NHCF Blog

by Luke KincaidBefore Seth was born Cammie and I tried to get as much info as possible in regards to being good parents and about what we could expect from our little one. Out of all the research we did and questions we asked there was one little bit of info that I only discovered after Seth was born and had became a lot more mobile. This discovery was how often your little one can accidently hurt you physically. Since Seth has been up and about I have been poked in the eyes on numerous occasions, I have almost received a black eye thanks to a pretty solid kick and yesterday I was on the receiving end of a head butt to the nose! Now these often happen when Seth and I are having a bit of a wrestling match or playing around and they are not intentional from his side – but they still hurt!The reason I wanted to share this with you is because this ties into something that I was reading yesterday in one of my favorite books “Radical” by David Platt and the fact that any hurt that I have felt as a result from my son is superficial and forgivable compared to how our sin hurt Jesus, the Son of God, in a way that none of His disciples will ever have to experience – the fact that Jesus received the full wrath of God for our sin.  David Platt writes about an observation he has made about many Christians in that we are often quick to focus on certain characteristics of God more often than others. We are often more quick to stress the fact that God is a loving Father (which He is) but we are not always comfortable speaking about the fact that He is also a wrathful judge who hates sin.The following excerpt from his book really hit hard yesterday in what Jesus went through for us:“Picture Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. As he kneels before his Father, drops of sweat and blood fall together from his head. Why is he in such agony and pain? The answer is not because he is afraid of crucifixion. He is not trembling because of what the Roman soldiers are about to do to him. Since that day countless men and women in the history of Christianity have died for their faith… Many of them went to their crosses singing… Did these men and women in Christian history have more courage than Christ himself? Why was he trembling in that garden, weeping and full of anguish? We can rest assured that he was not a coward to face Roman soldiers. Instead he was a Savior about to endure divine wrath... This is what Jesus is recoiling from in the garden. All God’s holy wrath and hatred towards sin and sinners, stored up since the beginning of the world, is about to be poured on him, and he is sweating blood at the thought…

by Calven CelliersA friend of mine recently sent me a WhatsApp devotion that included the following little story, which I thought was well worth sharing with all of you.A teacher once brought a whole lot of balloons to school, told her pupils to blow them up and write their name on one. After the children tossed the balloons into the classroom, the teacher moved through the small classroom and shuffled them around. The children were then allowed back into the classroom and told they had a couple of minutes to find the balloon with their name on it. There was great excitement as the children frantically searched, very few, if any of them actually found their balloon. The teacher then told them to all stand still, to take the balloon closest to them and to give it to the person whose name was on it. In less than 2 minutes, everyone was holding their own balloon. The teacher went on to explain that the balloons are like happiness. We won’t ever find it when we’re only searching for our own. But if we care about someone else’s happiness, it will ultimately help us find our own.I can’t vouch if this is a true story or not, but it certainly got me thinking about the apostle Paul’s words to the Philippians – “3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Philippians 2: 3 & 4NIV) Permanent, ongoing happiness only comes when you give your life away in service. God wired you to give your life away. Why? Because God wants you to be like Him.You’ve got to get your mind off of yourself. The more you focus on yourself, the more miserable you will become. To find real joy, you must shift from an inward focus, “It’s all about me”, to an outward focus, “It’s all about God and serving others”. Of course, this is countercultural. Our society screams that it’s all about you. However, I’ve come to see that the most helpful, giving people are normally the happiest people as well.I’ve learned that you can’t be both selfish and happy. As Christians, we’re destined to be molded into the image of Christ, and Jesus is the greatest example of what it means to love others and not live a selfish life. The following Scripture shows us that Jesus gave everything when He demonstrated His love for us –“16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” (1 John3:16NIV)Now I realize that loving others is not always easy, and it usually costs us something, but through our relationship with Christ, we can find the strength and ability to love others, even when it seems to cost more than we think we can give.  God is faithful to give us His…

Guest Postby Herman GroenewaldAs I have read some of the scripture portions below, I could not help thinking of the great need in peoples lives right now, especially amongst the needy. At my age of life one tends to spend sparingly to provide for the years we hope that lies ahead for us as aged citizens.But we see the need in others and when we pray we ask for God’s provision, ask and give thanks for our daily food. It makes one aware of our cupboards with sufficient food for our own need. I wonder how much excess there may be in them right now.And then I read the story of the Cheerful Giver in 2 Cor 9:6-10. 6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written,“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;    his righteousness endures forever.”10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!The needs of the saints I think in this case refers to the church, God’s instrument in the World. It also highlights for us the prayers of the needy for us and the church. Reading the account of the calling of the disciples in Luke and the catch of fish by casting their nets into the deep, it brings a message to us. It first highlights that Jesus had first been teaching the people in Luke 5:3-4.Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” When Christ had done preaching, He told Peter to apply to the business of his calling. Time spent on week days in public exercises of religion need be but little hindrance in time, and may be great furtherance to us in attitude of mind, as to our worldly business. With what cheerfulness may we go…

by Luke KincaidWhile thinking about what to write today I really sensed God leading me to not cover any specific topic and instead ask, “What is God saying to you right now in this moment?” If you were led to this blog today all I ask of you is to take the next five minutes (or more) and listen to what God is saying to you. Spend some time in prayer listening to God asking for Him to speak to you. If you then feel led to dig into His Word ask God to lead you to a portion of Scripture then get stuck in and spend some time with our incredible Father and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you in this time. Much love,Luke