Our Larger Desires

“Or have you only comfort, and the lust for comfort, that
stealthy thing that enters the house a guest, and then becomes
a host, and then a master?
Aye, and it becomes a tamer, and with hook and scourge
makes puppets of your larger desires.”

”Verily the lust for comfort murders the passion of the soul,
and then walks grinning in the funeral.”

- Khalil Gibran (The Prophet)

Sometimes wisdom can be found in none Christian books as with this one by Khalil Gibran, a writer who died in the nineteen thirties.

We are not meant to be tamed. We are created to act on and build toward the desires of our heart, with the understanding that God put them there. To strive for security and comfort is to sell your soul into selfishness and set yourself up for regret.

Although our every day life, even the mundane, is where we build toward our dreams and desires it is also where comfort tempts us the most. We become despondent when our dreams do not become reality and we give up and settle for second best.

Settle in the present, but do not settle for it.

Wholehearted

whole•heart•ed
adj. - marked by unconditional commitment, unstinting devotion, and unreserved enthusiasm

Wholehearted worship is what our God deserves, and nothing less. It is worship that reaches beyond our voices, beyond our Sunday church attendance and beyond us. The suffering of Christ at the cross of Calvary demands a response of gratitude and thanksgiving to His gift of grace. It is a conviction of the price He has paid to ransom us and save us from death. It is a revelation that Jesus wholeheartedly poured Himself out in this world so that man can be free.

Committed, devoted and unreserved we will shout His praises. Joyfully we will be His hands and feet in the streets, in the prisons, to the broken hearted and the poor. Unashamedly we will proclaim the good news for it is salvation to everyone who believes.

Honour God. Advance His Kingdom. Live out Loud. Be part of a generation of worshippers that live the songs they sing.

For You Jesus, For Your Kingdom.

Check out the Wholehearted video

Desert Road

The past 1.5 years have been a desert experience dotted with a few highs which did not last, but gave hope fleetingly. It was in the dry, confused and frustrated periods that I had to dig deep to keep faith.

Faith in God so far in my life has been something that I haven’t struggled with. The believe that my heart’s desires are actually from Him and not selfish fantasy have been more difficult. In these times when I felt alone in this desert I just plodded on in the same direction, faith fading and sometimes springing back, but it has mostly been disheartening, especially the last 8 months or so.

God is faithful though, sprinkling your path with moments of hope and joy making you realize He is at the steering wheel of everything.

Security vs Calling

This old earth might seem a mess and our personal lives might shout to us that God is not good at times, but He is. And nothing happens without Him knowing and allowing it. When this involves suffering on our account it’s difficult to believe this and we end up asking the question, “How can a God of love allow this to happen to me?”.

The truth is that we can never truly understand the ways of God as His creation, and when we endure suffering it is very difficult to reconcile with the possibility that God is in control or might even have a hand in the circumstances that cause us pain.

Romans 5:3
”…also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

Also we as the children of God have to realize that following Jesus isn’t a route to a safe place. We will endure suffering like all people on earth do. We’re on earth not in heaven yet. It is who we are in the midst of our suffering and the good times that count.

We are called to bring Hope to a hopeless world and that will take us out of our comfort and security and bring us to a place where we are living on the edge and our faith is exercised daily. We are not called to serve ourselves, we truly become who we have been created to be when we lay down our lives for others.

The Truth

When it comes to the situation in our country and whatever direction we might be heading in the truth does not matter. Just bear with me here, I'll explain. The truth will set me / us free if we choose to believe that truth and if you don't you're stuck, not free.

In South Africa its not the truth that determines where we're headed, but the perception of the truth by the masses. And with masses I mean South African's. My white friends will probably think I mean the black people when I talk about the masses...

And why have the masses, black and white, got the "wrong" truth. A "truth" that cultivates fear and gets everyone in a frenzy to leave the country or arm themselves. Because we as a church need to wake up and start fulfilling our God given purpose and calling. We should not wait for government to try and rectify the racism situation, because on their own, with their initiatives alone it will never come about. We as the church need to get up shake our fear and subtle racism and love people.

Our country need to see love for one another across all classes and races in the church and by that they'll see we are children of God. We are to be Jesus with skin on. Loving on everyone, friend or enemy, meeting the needs of a dying world.

The church need to speak up and act up! Get of our butts and getting our hands dirty. To my white friends I want to ask. How many black people do you know?! Or are you still cooped up in your safe circle of friends cultivating an attitude of us and them? What the heck?! Are we followers of Jesus or followers of comfort and safety.

You don't need to go out and change the world now man or woman alone. Just make a difference in your circle of influence. Whoever God puts in the sphere of your life. Where you go shopping, at work, at school, with family - your whole life.

As I said above. Let us be Jesus with skin on.

Ramblings of men

It does frustrate me how the people in my country (including myself) can get in a "poep spin" about some un-disciplined, selfish, unwise comments made by a few people who obviously need some kind of healing in their lives.

We need more of what God's holy spirit awakens in our lives and can only get more if we read God's word more talk to Him more and desire Him more. God is great and people can be pretty crazy.

We need to start listening to the voice of God and not the troubling egotistical ramblings of men.

Journey

So here I am in Nashville for the third time. At one stage in my live doing something like this was more an impossibility. I've always dreamed about certain things and aimed for it not knowing if I would and could actually hit something. Its not like I have hit the jackpot or something, but I have learned that you just steadily idle on, dreaming building and aiming. All the while living in and for the purpose of God and not get all unhappy when my idea of my destiny seem so far away.

I haven't tasted reality on my idea of my destiny, but I am in places and seeing people I have at one time only dreamed of. Just do the journey and do what God has put in your hand diligently, willingly, passionately and with conviction - like it is your own dream. God will bring you to a time and place where what is in your hand is what is in your heart. I'm still not where I want to be, but I am trying to use what God has put in my hand for His purpose.

First seek the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you.