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I Love to Tell the Story

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by John Doyle“Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what He hath done for my soul.” - Psalm 66:16Although she came from a wealthy family, Katherine Hankey who wrote the poem "The Old, Old Story" that became a great Hymn of the Faith had a great concern for the poor and needy. She not only was concerned about their need for food and care, but also their soul and their relationship with the Lord. She was the daughter of a wealthy banker in 19th century England. Katherine taught the Bible, particularly among girls and ladies who worked in factories. Yet, after becoming ill, she needed a lengthy time for recovery.In 1866, while recovering from her sickness, she thought of all that Jesus had done for her. She wrote, “God’s remedy for sin is something I really want to understand, and I want to hear it often, lest I forget it.” She needed the story told to her in simple terms as if explained to a little child.To deal with these needs that she had, she decided to write a poem. and wrote “I love to tell the story of unseen things above, of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.”Katherine wrote of the many reasons why she loved to tell this story including these words to the song “it satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.”She said in her introductory to the poem "that the story of Jesus did so much for me” and it was “pleasant to repeat those words to others she would meet up with”. And it pained her heart that “some have never heard the message of salvation from God’s Holy Word.She knew that, in eternity, none of the world’s pleasures would last, but that this story would “BE MY THEME IN GLORY”If God so loved you that He gave His Only begotten son, should we also not LOVE Him and demonstrate that LOVE by telling the story of Jesus to others?Katherine clearly was confident about what her theme in glory would be. What about us? Do we know what our theme will be in eternity? Are we living for Jesus? Are we investing some of our time to tell the story of Jesus to others because we know this earth is not our final home and people need to know that God has prepared a place for all those who know and Love the Lord?People all around us need to know the Good News of Jesus. Dedicate yourself that they might know Him. Tell them what He has done for you, because what He has done for ________ __________ (put your name in here) He will do for you.I have noticed that people love to tell the stories about the things they LOVE. So let's take opportunities to tell others of our greatest Love. To Love the LORD our God should be the heartbeat of our mission and to share this Love with others.Lets pray this prayer…

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The Body of Christ

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by Graham Mol"The Body of Christ," I'm sure you have heard this term used before and many of you likely understand its meaning. Yet for the sake of all of us being on the same page let me give a brief explanation. The Body of Christ is a metaphor that is used in the Bible to describe the Church. That's not Church as in the building, but rather all the people who follow Jesus. It is everyone who has received salvation through Jesus, both past and present. The Bible makes it clear that all who believe are not isolated individuals but are all connected to one another. The following passage sums up quite nicely why and how we believers are called "The Body of Christ":The Church is called “one body in Christ” in Romans 12:5, “one body” in 1 Corinthians 10:17, “the body of Christ” in 1 Corinthians 12:27 and Ephesians 4:12, and “the body” in Hebrews 13:3. The Church is clearly equated with “the body” of Christ in Ephesians 5:23 and Colossians 1:24.When Christ entered our world, He took on a physical body “prepared” for Him (Hebrews 10:5; Philippians 2:7). Through His physical body, Jesus demonstrated the love of God clearly, tangibly, and boldly—especially through His sacrificial death on the cross (Romans 5:8). After His bodily ascension, Christ continues His work in the world through those He has redeemed—the Church now demonstrates the love of God clearly, tangibly, and boldly. In this way, the Church functions as “the Body of Christ.”~ from Got QuestionsWe, the Church, are the body while Jesus is the head. As we follow Him together we function as a whole. Yes there are many different and diverse congregations, just as there are many different and diverse people within each of those congregations. Yet despite these differences we are all united. However, because of the fallen nature of this world and that we are imperfect people who are on a journey of being sanctified (that is, becoming more like Jesus), this unity is not always as it should be. Nevertheless, how wonderful it is when we as believers love one another and work together as one body.For this to happen, we all have a role to play:From [Jesus] the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part. (Ephesians 4:16)What this means is that when we each play our part, when we fulfil the unique task given to us, the Body of Christ grows and strengthens. We will be more effective in doing Jesus' work in the world as we embody His love.What this means is that YOU have a role to play. God has created you with unique character traits, talents and abilities that will bless the Body of Christ. No one is irrelevant, no one is too unimportant to contribute. We cannot just be passive hearers of the Word, we need to be doers.What is God calling you to do or be next for…

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Snail’s Pace Progress

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by Calven Celliers After the lovely rains last week, I noticed something in my garden that I hadn’t seen all winter – snail trails! Snails apparently hibernate during the dry autumn and winter months on the highveld, seeking shelter by creating viscous "slime tombs”, which harden and protect the snail until the Spring rains come and dissolve their temporary cocoon. The snail, having likely not eaten for some time, then ventures out to find food. Now normally, around my house, snails are only seen as enemies which must be destroyed lest they destroy my garden, but this week I found myself choosing a more benevolent stance as I considered the life lesson this slimy little creature has to offer. Snails remind me of where I often find myself on my faith journey. There are of course events in life that propel us forward very quickly, and when these things occur, we are forced to jump ahead. We rapidly come to new understandings about God and His plan for our lives through these experiences that cause our faith to grow in leaps and bounds. But, a lot of the time, I feel more like a snail, inching my way along, trading leaps and bounds for slow and steady. Between the peaks and valleys of life there are often plateaus – those times when I’m not necessarily experiencing extreme highs or lows, instead I’m just dealing with the day in and day out stuff of life. It doesn’t mean that there isn’t movement, though. Just like a snail, I creep along towards my destination… to be more like Christ! It may seem at times like I’m moving ever so slowly and yet in hindsight I can see just how far I’ve come in my walk with Jesus. I am reminded of the apostle Paul’s words in his letter to the Church at Philippi, where he said, “12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippi 3: 12 – 14NIV)  Charles Spurgeon wisely stated, “By perseverance the snail reached the ark.” We can all learn a lesson from snails. By your persistence you’ll reach the destination to which God has called you. Keep on keeping on! Some days it feels like we’re progressing at a snail’s pace, pressing on through the plateaus of daily life inch by inch. Strain on my friend; press on toward the goal. On those days when it feels like you’re getting nowhere fast, fix your eyes on Christ, the author and perfecter of your faith, and little by little grow in holiness, sanctification, and maturity in Christ.   God bless, Calven

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Victory in Jesus

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by John DoyleOur Scripture Reading — John 16:16-33“These things I have spoken to you, that in me you shall have peace, in the World you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the World"John 16:33 One of the things Jesus wants his followers to understand is that the way forward for them will not be easy in this World we live in. As believers we should be prepared to experience resistance and at times hostility because of our faith. We will also have to deal with many other problems in this fallen world. We can at times expect conflict, anxiety, depression, poverty. Many also have experienced during these days of COVID loss of loved ones, tragedy in the home and disaster. Sadly the list goes on and on.But the Lord Jesus wants us to understand that there will be days and even seasons of life that are incredibly difficult. Scripture never promises that faith in Jesus will make our problems go away, in fact, sometimes the opposite occurs as we read in the lives of His Disciples and so it will be in each of our lives and it will continue on until Jesus returns and provides VICTORY over the "god of this world" who continues to "blind the minds of them who believe not."Whatever comes our way, we do not face our struggles without hope. We have put our trust in the Saviour who died for us, but then rose again Victorious. He provided for our salvation and new life that was only possible through the defeating of sin and death. Lets pause a moment and sing it together:"Oh, victory in Jesus my Saviour forever,He sought and bought me with His redeeming blood,He loved me 'ere I knew Him, and all my love is due Him,He plunged me to VICTORY, beneath the cleansing flood"Several Bible Scholars call this theme in Scripture *Christus Victor* and the idea is that Jesus will triumph over every enemy of God and that we will share in that VICTORY because of our faith in Christ. In the Lord, we have hope for full redemption in this life. Bodies can be healed, hearts can be softened, and lives can be changed. All possible because of the sacrifice of the only begotten son of God.But even if we don’t fully experience some of these changes we hope for during our lives, we have the assurance that one day we will share in Christ’s VICTORY forever.Scripture provides assurance that Jesus will triumph over every enemy of God and that we will share in that VICTORY because of our faith.My prayer for us: Dear Lord, grant us each your peace in these difficult times and seasons of COVID and Lockdown, knowing that we will all share in your VICTORY Forever, Thank you Lord, we Love you.Yes its time to finish the devotion in song:FAITH IS THE VICTORY, FAITH IS THE VICTORY,OH, GLORIOUS VICTORY, THAT OVERCOMES THE WORLDHis banner over us is Love, Our sword…

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