Day 8: Sunday Funday!

This morning we ran a church service for the kids at the Academy. Thank you to everyone who prayed for us in regards to this, because it ran absolutely incredibly. If you think RockHarbor services run long sometimes, you ain't seen South Africa. We went well over an hour, but dang! The Spirit was seriously moving. Michael spoke about God's healing and transformation and it seemed to really hit the hearts of the kids. After sharing a message and some of his testimony, we took communion together, prayed together and worshiped together. It was such a beautiful picture of what "the Church" is to look like--family. God is so, so, so GOOD to us.

Then after lunch we threw an Ice Cream Social for the kids, which was super fun. It was nice to just relax and enjoy the scenery and spend time laughing and talking with the kids. Afterward, one of the Academy students, Sinetemba, gave us a small lecture on the political standing of South Africa. It was so awesome and informational! We all have faith that he will be the future president. :)

This evening was also wonderful. We went to this amazing pizza restaurant. MY GOODNESS, it was so delicious--you don't even know. (Really, you have no idea...) We came home and spent time affirming and encouraging one another which was incredible, and so encouraging.


Tonight's guest blogger is Kenny, who got his hair corn row'd this afternoon by one of the Academy students, Pretty (as seen in the picture below):
"There is nothing that is going on in this world that He does not already know of. It is so easy to forget such a simple fact. Injustice in the world suprises us, despite the fact that sin has reigned supreme in the world for thousands of years. Yet, in Christ we have peace. In Him there is a contentment that the apostle Paul called a prerequesite to godliness. If we do not possess within us peace, but rather discontentment (whether about ourselves or our environment- it is of no meaningful difference, for our perceptions create the environment around us) there can be nothing but strife, produced by a constant effort to try and change what we find unacceptable. In this we find our prideful selves, for we somehow think that our own efforts can save ourselves and the world (it is a must that we understand that our perceived selves cannot be separated from our perception of the world, our actions through which create the world we live in). Yet Paul in his letter to the church in Ephusus, gives us the opposite message, that we are saved in grace through faith and not by works so that no one can boast. Jesus Himself proclaims that no one can come to God accept through Him, and in the same gospel (John) a few chapters later, states boldly to His doubters that not one can come to Christ unless God draws Him. Again in the book of John, Christ makes it clear that the work of God the Father is completed by the one who believes in God the Son. He says, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." Our "works" therefore are a direct result of our faith in him, and the abundance of works flows out of the Spirit. THIS IS THE SAME SPIRIT AND THE SAME GOD THAT HAS THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS. This is the God who saves, the God who will not let go of his chosen. Sir Issac Newton once stated "Every action has an equal an opposite reaction". Sin in the world results in injustice. Consequences from The Fall are present in our day to day living. They are part of us and have diluded the world with deception. It must be made clear to all Christians, that these consequences are real and that they should be of no suprise. Christ said, "In this world you have trouble, but take heart I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD". Jesus Himself recognized that sin was very real and alive, and even told his disciples not to be suprised about it.

In all of this, let us not forget that God loves us, that He has chosen us, that He calls us redeemeed. Let us not forget that the Spirit lives within us, and the path we are on and the works we are doing and shall do, God has already planned out. He has given us a peace that surpasses all understanding (memory-->knowledge-->perception). WE CAN BE CONTENT NOW, AS HE HAS CALLED US TO BE. It is not our responsibility to change the world, to change each other, to change ourselves. God has already given us LIFE, and our lives are right now in the moment hidden with Him. Yet, we will never stop the efforts, and thus the pain and strife will never cease, untill we become aware that WE HAVE BEEN PERFECTED. This awareness shifts not only how we see ourselves, but also the world and our place in it. We have been granted with the wonderful gift of being able to walk burdenless on the path God uniquely set before us, doing the works He already planned out. So, what shall we do? Just that.. walk. Jesus said the two greatest commandments are these, that we love our God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and that we love each other as we love ourselves. Let us therefore walk in LOVE, for HE IS LOVE, HE IS TRUTH, and HE IS OUR PEACE." -Kenny



Please take the time to pray for our ministry this week, and also for Matt as he has gotten a bit sick.

A huge praise to God for how mightily He heals, as William was also sick but after prayer and rest God absolutely healed him back to complete health this morning!