief end of man is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.*

*(The Westminster Shorter Catechism - 1647)

Joy in my life.

2009-10-14T23:21:00.005+08:00

Psalm 149:2 “Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King.”

Let God’s people rejoice and be glad in Him.
- I love that God’s Word commands us to be glad and to rejoice (Phil 4:4).
- God takes joy in His creation (us) and we should take joy in Him, our Creator.

He motivates and inspires me to have a mindset of thanks and appreciation. He gives me joy! Let us sing songs and speak life to install joy and gladness.

Action: Do one act of kindness for someone who would not expect it today, and so install some joy in their day. You'll see - it'll bring joy to your own heart as well.

Pray this prayer of joy:
God – Living life Your way brings joy! I thank You and praise You for giving me life in abundance. You truly are the joy in my life! Use me to bring joy to at least one other person today.

If looks could kill.

2009-10-07T10:15:00.010+08:00

... and how I wish they could!

I'd use my look-powers to zap the annoying person who messed up my day.
It seems like some people have the gift of 'weight.' They walk into your day and when they leave your heart and mind feels 'heavy.' We find that our thoughts keep coming back to that awful conversation... to that event we'd rather forget. We find ourselves being distracted and thinking of them instead of our work.
And then I get annoyed at myself for being so foolish as to give my opponent so much of my 'thinking time.'

It's like that song I heard on the radio: "I just can't get you out of my head..."

Ever see the movie 'The Mask?' Like him I've dreamt up some very creative ideas for death and destruction.
(Hell, fire and brimstone - just to keep it biblical.)

After trying in vain to settle this battle in my head, I finally get a prayer shot off to heaven; "God, you've got to help me here - this is starting to consume me..."

It was then (I'm sure it was inspiration from above) that I decided to let it go. I chose to. If I was going to wait for a feeling to come, it would take much too long. I'm choosing to let it go! The feelings can come later if they want, but for now it's a choice. And I'll keep choosing to let it go every time that person pops into my mind.

Come to think of it... maybe that's part of my weapon arsenal as a child of God. I have the fruit of the Spirit at my disposal. I can bombard my enemies with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5:22-23.)

Paul wrote in Romans 12:20-21 On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." (21) Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

I think our opponents hate to see us at peace, full of joy and not being effected by their onslaughts. And worse yet, to attack them with kindness will be a blow they didn't expect.

So here I go into battle with the weapons of God!

Pastor Joe

P.S. Just in case you know me and you're trying to work out who I'm writing about, I wrote this a year ago in my journal :o)

Time out!

2009-10-01T08:32:00.004+08:00

Mark 6:31-32 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, He said to them, "Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." (32) So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

Quiet. A solitary place. By yourself. Get some rest.

Maybe these few words seem out of reach. Maybe like me, you're longing for just that, quiet... rest.. but your schedule won't allow it.

But maybe we need to take "time out" and do just that. Get some rest. Go to a solitary place. Be by yourself. Drown out the noise.
It might be taking a coffee break and sitting at a window where you can look at the clouds and clear your mind. Maybe it's stepping away from you computer and going for a walk. Maybe it's clearing your schedule for tonight so you can spend it at home with your family. Maybe it's just pushing back all the papers on your desk and choosing to spend the next 5 minutes with God. That little 'time out' can make a world of difference.

For me the past two weeks have been hectic, and yet such a blessing. I've come to discover that ministry is a lot like that. People coming and going, deadlines, appointments, time spent preparing for weddings, music workshops, group devotions and sermons. Inbetween there's admin, newsletters, emails and phone calls.
And then I've also got to remember to write my weekly e-Devotions :o)

I'm sitting at my computer adding the final touches on today's wedding message (my youngest brother is getting married this afternoon). And it's so easy to put aside everything else to concentrate on the immediate, urgent stuff like this weddding. But I knew I needed a 'time out!' And I was going to take it! And writing this e-Devotion is my time out. I get to reflect on God's Word. I spend time talking to Him, asking for His guidance and providence.

And then it happens... my spirit is calmed. Anxiousness leaves. And I have a sense of connecting with God. I don't exactly know how this miracle of "connecting with God" happens. I just know that it does. And it lifts me up like an eagle soaring on the wind (Is 40:31).

"Come with Me..." - said Jesus

Are you feeling anxious/burnt out/overworked? Take time out... you might witness a miracle!

Above all created things

2009-09-23T12:37:00.004+08:00

Psalm 148:13(c) “… His splendour is above the earth and the heavens.”

The Psalmist calls all created things to praise their Creator. God's splendour is displayed all around us, in all that is created. Flowers that bloom in the brightest colours; gigantic clouds that form in hues of blue and grey; the night sky that sparkle with millions of stars, galaxies that are unseen. Looking around us we can see creation's beauty displayed. But it cannot compare to it's Creator. Creation is but a reflection of Him… a “finger print” left behind by the greatest Artist I know. How great is our God?!

God is above all created things. He is even greater, more awesome and more majestic than all that I can see or experience here on earth.
That which I can “see” blows me away... nature … sound … colour … taste … emotions … texture …
→ imagine beholding heaven, and then setting your eyes on Him, the Creator of it all.

Maybe that's why God said to Moses “You cannot see My face; for no man can see Me and live.” Our bodies could not cope with it. It would be overpowering and too much to take in.

Prayer:
"God, You are so huge … it blows my mind just to think of your greatness. I stand in awe of You."

Seasons change

2009-09-17T09:11:00.004+08:00

Psalm 126:4-6 “And now, God, do it again – bring rains to our drought-stricken lives so those who planted their crops in despair will shout 'hurrahs' at the harvest, so those who went off with heavy hearts will come home laughing, with arm loads of blessing.”

(Pictured - cherry blossoms in Spring.)

Seasons change. What was empty will be filled. What was broken, restored. That which looked dead – brought to life. Such is the nature of our God. He is able to take our brokenness, and swing it around and bring restoration. Such is the business of God – those are His miracles.

No matter how broken we feel, or how desperate things seem – God is able to make all things work together for good. The worst that could happen to us in this life is death - and even that's not so bad (for the child of God.) Paul puts it into perspective when he writes: “for me to live is Christ – and to die is gain.” (Phil 1:21)

Prayer: "Father – as I look back on my life, I’ve seen how You’ve brought me through valleys and mountains. Help me to lean into You. To trust You. To obey You.
You know best, Lord. Have Your way." Amen.

GOD SHOWS HIS HUMAN SIDE

2009-09-10T17:05:00.003+08:00

Psalm 22:14 “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me.”
At first glance, I read this Psalm and I’m struck by the lament of King David – feeling forsaken by God. But the more I read it, the more I see it to be a 'Messianic Psalm' – pointing to Jesus and His suffering. The bible say that Jesus had been tested in every way (Heb 4:14-5:10). He knows the pain and burdens that we bear.

He felt the humiliation of being stripped naked, spat upon and ridiculed.

He felt the pain of physical torture; beatings, His beard being ripped from His face, His body being flogged... the crown of thorns... the nails... being hung on a cross.
He felt the pain of rejection... His disciples ran away in His our of need, the very people He came to save turned on Him, demanding He be crucified. Even His Father turned His back on Him while He hung on the cross, bearing all our sin on Himself.

Then He felt the sting of death.

In this Psalm I can take courage in pain/misery – for He’s been there – done that.

Prayer: God – thank you for showing us Your “Human” side. And I know that no matter what I go through in life, You understand, and You help me through it all.

P.S. Jesus rose again from the dead, conquering death, and removing it's sting. We also have this hope that even though we endure hardship or even death, there is life thereafter. Eternal life with Him, where there is no more sickness, pain or death.

Worship in the Throne Room of God

2009-09-03T12:23:00.008+08:00

Rev 4:10-11
The twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: (11) "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."

In Revelation 4, John first describes what he sees; the glorious radiance of God on the throne. Then he describes what he hears; worship!
When the sound of worship rings out in the throne room of God, the 24 elders kneel down in worship and cast their crowns down before Him.

Each one of us wear a "crown." It might be a crown of status, title, position, reputation, fame, achievements, wealth or importance. Maybe you wear a crown of pride because of achievements or success. But let us follow the example of these elders - and lay down all these things before Him. He alone is worthy of praise and adoration. He is higher than my highest achievements, greater than my greatest rewards, more precious than anything I could treasure in this world.

And this is the essence of worship: to make someone else greater than myself. To esteem them higher than I esteem myself. To count them as more valuable than I do myself. To make myself smaller, and make them bigger.To point away from me towards the object of my adoration and worship.
For many people on this planet, their object of worship is a Hollywood star, or a sports legend, maybe even a car or some kind of trophy. For the believing Christian, our focus is on our God. And we worship Him alone.

3 days left before our Multi Media presentation of Revelation as a Book of Hope.

Grace Church, Perth, 6 Sept'09 - 6pm. Afrikaans Service

The Door is Open (Revelation 4)

2009-08-26T16:06:00.007+08:00

11 days to go until the Multi Media presentation of Revelation as a book of Hope.

Grace Church, Perth, 6 Sept'09 - 6pm. Afrikaans Service

Rev 4:1 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this."

John sees an open door in the heavens. A voice from heaven calls him to come up through that door to enter God's realm... heaven.

There are many references to 'doors' in the bible, both symbolic and physical.

In Exodus12:7 the Israelites had to put blood on the door frames of their homes, and only then would the angel of death pass over their homes, thus sparing the family gathered in that house.

Jesus told a parable of ten virgins with lamps, waiting for the bridegroom to come. 5 foolish virgins fell asleep and missed the bridegroom.
Matt 25:10 "The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut."

Jesus referred to himself as the "door" to eternal life. We have to go through Him to the Father.
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

The door in Revelations is a symbolic picture of Jesus, the only way by which we can enter the kingdom of God. He is THE door.

John 10:7 Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.

Mat 25:11 & 12"Later the others (the foolish virgins) also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'
"But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'

The door that John saw in heaven was open, so let men seek God while He may be found, for there will come a time when that door will be closed, and those who seek to enter through can no longer do so.

Jesus revealed as Emmanuel in Revelation

2009-08-20T16:54:00.003+08:00

In the first Chapter of Revelation, John describes a marvellous vision of Jesus.

On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet...I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me.
(Rev 1:10-12)

John hears a voice behind him, and he turns around to see that it is Jesus speaking to him.This was not a humble or simple image of Jesus. Rather he sees Jesus displayed in awesome power, glory and majesty.
Jesus is standing between 7 golden lamp stands. These lamp stands are a picture of the different churches, who are 'light bearers' of the Gospel.
Jesus is also pictured as standing in the midst of the 7 lamp stands, personifying that He is among His people. He does not stand to one side, apart from us, but among us. And that is why Jesus is also called 'Emmanuel.'
He is the God who is with us.’

Please pray for our upcoming Afrikaans Service where I will be presenting a MultiMedia overview of the Book of Revelation - Sunday night 6 Spetember'09.

Revelations - the Book of Hope. (Openbaring - Boek van Hoop)

2009-08-12T18:49:00.003+08:00

While back in South Africa, I used to do about 3 presentations a week on this marvellous book of the bible - Revelations. And the big theme (that surprised many folk) was that it’s a Book of Hope.Many people associate Revelations with doom and gloom, and this is understandable as some horrific events are described in it. But if you step back from the details, and see the book as a whole, you find a major theme recurring throughout. Jesus is revealed (that’s the revelation!) as the risen Lord, the One who sits on the throne, the only one worthy of opening the scroll in heaven, and the one who judges and conquers God’s enemies.
Hope is also held out to God’s people who through the ages have endured terrible persecution. The final destruction of the godless is shown, and the eternal hope and reward of heaven is revealed. That’s good news for God’s people – bad news for the godless.

Next time you read Revelations, remember that it’s the Revelation of Jesus that’s portrayed as the major theme. The antichrist is not the major theme. He’s mentioned... but he’s not the star played in this final drama of the last days.
Another interesting point to note is that Revelations is a book filled with lost of worship songs. It’s 2’nd after Psalms as the book with the most singing mentioned in it. There’s major themes of angels, living creatures and people both in heaven and earth singing and declaring God’s praises.

One of my greatest inspirations in music is Michael Card (Unveiled Hope). This is a CD by him based on the book of Revelation. Brilliant!

I’ve wrote and recorded a CD in Afrikaans based on it as well: Openbaring – die Boek van Hoop. Copies will be available for sale at our next Afrikaans service. Or contact me if you’d like a copy sooner. joe.vermeulen@bigpond.com

Please join me in praying for that service, that God would speak to us through his word, song and imagery.

Christian words removed from Dictionary

2009-08-06T13:08:00.004+08:00

This article was sent to me earlier this week, and it's a timely reminder of the importance of giving our children a balanced biblical foundation by what we teach at home and at church.
We can't rely on the state or even schools to do it anymore.

“Oxford University Press has removed a number of words associated with Christianity from its latest edition of the Oxford Junior Dictionary, including “sin”, “devil”, “psalm” and “saint”.The publisher says the changes have been made to reflect the fact that Britain is a modern, multicultural, multi-faith society.
Oxford University Press selects words for the junior edition with the aid of the Children’s Corpus, a list of words made up of general language, words from children’s books and terms related to the school curriculum.
Lexicographers consider word frequency when making additions and deletions to the dictionary. With fewer children in the UK exposed to Christian teaching than in past years, and references to biblical terms being purged from school textbooks, it’s hardly surprising that these words are dropping from everyday language- and hence from the dictionary.

How much harder will it be for evangelists to tell this generation that Jesus died “for their sins”? (Hebrews 7:27)

Kicked around long enough!

2009-07-30T11:35:00.007+08:00

.
Ps 123:3&4 “Mercy, God, mercy! We’ve been kicked around long enough, kicked in the teeth by complacent rich men, kicked when we’re down by arrogant brutes.”

Though I don’t know the true background of this psalm, it does sound like (in today’s world) someone who’s in debt, under financial pressure, and his creditors are swooping in like vultures.

Enough, is enough! That’s a good point to reach. When we’ve come to that place of holy discontent (utter frustration) regarding our “finances” – we can turn to God and ask for wisdom. We can resolve to end the abuse/clutter/disorganisation. Ask Him for a way out. Seek council. Draw up a plan. Take steps. Don't just sit there doing nothing. Move!

Prayer:
Lord – please help me to get a better grip on my life and finances. Don’t let me sink to rock bottom. Let the tide change!!

Joyous Services

2009-07-23T09:54:00.003+08:00

Ps 122:1 “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘let us go to the house of the Lord.’”

Going to God’s house is a joyous matter.
– It should be!
And if it’s not = something is wrong.
Generally speaking; this is a great indicator of effective church services – that there is a joy factor involved. Joy for going and joy for having been.

I have a part to play. God wants to use me to bring joy into people's lives. Let's use our time, gifting and influence to ensure that those who attend church with me experience this: the rejoicing … the joy … in God’s house.

Whether I'm the pastor, the greeter at the door, the songleader, the person behind the coffee counter or the one who packs out the chairs, I do it all joyfully, as unto the Lord, knowing that my little bit helps to build His church. Even when I'm simpy sitting in my chair waiting for the service to begin, I can share a smile and friendly "hallo" with those sitting around me.

Prayer:
Father, fill our hearts with Your joy. Help us to bring joy into our homes and our churches.

Death Row

2009-07-16T11:49:00.005+08:00

Recently I watched a documentary on the Crime Investigation channel - of people on death row. They had been sentenced to death for some terrible crime they committed. In the story it was revealed that some states in the U.S. now allow family members of the victims to watch the transgressor die.
One mother said she looked forward to that day, and would be standing behind the glass partition with two framed photo's in her hands. One of each of her children that the condemned man had murdered. She wanted him to see the faces of the ones he murdered. She wanted their faces to be the last thing that man sees before he dies.
Others would hold banners with their loved ones names. Some had posters with pictures of their loved ones. Everyone wanted the condemned man to see why he was being punished with death... for these loved ones.

This morning I was reading through John 18-19. It tells the story of how God was sentenced, executed and died a convicted criminal.

Though He had no sin, God allowed Jesus to be condemned as a sinner, and to die a sinners death. When they laid Him on a cross, Jesus said; "No one takes my life, I lay it down."
Just before He died, He must have seen my face, and yours, and He knewthat it was for people like us, people that He loved, that He was going to die.
Jesus had you in mind when He bore the shame and pain of the cross. He would rather taste such a death Himself, than have you die a sinner, condemned to eternal death.

He was condemned so that I could be pardoned.
He died so that I might live.

John 15:3
"No one shows greater love than when he lays down his life for his friends." (ISV)

Must we obey God?

2009-07-08T22:40:00.004+08:00

Husband asks his wife, “must I kiss you goodnight?”
Wife answers, “Yes, you must – but not that kind of must.”

She wants him to do it because he loves her.

Must we obey God? Yes! But not that kind of 'must.' It's obedience inspired by love.

Jesus said: "If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in His love."
(Joh 15:10)

Lord, I want to “want” to obey You. Let my love for You grow. Thank You for Your awesome love for me.

Will the real Jesus please stand up?

2009-07-02T00:22:00.004+08:00

Matt 24:5 For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.

Jesus said that in the last days there would be many that claim to be the Christ.

Many throughout history has claimed to be the messiah. The only problem was, when they died, they stayed in the grave. Jesus is the only one whose grave is empty because He rose again. And His Resurrection proves that He is the one and only Son of God.

Here's the latest counterfeit.
Jose Luis De Jesus Miranda ,61 himself claims to be the Anti-Christ. He also claims that he is Jesus Christ, the Jesus Christ man ,and the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Jose Luis De Jesus has a million followers, and ordered his members to put a 666 tattoo on their body. (666 the mark of Satan mentioned in Revelation chapter 13.)

He said the word Anti Christ is just a bad translation of new Christ. And 666 is a symbol of new Christ and a mark that you are a Christian. He also said; "Do not put your eyes to Jesus of Nazareth , put it on Jesus after the cross."

'Creciendo en Gracia' is the name of the church organization of Jose Luis De Jesus Miranda. He founded this church 20 years ago. All members have a 666 tattoo on their arms, neck or some other part of their body.

Jose Luis De Jesus Miranda preaches that there is no sin, no hell, the devil has already been cast into hell and earth is already heaven... this doctrine attract many followers.

The believers of Creciendo en Gracia believes that Jose Luis is god.
Pictures of members with their 666 tattoos.

For more info read the wikipedia update here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Luis_de_Jes%C3%BAs_Miranda

God of the mountains

2009-06-24T14:11:00.007+08:00

Ps 121:1&2 “I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains? No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven and earth and mountains.”

Mountains are awesome and breath-taking to behold. Só firm and unmoving, but those things that are easy to behold and look at is not our salvation.
Sometimes people in powerfull positions, big business, bankers or politicians seem just as powerfull and unmoving as the mountains. But strong and influential as some of them may be – they are not our help. God is!!! Our God is greater than the mountains. Our God moves mountains. Our God created mountains.

Lord – I can look to man, or committees, or institutions to save me. But I choose this day to look to You! You are my rock – my foundation!

BLINDFOLD

2009-06-18T21:45:00.002+08:00

I will never leave you nor forsake you." Joshua 1:5

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of Passage?

His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone.
Once he survives the night, he is a MAN. He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own.
The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man! Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm. We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, God is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.

Moral of the story: Just because you can't see God, doesn't mean He is not there. "For we walk by faith, not by sight."

About Quitting.

2009-06-11T11:22:00.006+08:00

Ps 119:158 “I took one look at the quitters and was filled with loathing; they walked away from Your promises so casually.”

- The psalmist hates quitters.
(I’ve had times where I felt like quitting...)

- They fill him with loathing - meaning 'to hate, dislike.'

(I loathe myself sometimes for failing and making mistakes… )

- They walked away from God’s promises.

(I’ve done that too … and it was foolish of me!)

All of us will feel like quitting sometimes. Maybe the answer is to loathe “quitting.”

If I stop something, it should be because I choose to. I’ve made the calculations and decided that a certain project / venture / commitment is not worth continuing. And I make a calculated decision.
Quitting usually flows from a sense of being emotionally overwhelmed.
And our emotions don't make good decisions. They react to the moment. That's why wise people postpone decision making till the emotional storm has past.

"God – give me discernment to know when to stop something, and when not to. Help me not to be a quitter. Rather a decision maker who weighs facts and calculate the cost of my decisions. I will not react! With Your help I can make wise decisions."

* Taken from my Journal Writings on Psalms.

STOUT HEARTED

2009-06-03T22:31:00.008+08:00

Ps 138:3 “When I called, You answered me; You made me bold and stout hearted.”

When we feel the pressure of defeat... the stress of failure... the angst of impending doom... we brace ourselves for the moment of impact.
Crunch time!
We know it's coming - the point where things start caving in around us.
Crash!
That unavoidable instant when we take the hit.
Will we survive?

→ If only our hearts won’t fail!

You get a letter from the bank... and it's not looking good.
Your wife speaks the dreaded "D" word.
Your child breaks your heart with his foolish life choices.
The company you worked for all your life is closing down,
- and you're left stranded.
You brace yourself as the doctor gives you bad news regarding your health.

→ If only our hearts won’t fail!

This is David’s cry: "Lord, give me a strong heart!" and God answers with strength and courage.

We have a refuge to run to. A source of strength. We call on our God and He hears us. We receive from Him boldness. He makes us “stout-hearted” meaning: brave, gutsy, fearless, unafraid, heroic.

You can call on this same God, and He will answer in the same way. He will give you a bold and stout heart.

“I’m lost – please rescue me.”

2009-05-27T23:15:00.006+08:00

Ps 119:176 “I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek Your servant, for I have not forgotten Your commands”.

“I’m lost – please find me.”
“I’m lost – please rescue me.”

This verse mirrors the 3 parables of Jesus in Luke 15. The lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost (prodigal) son.
God answered this prayer in Luke 15, where Jesus tells the story of a Shepherd who went out looking for that one lost sheep. I suppose if you asked the shepherd what motivated him to leave the 99 to look for the one that was lost, he would probably answer: "every one matters."

Whenever we find ourselves lost, away from God – we can turn our face towards Him, and cry for help.
Even our heroes from the Bible found themselves lost and far from God at times.
But God runs to us if we but start walking to Him.

Safe from the Storm

2009-05-21T16:42:00.014+08:00

After watching the news about Queensland and N.S.W being hit by a severe storm, Perth got it's fare share of wind and rain. Just this morning I drove past a sign that was blown over by strong winds (see the pic I took below). When I returned home, I found our 'recently emptied' rubbish bin had been displaced by the wind - I found it about 50m down the road.

This wet, cold, windy weather always reminds me of our first attempt at whale watching.

Whale watching is something everyone should do at least once in their life... just don’t do it on a rainy day. Cecile and I made that mistake. Because it was a rainy day, ticket prices were discounted, and from where we stood inside the Sydney harbour, the water looked calm enough to enjoy the ride and see the whales. But we didn’t realise that the water was calm because it was inside the harbour. Once the boat went through the heads, the open sea became rough.

It felt like a never ending rollercoaster ride. We both got sea-sick. And from that point on I couldn’t care less for seeing whales or even opposing whale hunting. I felt so sick that the thought of death seemed like a better alternative than being alive and enduring that boat ride.

After what felt like a life time we finally crawled onto dry land. I’m sure I had lost weight. I think my stomach was still floating out at sea somewhere. What amazed me was how the crew of the ship seemed un-phased by the waves and un-phased by people being sick. I think they knew we’d get sick, because they gave all passengers “barf bags” and bottled water at the start of the journey (while we were still in calm waters.)

So what’s the point of all this rambling? A simple lesson.

When life’s storms blow in, head for the harbour. You’ll be safe there.

Isaiah 25:4(c) You have been a place to hide when storms came.

On a lighter note...

P.S. We still go on boat rides, but only when the sun is shining and the waves are friendly :o)

Synod 09 and the South African migrants

2009-05-13T16:46:00.033+08:00

This week's blog is not so much a devotion,
but more a reflection of my time at Synod '09. Please note that the opinions in this blog is my own, and is not to be seen as a complete list of the who's who in the CRCA.

Synod '09 was held at Wonga Park CRC in Melbourne. As expected, the days were just packed. Through the many discussions it quickly became apparent that there were many challenges facing our denomination, as well as many opportunities.
And that much prayer is needed to help us become
'a Church reforming to reach the lost for Christ.'

John Zuidema speaking to Synod about the importance of reaching the lost for Christ. The guy with the cool hairstyle is Jonathan v d Berg, our National Youth Worker.

Fred & Helen v d Bom, pastor's couple at Campbell Town CRC in Adelaide,
home to a large South African contigent.

Werner Viljoen (front) pastor of the Toowoomba CRC, who minister to many South Africans in and around Tawoomba. Behind him is Stefaans de Bruyn, representing the GKSA.

Joe Vermeulen (me) taking in the beautiful scenery
outside Wonga Park CRC where Synod was held.
It was about 10 degrees cooler than Perth. Brrrr...

My home church is Grace CRC, Perth,
a church that was planted 4 years ago among South Africans.

Leo Douma, (front) Pastor of the Sydney CRC,
a church with a large South African membership.
Sitting next to Leo is Arie Kuyper
representing the NRCSA.

At least they tried to send us home by 9pm each night.

Left, Dave Groenenboom, Synod'09 Chairman,
and right, John De Boer, vice chairman.
As always hard at work.

The two "Jack's" from Bray Park CRC, QLD who also have
a large South African membership base.
Jack de Vries (left) & Jack Nyhouse.

Richard Schoenmaker, pastor of the Mt Evelyn CRC.
He'll be going into surgery soon as he's donating one of his kidneys to a congregation member who desperately needs a transplant.

Another two of the QLD brothers enjoying a refreshing coffee break.
Greg Tenny (front) from Redlands and Josh Hartog from Westside.
Both young, vibrant churches.

I realise that there are many other churches that are home to South African migrants, but I can't think of them all right now. I just realised that the chuch where Synod is held, Wonga Park CRC in Melbourne, is the home church of Rev. Thinus Du Plessis (not pictured) who pastors a large congregation that also includes a large South African grouping.

A defining moment for me personally came when the Church Planting Committee (CTP) touched on the point of the many South Africans migrating to Australia, and how we as a denomination could best facilitate integrating them into local Reformed Churches.

Then it happened... before I knew it I found myself standing at a microphone... and with fear and trembling dared to speak to the gathering. I stressed to Synod the importance of extending a deliberate, welcoming hand to the South African migrants.
South Africans usually have a strong church background and many of them are of a Reformed conviction. But so many come to Australia and soon become un-churched because they can't find a church where they fit in. After a while it becomes easier to stay at home, and not bother with church anymore. This is a sad but true reality. It's also an oppertunity for our denomination.

Synod'09 made this recommendation regarding the above mentioned: "To charge the Church Planting Taskforce to... develop a strategy to reach South African migrants to Australia and to inform the churches of this."

This is a good step forward, and I'm praying that we, the CRCA, will be able to make a positive difference to those South Africans who immigrate 'Down Under.'

“Blood Thirsty!” [PAY BACK TIME!]

2009-05-06T23:01:00.012+08:00

When you're ready to take revenge,
remember this number: 12-12-21 *(explained at the bottom of this blog.)

Ps 58:10 “The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, when they bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.

Seen from the viewpoint of a pastor, dwelling in the church, among God’s people, feeling love and giving love – this psalm doesn’t fit the frame. My Christian paradigm is knocked over by the blood thirst and anger and revenge of Ps 58 – But if I go over to David's viewpoint: A king, ruler, defender, warrior, man of God in battle – then I can see that David called on his God to give him victory over his enemies and let justice be done.

I’m not that different from David, really. Deep down, behind my spiritual countenance, I too cry out for justice! I too rejoice when the wicked get some of their own medicine. I love it when evil is put in its place!
- One thing Ps 58 teaches us though, is to leave this revenge up to God (see v. 6 & 7). David calls on God to do the “vengeance work”.

Prayer:
Lord – in this world we see a lot of injustice, evil, calamity. I pray for a heart like David. To be able to pour out my fervent desires for justice to You – and then to rejoice when I see my God balance the scales. You will make all things right. I can but only cling to You through life’s storms.

* (Romans 12:12-21)
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.

On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Consider turning to this passage in your bible, then mark / highlight every sentence that talks about revenge. This 12-12-21 number is worth remembering!

Eau de parfum Amazing Grace

2009-04-29T21:12:00.017+08:00

While surfing the web I stumbled across a blogger who wrote about a gift she received. A bottle of Perfume called ‘Amazing Grace.’

The blogger wrote the following:
“Incidentally, I received the ‘Amazing Grace’ as a gift, and I had to return it. I thought it was too sweet smelling.”

That ‘one line’ read to me like a sermon illustration of someone who rejected the Gospel.
"Grace as a gift... returned it... too sweet smelling."

The Apostle Paul had this to say about the perfume of Grace.
Through us, God spreads the knowledge of Christ everywhere like perfume. God considers us to be the sweet smell that Christ is spreading among people who are being saved and people who are dying. To the one, we are the smell of death. To the other, we are the perfume of life.
(2Co 2:14-16)

But all this got me thinking. If God had to post a picture on Google to portray His kind of Grace, what would He post?
Probably a picture of His Son.
Maybe a picture of the wooden cross on which Jesus died.
But you know what? The more I think about it, it would probably be a picture of you, dressed in a clean white robe, with a big smile on your face because you’ve been forgiven... and you’ve been excepted... in spite of your sins and mistakes...
Now that’s amazing grace!

And because we’ve received such an ‘amazing grace,’ Paul commands us to “Lead a life of love, just as Christ did. He loved us. He gave himself up for us. He was a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God.”
Eph 5:2

Pictures of 'Grace.'

2009-04-22T21:46:00.017+08:00

I'm a picture person. And this past week God used some awesome pictures (taken by my wife) to speak to me about Grace.

Notice how the word "Grace" is "nailed to a tree..."

Notice how the word "Grace" is written on the "Recycle" bin...
(the bin with the yellow lid)

Notice the "spotless, little Lamb?" So reminds me of Grace... "Behold the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world."

This is a picture of the 3 crosses children from our Kidz Church carried into church on Good Friday. Again, a wonderful picture of Grace...
While the kids walked in, we played the song "Come See" by Michael W Smith. The chorus rings out with a kids choir singing "His Arms are open...."
That's Grace!

And this picture was taken on the beach that same evening... It's a very red sunset off the Western coast of Perth. It seemed like God painted the sky red in remembrance of the suffering his Son endured on Good Friday.

Grace is... spending time together as a family.

This was taken the day we left the campsite at Busselton, 3 hours south of Perth. It was our first ever camping trip and we fully enjoyed it! Definitely something we'll be doing again.

God's Good Friday Sunset

2009-04-14T00:01:00.003+08:00

This photo was taken by my wife (Cecile) on Good Friday. It's a very red sunset off the Western coast of Perth. It seemed like God painted the sky red in rememberance of the suffering his Son endured on this day.

Give me a sign... and I'll believe.

2009-04-13T23:54:00.007+08:00

The Empty Tomb.

Some say it never happened. Others claim it did. Some say it doesn't matter if it happened or not. They say: "It wouldn't change the fact that Jesus was still a prophet... a good man... a doer of good deeds."

But it does matter!

A dead Jesus would make Him just a man. It would nullify all that we believe as Christians. It would make Christ's teaching, suffering and death meaningless.

The Apostle Paul said it: "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith doesn't mean anything. Your sins have not been forgiven."1Co 15:17 (nirv)

Jesus declared that God would give a sign:"A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."Mat 12:39-40

In the Apostle Peter's first recorded sermon in Acts 2:25ff, he quotes the Psalms regarding Jesus' Resurrection: "Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay." Psalm 16:9-10 /Acts 2:25-312

Tim 2:8"Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead. This is my Gospel."

Jesus said to an unbelieving Thomas:Joh 20:29 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen me but still have believed." (nirv)

What's so good about Good Friday?

2009-04-07T23:20:00.002+08:00

When John the Baptist first saw Jesus, he pointed to Him and said; "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)

God commanded the Israelites to celebrate the Passover Feast every year. They were to remember how God had freed them from Egypt, and how His judgement had "passed over them" because of the 'blood of the lamb' wiped on their doorpost (Exodus 12).
Read more here http://e-devotions.blogspot.com/2009/04/whats-in-name.html

For hundreds of years after that, the Jewish people would make a yearly pilgrimage to Jerusalem to partake in this Passover Feast. On the Sunday before the feast, they would buy a lamb without blemish from a vendor in the temple. This choosing of a lamb happened on the day we refer to as Palm Sunday... one could say it was 'Lamb Selection day.' And it was on this day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem. This is significant, as if God was saying; "here's my Lamb, will you choose him?"

This spotless, innocent Lamb, was slaughtered for our sins. And by the shedding of His blood, are we declared righteous.

This is wonderfully illustrated in the Chinese symbol for righteousness: It's made up of two symbols;
The bottom one (wo): me, self, I
The top one (yang) Lamb, (coloured red)
Lamb over me (yi) = righteousness

What's so good about Good Friday? It's the day that God reconciled us to Himself through the sacrifice of the Lamb of God.

Isa 53:5-6 But the servant was pierced because we had sinned. He was crushed because we had done what was evil. He was punished to make us whole again. His wounds have healed us. All of us are like sheep. We have wandered away from God. All of us have turned to our own way. And the LORD has placed on his servant the sins of all of us. (NIrV)

Easter Reading Plan

2009-04-02T13:02:00.003+08:00

Use this coming week to reflect on these Scripture passages that tell us of the events leading to Jesus' Death and Resurrection.

Palm Sunday, Matt 21:1-17

Monday, Matt 26:1-16
Tuesday, Matt 26:17-35
Wednesday, Matt 26:36-75

Thursday, Matt 27:1-31

Good Friday, Matt 27:32-55
Saturday, Matt 27:57-66
Resurrection Sunday, Matt 28:1-20

Reflections on Easter (2)

2009-04-01T20:05:00.009+08:00

What's in a name?

Have you ever wondered why we call this time of year 'Easter?'
For some people 'Easter' brings to mind images of Chocolate Bunnies and Eggs’. As a Christian I felt confused about the true meaning of Easter. I knew we celebrated Jesus’ death and resurrection, but why do we call it ‘Easter?’ Some church folk told me that 'Easter' is a reference to a Pagan God. 1
But I discovered there's another side to Easter that completely blew me away.

In early English translations of the Bible the word ‘Eostre’ was frequently used as the translation of the Greek word ‘pascha.’ (Passover).1

‘Passover’ is a feast of remembrance for the Israelites - when they celebrate how God set them free from slavery. The story is recorded in the first chapters of Exodus. God brought ten plagues on Egypt so Pharaoh would let His people go. The tenth plague would see every first born son die. But God gave instructions for every Israelite family to take a year old lamb without blemish, slaughter it, and wipe the blood of the lamb on the doorposts of their house. (Exodus 11-12)
Then God said: “the blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you.” (Exo 12:13)

We know that Jesus was crucified at the time of the Jewish Passover. This is most significant. That lamb slaughtered in Egypt was pointing forward to God’s own Lamb, Jesus. And He shed His blood on a cross for us. When I place my trust in Jesus’ work of salvation, one could say (in a symbolic way) that Christ blood is now wiped on the “doorposts of my heart...” and therefore - when I stand before God one day to give an account of my life, His judgement will “pass over” me because of the Blood of the Lamb. (John 1:29)

As with Christmas, the celebration of Easter extends beyond the church into the secular world. Let us not shy away from those who celebrate Easter for the wrong reasons. But rather use it as a bit of ‘common ground’ to start a conversation about the true meaning of Easter: a “festival of remembrance” - when we celebrate how Christ has paid for our sins, and therefor God’s judgement has “passed over” us.

1. http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Easter.php4

Reflections on Easter (1)

2009-03-26T09:43:00.009+09:00

- Death is a door -

John 13:1
“Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father.”

Jesus was standing in the shadow of death. It was time. All things were now in place and would happen according to God’s plan. “He will crush your head, and you will strike his heal.” (Gen 3:15) This single verse in the third chapter of Genesis contained a prophetic description of Jesus’ suffering, but also his victory over Satan.

Jesus was going to the cross, staring death in the face. He would ‘taste death’ just like any mortal man. The fear, the agony... but He had an unwavering hope that He clung to. - His Father would raise Him again. He would not be held captive by the grave.

Point to ponder:
Death affects us all. Whether it’s losing a loved one, or staring death in the face ourselves. But through Jesus we know that we share that same hope He had, that in leaving this world we would also go to the Father. Death is not final. It’s just a door leading from one world to the next. And because He has removed the ‘sting of death,’ we don’t have to fear death anymore. It has become a passage, not a final destination.

Lord, You are my comfort in life and in death. Thank you for making a way for me to be part of Heaven’s Kingdom. In You, though we die, we will live forever.

Rest for the weary.

2009-03-18T15:35:00.003+09:00

Ps 23:3
“He restores my soul.”

This might be exactly the verse you need today. Especially if your week's been filled with soul-draining events. Life seems to be harsh at times, even unfair. And some days seem to take more out of us than we can afford to give.

I might be left with an emotional hangover. Maybe I'm feeling down or irritated… but then I remember; “He restores my soul”

As I feel emotionally drained, I look to God in this new day. He is able to restore my soul. Even as I read those 4 words, faith rises in me. As I speak them, I am comforted. As I pray them, I am restored.

Lord – today I truly need your restoration. Come restore my soul as only You can.

Irrespective of Blessings

2009-03-12T11:21:00.001+09:00

(Taken from Luke 1)

Luke 1:6&7
“Both of them [Zechariah & Elizabeth] were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. But they had no children...”

Here we have a couple, both serving God & walking blamelessly in His ways. They kept His commandments. They were obedient... yet she was barren. They did not have the blessing of children.

But then their prayers were answered late in their years (v.13), way beyond the point where human logic would have it. And I’m sure that once heard, they cared not for the timing of God, but rejoiced in his providence.

Point to ponder: Judging from their character- one can see that they would have served God even if He never blessed them with a child.
We would do well to notice that serving God with all our heart, for all our earthly years should happen in spite of the blessings He gives, or withholds. Even though we might be “barren” [empty, desolate, bleak, unfruitful, unproductive] – we can still walk in His ways and trust Him.

Prayer:
God – this is a deep, spiritual maturity to have. I want to have such a heart... to serve You, irrespective of your blessings. Thank you for the blessing of answered prayer. Please give me faith to trust You in times when you do not answer, or when your answer is “No.”