PHILAE - FROM NAMIBIA

- Does visiting a comet make sense?

Yes, science is part of our obligation to fulfil our God given mandate to rule the creation on God’s behalf and to His glory! May our eyes be opened to see this glory! 

“The heavens declare the glory of God…” Psalm 19:1

The fullness of God’s glory however is only visible in Jesus Christ!

John 1:14 And the Word (Jesus) became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. 

John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared (explained) him.

Whishing all involved good luck from remote Namibia!

MYLES MUNROE

- MILES AWAY FROM TRUTH?

The apostle Paul is very clear about what constitutes the Gospel (the Good News)*.

"Now I make known unto you brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand,

by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain.

For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures;" (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

Myles Munroe differed from this. (Click on Munroe's "gospel")

Munroe not only clashed with Paul, but with Jesus Himself who clearly taught that His whole purpose of coming was the cross in order to save sinners from their sins that they might inherit an eternal kingdom! While on earth we already honour and love our King... and can be sure of suffering for His name! We endure this with joy, because our present afflictions can't be compared with the glory to be revealed! (Romans 8:18ff)

PROSPERITY "GOSPEL"

The health and wealth preachers do not preach the gospel about the redemption from sin through the merits of Christ, but a diluted message which connects with the sinful man's ambitions to obtain greatness for himself. It is not a cross message aimed at the glory of God but rather a tower of Babel motivational talk, helping man to become great!

"Born in one of the poorest suburbs in the Bahamas, Munroe rose to prominence as a preacher, motivational speaker, consultant and leadership mentor with a multi-million business empire."

Yes, maybe a successful businessman, but has he ever preached the Gospel?

*Greek - euaggelion ; Afrikaans - evangelie

BUSHMEN WHO BELIEVE

- God’s people at Tsintsabis

The Bushmen (San) are the original inhabitants of Southern Africa. Despised en persecuted by many these skilful hunter gatherers were driven from most of their previous land by a variety of enemies. Their greatest enemy today is most likely the widespread abuse of alcohol which contributes to their misery. However the powerful gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ has reached them as well and has made a wonderful impact on many lives.

We as the Dutch Reformed Church (NGK) of Tsumeb are involved with Bushmen Christians from the Wildevy congregation in Tsintsabis north of Tsumeb. For me as pastor of NGK Tsumeb, this involvement has something of a personal flavour, because my father , then a missionary of the Dorothea Mission (based in South Africa) played a significant pioneering role to bring the Word of God to these people. He preached on many farms to Bushman (Hei-ǀǀom) labourers and enjoyed much cooperation from Afrikaner as well as German farmers. It was deeply encouraging to meet some of these early converts after a period of 40 years since I have come to minister in Tsumeb in 2010! In 1973 he and Rev. Ferdie Weich saw a breakthrough for the gospel in the then remote area of Tsumkwe where the Zȗ-ǀhoasi Bushmen still lived far away from civilisation. A Church was then for the first time established amongst them and is still existing today. (click on BOESMANS TOT BEKERING)

At Tsintsabis we have the privilege to work together with Rev. Josef Gevers the first indigenous pastor of this congregation. The Lord has opened a door for us to help and encourage them in different ways.

[Josef Gevers next to his pulpit. The words in the Nama language are : Elob ge a ǀnam and in Afrikaans : God is liefde (God is love)]

Al Aqsa and the Temple Mount

- now where is God's temple?

The violence in Israel in connection with the historic holy sites of both Judaism and Islam has brought this important question again to the forefront. Would some future Israeli government dare to build a Jewish temple at this sensitive and controversial spot? What would be the consequences?

Jesus, the Son of God and the final revelation tot mankind (Hebrews 1:1ff) gave us clear truth on this! He Himself as the revelation of all God's glory (John 1:14-18) is our Temple where we can worship the one and true God! In answering the Samaritan women He taught us that there is now no more a designated physical place where God should be worshipped, "Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. 

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall ye worship the Father. 

Ye worship that which ye know not: we worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews. 

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for such doth the Father seek to be his worshippers. 

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:21-24)

The "place" where we meet God is not on mount Gerezim (according to the Samaritans), or mount Zion (according to the Jews), but it is now through and in JESUS that we have communion with the living God! HE IS THE TRUTH! (John 14:6)  Whether the Israeli's would eventually destroy Al-Aqsa mosque and rebuild a Jewish temple is utterly irrelevant. The temple of God is Jesus Himself, it is also all believers together connected with Christ the cornerstone and not a building of bricks!

Jesus Himself is our Temple, our High priest, our all sufficient Sacrifice!

Read more about this in ISRAEL, GOD'S PEOPLE AND THE PROMISED LAND. (in Afrikaans)

WHAT KIND OF HERO?

May celebrities violate God’s decrees and laws? Should we stay silent?

The death of South African football star Senzo Meyiwa is horrible and should be condemned like all murders in that lawless country. (The very recent murder of yet another farmer and the rape of his 16 year old granddaughter once again remind us about the dark crime situation under the ANC government)

My topic is however not the evil of crime, but the evil of making heroes from people who don’t respect the Word of God! Senzo, a married man was killed when visiting his girlfriend. Indeed it doesn’t at all justify such a wicked deed, but we should not be silent about the sinful evil of abandoning one’s wife! We should deplore all sin and urge people to repent while there is still an opportunity. All the sudden deaths of the past week serve as a grim reminder, that death and judgement stand at the door! Were these facts mentioned at the funeral in Durban? Was the Gospel preached to the crowds? The Good News that saves from sin, also the sin of adultery?