A Story to tell…. 2 May 2010

A Story to tell………….

1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Over the past couple of weeks we have heard testimonies from people of the grace and power and love of God in their lives. Each has been quite different. But each has been a very powerful story - because they have shared what is in their heart - what God has placed there by his revelation - however that may be.

Over the past few weeks we have, as a church family, shared in the experiences of Nicky's surgery and after effects and all that she has gone through in that time. A couple of weeks ago Nicky told me she would like to write out her testimony of God's grace and healing power, and when I invited her to share it personally with us today and have her mum, Theresa, interpret it for us she willingly agreed. So I invite Nicky and Theresa to come forward and share with us now.

Nicky's story…………

“On the 12^th March 2010 I had a hysterectomy. After the operation, I woke up with pain in my left side. I knew something was not right and I asked the nurse about it. She said it was normal and gave me a hot water bottle and strong pills, but the pain didn’t go away.

I went home on the 15^th March and my mother and I both felt that something wasn’t right. I didn’t improve and still had a lot of pain. I also had a fever, the pain got worse and the colour went out of my face. I went back to the doctor three times, but they couldn’t help me, and they didn’t send me back to hospital. The hospital said I must see the GP doctor.

On the 29^th March I slept the whole day and when my husband, Riaan, came that evening to my parent’s house to pick up me and our children, I could barely walk from the pain. So my mother took me to the doctor. When the nurse and doctors saw me they said I must go to hospital immediately and called an ambulance. The paramedics gave me morphine in the ambulance, and my mother went with me to hospital. My sister Jacky went to my house to look after the children, so Riaan could come to the hospital. Riaan and my mother stayed with me for almost the whole night in ED, to wait for the doctor to come but she only came to see me in the morning. She said I didn’t look good and I went for X-rays of my chest, to find out what was wrong.

The pain continued to get worse. I was very thirsty but they wouldn’t let me drink water; only suck on ice cubes for the CT scan. At 3pm I went for the CT scan. A scan doctor said I need to drink contrast (which is colour) for 4 times, have a drip so that could get a clear picture of my whole tummy. I felt worse and had a higher fever, and then started to cough and throw up. I began having difficulty breathing, and a nurse rushed to put me on oxygen. I began to hallucinate. I had gone into septic shock and it was affecting all my organs. It was very to breathe. One of my lungs had collapsed; they said I had pneumonia and a clot in my lung. Seven doctors came in and looked after me at the same time. The cardiologist he said that my heart was beating too fast. They x-rayed my chest. My mother phoned all my family to tell them to pray, and Riaan came to the hospital. Riaan said that he did not think I would die. I prayed to the Lord “please help me to breathe and that I am not ready to go home to (heaven) and please don’t let me die”. Riaan was standing worried in the corner, he was very quiet. I told my family I would be ok. My mother continued to text everyone –family, friends and church, etc to pray for me. I was so crazy and shouted at my mother to stop texting everyone but she didn’t give up. My mother said when I spoke it was a very strange voice, like a hearing person, but she ignored it and carried on texting people to pray. I was praying a lot for my own life.

When Pastor John came I knew God was with me. I told the Lord, “I am not ready to go home. I saw the picture of my children and my husband, and I want to be able to teach my children about God’s way and keep my husband’s faith strong. I almost died because I almost gave up my breathing it was so hard. But I didn’t give up. I fought for my breathing to save my life by God’s Grace. John prayed and said that, “there is a big spiritual battle for my life. John felt I would not die but live and I agreed with him. John felt that God had plans for my life. John, my parents, Riaan and I prayed together for my life, and God looked after me. I felt calmer and was saved by God’s Grace.

I then went to Intensive Care and I was blessed because two of the nurses in ICU were good Christians and the doctors told me that I had to have another CT scan. I didn’t want to go back because I had almost died before, but they convinced me I had to, and they could put a drain to my kidney. When I was in the CT scan I was awake and saw two evil things moving on the ceiling, but I prayed and knew that God was with me, and the two evil faces went away. I was so happy to be saved by God’s Grace. The doctor said that my kidney was surrounded by poisonous fluid, because they had accidentally cut the tube between my bladder and kidney when they operated. They put in a tube to drain it. At 2pm on Thursday the 1^st of April I had a 3 hour operations to fix up my bladder, kidney, etc. When I woke up I felt so much better and well. I am healed by God’s love and kindness. Thanks to many people, my family, friends, and church family who prayed for me to survive and for my health. Thanks to Pastor John who prayed for me. Thanks for my mother who didn’t gave me up easily and fought for my life. Thank you to the Lord who saved my life.

One time more I had to go back to hospital, as the pain came back a little bit, and my leg was numb. The doctor said there was some infection again, and gave me IV antibiotics.

But everybody continued to pray for me. The specialist decided to take out the stent (plastic tube) as it was probably causing more infection. I had some more x-ray and tests in hospital. After few days there, I was discharged and they felt happy that I was now well.

I am much better now and getting better every day, by the grace of God. I am praying and believing to soon be 100% fully healed. Thank you Lord Jesus so much for being with me all the time, and for saving my life. Thank you to everybody for all your prayers, also thank you Oupa and Ouma and your friends for sitting and praying for me and for letting Wayne, Daphne and all the overseas family, and church family know now I was doing and to ask for more prayers.

The impact on my life is that I am so grateful that the Lord has saved my life. I am so happy to be here. I feel so much closer to God. I know for sure that God loves me and is with me. Thank you Wayne for emailing the church family for prayer and updates. I am very blessed.”

Nicky's prayer, and belief, is that others will come to faith in God through her testimony. We pray too that that will be true.

We each have a story to tell. Stories of power that will impact the lives of others for Christ and the way Nicky's has. Our story will be quite different. None are quite the same, but each story of God's grace and love is designed by God for particular people and situations that we will meet - because it will have power, God's power, to touch the life of that particular person at that particular God ordained time.

What is it that gives our story that power? I believe it is the revelation of God's love to you personally - however that may occur. Over the past couple of Sundays people have testified to God's healing power - physically - emotionally - spiritually. That will have a great impact on your life, but what are you going to do with it? Are you just going to keep it to yourself? Or is it something that you just have to share with someone else - because it has that much effect on you?

Read 1 Pet.3:15.

What is the hope within you? Before we can authentically share our faith we must know clearly in our hearts what our hope is in Christ, and that we have something special to share with others. What gives your story in Christ - LIFE? It can't just be an intellectual knowledge. Some people can debate and speak eloquently about religion or Christianity, and with seemingly great wisdom as read heard in the passage from 1 Corinthians 2 that Kas read. Some of us are not that way at all. So how can we tell the story of God's grace in our own life that will have meaning for someone else? Paul in that passage said that the power of the message comes in another way - the power of God.

The stories that impact the lives of others are those that impacted the story teller powerfully because they did so personally - especially when it is God who touches your life. Then you have a story to tell! Because when that happens in such a powerful way for it to make an impact, it is only because of the power of God - the Holy Spirit.

So what is your story? As you think about your walk with God and the hope that you have in Christ, what is it that makes it so special and unique for you? When someone asks you about your relationship with Jesus what do you say? Is it something general and safe? Is God just someone vague - away up there somewhere? Or is it personal? What is the hope you have in Jesus? Why go to the trouble of being a Christian? There has to be something special about being a Christian to make it worthwhile. Right here and now, as we are, we are living examples of God's grace and power. Psalm 139 tells us how wonderfully made we are - by GOD! He is our creator - without him we would not even be here. It is by his grace and creative power.

We are going to take a couple of minutes to think about that now. If possible write it down - this really helps to focus your thoughts. What is the hope that Jesus Christ gives you?

Sharing it out loud also confirms it in your mind and heart because it is one thing to keep it to yourself, but it really gives it life and reality when you speak it out aloud.

Please take a moment to share the hope within you with person next to you.

I wonder how many of you included the hope expressed in verses like John 3:16; Colossians 1:27; Titus 3:7?

I want to encourage you to write a 3 minute testimony. It is really hard to condense this into 3 minutes. But it does really help you to focus on the important bits - what is the real message of your testimony of God's grace and love in your life. Your testimony should include what your life was like before coming to Christ; the actual conversion experience; and the difference the Lord has made in your life since. You need to have that firmly fixed in their mind and heart as a BASIS for knowing what to share. But it is not just an exercise to learn it by rote. It is to be used as a base. Preparation is always important in whatever we do. It is no less so when sharing the gospel. Sure Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would help us to know what to say. (Matthew 10:19-20). But having the basic firmly set in our heart and mind gives the Holy Spirit something to work with - and he will prompt us to adapt it for particular people or circumstances.

You know each one of us is special to God. We are unique. And we are designed by God for a particular purpose with unique opportunities and ways of sharing the gospel. You have a powerful story to tell - your own personal experience of the Lord in your life. You need to be sure of what your faith and hope is in Christ so you can be authentic in the sharing of your story – so it has LIFE and POWER - the power of God to change lives.

I encourage you to experience the power of God in you personally. Break down that need to be in control. In our western society we have a terrible need to be in control. But we need to let that go. We need to let God have a fair go - and allow him to minister to you in special ways that are personal to you. Sometimes that may take a crisis - as for Nicky. More often than not it is just a normal everyday experience of life. Whatever it is, it becomes a story of God's grace, and power, and love. And when it does, I can assure you - you will have a story to tell that will bless others - and it will bless you too.

Hope, What hope

11 April 2010 – Wayne Austin

Reading: Ephesians 6:10-18

During the week I thought and prayed about what I wanted to share this morning and pretty clear ideas were starting to form. By Friday morning those had virtually completely gone out the window. I believe God wants me to talk about something I know very little about………which is a bit strange really, but let's see what God has to say to us anyway.

What is the hope you have in Jesus? Why do you go to the trouble of being a Christian? What is so special about your relationship with Jesus that would make you go through the pain barrier for him? Is your faith, your hope, strong enough to be really tested?

I consider myself to be a positive person and can get frustrated with negativity, or defensiveness, or even just over cautiousness. And so I find it a little odd that I should feel led to speak about being prepared to defend yourself. What I feel I need to share with you is born of a very recent experience and trying to understand what that was all about.

This week I have become acutely aware this week of my vulnerability in trying to live my life for Christ. Jesus warned us the road of following him would not guarantee an easy ride. When we accept Jesus as our Saviour and Lord, it is not a guarantee to an easy life. Indeed if we give our all in doing this, we are actually opening ourselves up to challenges of many kinds. But Jesus prepared us for this eventuality. He also said that he sent the Holy Spirit to be with us to help us through the hard times and if we persevere our reward will be great.

I have thought long and hard about sharing this. It is actually a really difficult topic to talk about and not a popular one. It is often avoided. But I believe God wants us all to be ready to deal with certain challenges. The old saying "fore-warned is fore-armed" is still relevant, and I pray this will help and encourage you to live out your faith in Christ in an even more dedicated and informed way. We need to learn the effect of things that upset us - it may be a phone call - it may be an omission - it may be a flippant comment. Whatever it is, sometimes they have a much greater affect on us than we could ever expect. And we need to learn how to deal with them.

I had a situation early in the week that for some reason really upset me and continued to do so during the week. I have experienced similar situations before but for some reason this was so much worse. Those other situations I had been able to deal with - perhaps it was because it was the nature of the business I was involved in and I was prepared for such things - and I just accepted that went with the job. So I just couldn't understand why this episode should affect me so deeply and emotionally. I have prayed about it. I tried to hand it over to God. Other people prayed for me. But still I was troubled. Gradually during the week I came to understand the reason it was so painful.

It was because it was my spirit that had been bruised. Not my pride. Not me wanting to have my own way. It was my spirit. And the powerful effect your spirit being attacked has shocked me. It is something I have never experienced before.

You see our essential being is our spirit, which is simply clothed in our earthly body. When our physical body dies, our spirit lives on. So our spirit is the core of who we are. And when that spirit is hurt, that hurt strikes right at the heart of who we are, making it even more painful.

How does this happen? What I understand from the bible is that Satan will do all he can to spoil the work God is doing in you and through you. When things are going well for you in your walk with Christ - that is the time to be most careful - because that is very worrying for Satan - he wants to stop that - he wants control of you - he can't stand seeing Jesus as Lord of your life - and he will take advantage of any slight weakness to attack you. (Job 1:9-11)

How can we guard against this happening?

Paul says in Ephesians 6:10-18 that we should be under no false illusion - we will come under attack. We need therefore to put on the armour of God.

The full armour of God is………

1. The belt of truth

This is the first step in standing against Satan. What is truth? It is discovering God's way of living through his word. (John 17:17) Living in love and honesty. That is integrity - being the same on the outside as we are on the inside - as long as it is love that is inside us - God's love - because then love will determine our values, and how they impact on others.

Then there is no deceit, no double standard, no hypocrisy in your life - nothing Satan can take pleasure in. (Ps.51:6)

2. The breastplate of righteousness

The breast plate was a metal covering over the chest and down to the thighs. It principally protected the heart. The 'heart' is often used to describe the source of our emotions or feelings. To put on the breastplate of righteousness means to protect against feelings that drag us down - even to depression and despair. Even if you feel unworthy we need to understand that, yes, we are human - BUT - realize that we don't just stand on our efforts. We have the huge advantage of having the righteousness (or perfection) of Jesus covering us because we belong to him. (Read Ps.51:10-12). This requires a deliberate action from us to believe this that Jesus will always love us. He will never let us down. He will protect us. DON'T try and do it on your own.

3. The shoes of the gospel of peace

Or be sure footed - firmly grounded. This simply means to make sure you know what you believe about the Gospel and stand firm about that. Be sure of the hope that is within you - why do you believe - why are you a disciple of Jesus? Any preparation for battle involves knowing the cause you are defending. For disciples of Jesus, this involves reading and studying and meditating on God's scripture. You need good shoes so you won't slip up.

4. The shield of faith

You need a shield of protection because Satan will attack you - there is nothing surer. Think of Job. This may be in the form of negative thoughts, impure thoughts and imaginations. Or strong doubts can come into your mind without warning. It can happen in various ways.

Use the shield of faith by actively refusing to believe or accept anything that is opposed to what God says is true and right. Believe God is who he says he is and will do what he promises.

I have dealt with such things from time to time by speaking directly to Satan - renouncing him and reminding him that in dying on the cross Jesus had victory over him, and that I am covered by the blood that Jesus shed on the cross. The bible is clear that in his death and resurrection Jesus conquered Satan. Believe it! Claim it! Claim the victory.

5. The helmet of salvation

The helmet of salvation protects our minds. It gives assurance of what God is doing in our lives now and what he is going to do in the future. God's plans are perfect. We may not always understand what is going on, just as I didn't earlier this week. To keep us from despair and confusion we must recognize and believe God IS in control (Is.55:8-9)

6. The sword of the spirit

As I said earlier, I like to be positive. The final piece of armour to put on is the sword. It is the only part of the armour that can be used to attack. Attack is the best form of defense!

When the sword, the Word of God, is used against Satan it will repel him. We need to recognize when we are under attack or being tempted, that it is not of God. We need to remind Satan that we are not to be tempted and claim that victory. Knowing your scriptures helps greatly. Remember Jesus just quoted scripture at Satan when he was being tempted in the desert. Speak out aloud the Word of God, and you will see victory.

The armour described here is simple picture language for something deeper. Putting it on is essential, but it is not just mentally putting each piece on in a mechanical way. It is the defensive aspect of living our Christian lives that I referred to at the start. We must deliberately put on the armour. That is absolutely vital.

Being of a positive inclination, I believe there is another way of looking at this. Paul tells us in Romans 13:14 - "………clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ………" Our real protection comes out of a close relationship with Jesus. We MUST work on that every day. Spend time in prayer with him. Spend time meditating in the bible. Build your relationship closer and closer each day, so that the way you live for him becomes a natural way of life. And you will have the confidence of knowing he knows what you go through - and that he will help you through it.

Take a positive, actively intentional approach to prepare yourself for living your Christian life.

Because………if someone asked about your relationship with Jesus what would you be able to say. What is the hope you have in Jesus? Why go to the trouble of being a Christian if you are going to face this opposition from Satan that I have been talking about? There has to be something special about being a Christian to make it worthwhile.

For me it is the revelation of personally knowing God's love in my heart. That gives me new life - life in abundance - and life for eternity.

What is it that would make you even need to put on the armour of God - to fight for Jesus?

What is the hope you have? I encourage you to take time to seriously think about that.

Write it down. This really helps to focus your thoughts. Sharing it out loud also confirms it in your mind and heart because it is one thing to keep it to yourself, but it really gives it life and reality when you speak it out aloud. And it will give you confidence that the battle is worthwhile - that you will overcome - in Christ's strength - and you will experience victory.

What is the hope that you have? It is you who has to decide what that is. It is personal to you. I pray that you will prayerfully think about it and in doing so you will know and experience a victorious life lived for Jesus.

Easter Sunday Sermon - Kas Govind

Easter Sunday Sermon