NHCF Blog

Guest Post by Herman GroenewaldStory is on of the earliest communication forms, it is found in every people and culture, it is still one that has great power. The Bible is not just a compilation of many stories, it is actually one commanding story.To many the Bible seems distant and elusive, and they struggle to understand the intent of God’s Story and its relationship to their own time and their daily lives. So, the key becomes of connecting their experiences, circumstances and placing it in the context of their lifestyles. Using a parable story to get a message across.What I have often used, is what I call the story of the orange. It so happens it is the only food we share sometimes on our mission trips to the Kalahari Bushmen. I take bags of oranges on the trips. Once we have shared a story from one of our mission team I then use an orange. I hand it to one of the children. Before they peel it, I tell them it is like a story of God’s Word. We call it the Bible. Now I tell them it is no good if we do not open it share, read, understand and believe.I ask them to peel the orange. Now I stop them to say, now it is like Gods stories of which there are many. I ask them to divide the orange but not yet to eat it. Now I tell them it represents Gods stories, but we cannot be selfish, we need to share it with others. That is why God has given it, to be shared. Now they hand out the orange. I explain that when they now eat it, it is like taking in the word of God and that it feeds our body, our mind and our goal. Now we ask them to repeat the first story they were told.Amazing how a simple parable works!Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! (Psalm 96:3)A Prayer of FaithOmniscient God of love and grace, just as you called Abraham, you call us to rise up in Faith and to follow you. A challenge to live expectantly and to embrace the unknown. You call us to travel on a road with no known address. You call us to a faith without security.We want to stay amongst those we know and love, but you call us to move forward. We are pilgrims searching for the City of which You are the Architect.We thank you for the heroes of Faith and mentors who have been examples to us in our pilgrimage.Help us to complete the race of Faith with perseverance, our eyes on Jesus the Author and Perfecter of our faith.AMEN BlessingsHerman

by Luke KincaidWhile working today I came across an amazing song which you can find at the end of this blog by Elevation Worship. I must have listened to at least 10 times before writing this up and am still currently listening to it! The reason why I am enjoying it so much is because of the incredible truth contained in the chorus which simply says:“Oh, there's nothing better than YouThere's nothing better than YouLord, there's nothingNothing is better than You(Oh, yes I know it's true)”And this got me thinking, “There really isn’t anything or anyone better than our God!” While I already knew this to be true this was one of those reminders that hits you right in the heart and shakes you awake! There is nothing better than the God we serve and worship. He is enough and He is worthy to be praised. Here are some scriptures which highlight this truth: There is none like You, O Lord;You are great, and great is Your name in might.Jeremiah 10:6O Lord, there is none like You,nor is there any God besides You,according to all that we have heard with our ears.1 Chronicles 17:20There is no one holy like the Lord,Indeed, there is no one besides You, nor is there any rock like our God.1 Samuel 2:2This is the God we have the incredible privilege of knowing, following, and worshipping. I am so grateful for this reminder today and I trust it will speak to some of you too.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YihKbG8-X3UMuch love,Luke

by Graham MolThis past weekend I enjoyed watching the first (real life) Formula 1 Grand Prix of 2020. For sports fans it has been a long, in fact unprecedented, drought of sporting events but bit by bit the games, matches and races have started up again. I got to thinking about why so many of us enjoy participating in and spectating sporting events. Why is it that sports matter so much to us? What is it about competition that appeals to us? How could a bunch of people running around on a field chasing a ball be so compelling? It seems so frivolous when you put it like that.And yet when you're in the University Volleyball Championship playing for 5th place against last year's winners, many of whom are part of the national team, going down to the last tie-breaking set, it feels like a fight of life or death. The euphoria of getting that winning point is an feeling like no other... well, from my experience anyway!The thing about sports, and all forms of competing, from the most physical to the most intellectual or creative, is that they all involve this element of overcoming. Overcoming the opponent, the other team, or the obstacle and challenge or even overcoming yourself, your own limitations. There is something  in each of us that is drawn to overcoming. We strive to win the battles we face in life and we celebrate with others who do the same. The drama of sport and competition appeals to us because we all long for that feeling of victory. For some it may be in becoming world champions, for others it may just be finishing that dauntingly long marathon. God has placed in the human heart a desire to overcome.This is why the Gospel is the greatest story ever told. In Jesus we have our champion who took on the power of sin and death and won. He overcame the greatest threat and challenge to our eternal happiness. Christ laid down His life for our sake, you could say He took one for the team, and then rose again victorious, undefeated, champion of the world.Here is the awesome truth. We need not only be spectators in this game of literal life and death. We too can share in the victory. Paul says the following in Romans 8:3737 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.Through Christ we can overcome the challenges and obstacles that we face in life. Through Christ we can overcome the enemy. By His Spirit we will overcome the Coronavirus pandemic, one of the biggest disruptions and threats that we have experienced in our lifetimes.If we read Paul's statement in context an even more beautiful picture of victory emerges:31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously…

by Calven CelliersThe apostle Paul and his circle of acquaintances were well aware of the culture of training and athletic games in the Greek world in which they ministered. His letters were peppered with references like "Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training....  Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly" and “…press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." and “I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown [wreath] of righteousness...." Paul clearly had a lot of respect for physical training, but in one particular verse its evident where his ultimate values lay. Paul learned the importance of staying spiritually strong and the benefit of developing spiritual habits in his life, like spending time in the Scripture, prayer and daily worship. Paul understood the importance of staying spiritually fit, especially in the face of opposition, and he knew this would be good advice to a young man like Timothy. So he wrote to Timothy saying:“8 Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” 9 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it.” (1 Timothy 4: 8 & 9NLT) We all know it’s crucial for healthy living to eat nutritious foods and exercise, but today’s verse reminds us it’s even more important we stay spiritually healthy. Training the physical body has definite value for this life. We benefit from a healthy body during our time on earth, but staying spiritually fit offers benefits now and for eternity.Physical training requires you to push yourself to do your best. It takes exercise with focus and intensity over time to get you fit. Consistent training increases strength and stamina and the ability to win.It’s no secret, most days I simply don’t feel like exercising. Whether it’s because I’m tired, unmotivated, or just darn right lazy, I’ve learned that if I don’t intentionally make it a priority and form habits to purposefully add exercise into my day, I won’t make the time. We are the only ones who have control over setting priorities in our lives. If we don’t intentionally make staying spiritually fit and spending time with God of utmost importance, then it won’t happen. And without habitual spiritual nourishment, we will never be spiritually fit and strong.Professor of biblical spirituality and associate dean at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Donald Whitney comments that,Spiritual disciplines are those practices found in Scripture that promote spiritual growth among believers in the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are habits of devotion, habits of experiential Christianity that have been practiced by God’s people since biblical times. They are activities. They are not attitudes. Disciplines are practices. Spiritual disciplines are things you do. They are not character qualities. They are not graces. They are not the fruit of the Spirit. They are things you do. So you read the Bible. That is something…