Youth Conference 7
December to 14 December 2008
"Choose Today" is the theme
"Khethani Namuhla" (in Zulu)
Friday evening 7pm - In the closing service Rev
E. Stegen read Psalm 25: 12 : "What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he
teacht in the way that he shall choose." Rev Stegen emphasised the importance of
making a choice today. Not tomorrow, choose today!
He illustrated this with a story about a young man, who received a lot of money and
bought himself a nice red sportcar. One evening he went to a service and was sitting right
at the back of the church. When the minister saw him, he went straight to him and said:
"Woodley, you must repent now."
This young man said no not today. Went out and drive in his nice car. He got involved
in a terrible accident and died that same evening.
Choose today, not tomorrow!!
Friday afternoon 3pm - In the first part of this meeting Jerusha
Muller spook on True Love Waits. In the second part people from SAPS spoke.
Friday morning 12 December, 10am - Rev F. Stegen preached from 2
Corinthians 3:18.
Rev Stegen spoke about seeing Jesus in our lives. "I wish if you go home that the
people can see the lightness of Christ in your life."
May we be united as Christians. May we will lift up the name of Christ once again.
"It's my prayer for each one of you that the people will see the image of Jesus
Christ in you." The people at home are waiting for you. Will a hope arise in their
hearts if they see you? May they see that Jesus is still alive.
I pray that if you go home that other people will see something Godly in you.
Bishop Taylor Smith was asked to preach in Chicago in America.
He went by ship and while he was on the ship he walked on the deck to get some fresh air.
The wind effected his throat, and when he arrived in Chicago he could only whisper. In
that time there were no loudspeakers, so when he preached only a few people heard what he
said. After the meeting a man came to him and said: "You have convinced me to become
a Christian." "But what convinced you?" the Bishop asked. The man answered:
"I couldn't understand one word, but I saw your face. Your expression which I saw
convinced me that what you said was good. I saw a supernatural expression on your."
He couldn't hear the preacher, but saw that he was preaching with all his heart and that
what the preacher said was the truth. "Now I know that Christ is alive and I want to
become a Christian," the man said.
"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the
Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit
of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:18)
Thursday evening, 7pm - Rev Chauke preached from psalm 24:7-10: 7 Lift up your
heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall
come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, The LORD mighty in
battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of
glory shall come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of
glory.
Open your heart that the King of glory might come in.
We need to know who this King is. He is God, the Almighty, the One who spoke and
everything, the moons the stars etc, were there.
He the Almighty, Who asks you to open your heart, so that He may come in, is not forcing,
but He asks you to choose.
Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. If He enters your heart, He takes
everything away that is not supposed to be there. God says repent from all your sins. Flee
from adultery.
May you be willing to let the King of Glory come in and take away everything away that
must not be there. And then you are going to trust the Lord.
Thursday morning & afternoon, 11 December
- Young people need to expend their energies. So today a sports day was organised. We have
a wonderful airstrip were they can play football and netball ect.
  
Wednesday evening, 7pm - Political
leaders had been invited by Rev Erlo Stegen to attend the meeting this evening to answer
questions which the young people had. During the July Youth Conference the young people
had requested Rev Stegen to do this so that direct questions of importance to young
Christian people can be answered, especially in the light of the upcoming election early
next year. 7 political leaders from the main parties were able to attend. The young people
had the opportunity to ask each political leader regarding their stance on certain issues.
Anyone in the audience could raise their hand if they wanted to ask a question. Many
wanted to express their concern about different issues which they meet up with, but
because of time not everybody had the opportunity. Questions about abortion, child grants,
prayer in schools, HIV/Aids etc, where directed to our leaders. Each leader then got 1-2
minutes to answer.
The service was long and ended at 23.30. It went very well, the young people listen
attentively and there was no unruly behaviour. The politicians were polite and dignified
and kept to the time allocations (which is exceptional for politicians).We thank God for
that! The MC made it clear that Kwasizabantu is non-partisan but encourages believers to
vote according to their Biblical convictions.
  
  
Wednesday afternoon, 3pm - Separate
services for boys and girls took place. Different personal issues were discussed.
  
Wednesday morning 10 Dec, 10am - Rev
Erlo Stegen preached. (more details to come)
Tuesday evening 9 Dec, 7pm - Rev
Chauke preached from Jeremiah 17:9-10: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and
desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even
to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings."
And from Mark 7:20-23: "And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a
man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries,
fornication's, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye,
blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a
man."
The heart of man is deceitful. In the heart can be pride,
immorality, laziness, occultism and many other sins.
Come to the Lord Jesus, He will forgive your sins and if He
forgives He forgets. Give your life to the Lord Jesus, so that He can cleanse you.
Tuesday afternoon, 3pm - Testimonies
Tuesday morning, 9 Dec 2008 - Rev
Erlo Stegen took the morning service and preached from 1Ki 11 on the life of Solomon.
Solomon who initially started off well, got lost on the way. In the end he said that
everything was vanity. He was David's second son from his wife Bathsheba. When David grew
old, there were no kingdom as great as his. God blessed Solomon, his son and he received
great renown. He also gained political power, wisdom, honour and glory and was also known
as Jedidiah which means to be loved by God. Solomon's fame even drew the attention of the
Queen of Sheba. God revealed Himself to Solomon as well. He got married to the daughter of
Pharao. At the end of David's years, he called Solomon and told him to be faithful to the
Lord, but he was not. God was angry and took 10 tribes away from his kingdom. In His
grace, because of his father David, he left David's family two tribes.
Do not take sin lightly as God will call you to account. If you
are faithful to God He will bless you. There are over 30 000 promises in His Word. What
kind of a young man or girl must you be, having all those promises from the Lord. You
should be busy with God's things (Mat 6:33). Stay faithful to God lest you would say at
the end of your life like Solomon said: "Vanity, vanity, everything is vanity."
The Children have been given many opportunities to
make a choice for Christ. Afterall, the theme is: Choose today. Many children made a
choice to surrender their lives to Christ.
  
 Monday evening, 8 Dec 2008 - Rev
Joseph Chauke preached from Prov 23:26, "My son, give me your heart, and let your
eyes observe my ways".
There was a certain sangoma/"witch doctor" (traditional healer as he is now
called in politically correct terms) who was dying and she called for the minister to come
and pray for her. She said that the way ahead appeared dark and she could not face death.
However she would not repent from her evil ways or confess her sins. The minister and his
colleagues prayed for her but everything remained dark for her. They prayed again more
fervently but when they asked her what she experienced she exclaimed, "It's now more
dark than ever". She stubbornly refused to confess her sins and so she died in that
state. She would not let God have her heart and she died in her sins and in darkness.
Today the Lord is saying to each one of you, "My son and daughter, give me your
heart". Would you come to him today, renounce and repent from your sins and give him
your heart? Though your sins be as scarlet, He will wash you as white as snow. Only come
to Him and give Him your heart without reservation.
Monday afternoon, 8 Dec 2008 - Quite
a number of the youth gave report backs on how they were able to make a difference and
arrange services in their various communities with the Gospel they received during the
previous Youth Conferences.
Monday morning, 8 Dec 2008 - Rev
Heino Stegen took the morning service from Luk 13:23-27, "Strive to enter in at the
strait gate; for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able. When
once the master of the house is risen up and shut the door and you begin to stand without
and to knock at the door saying, 'Lord, Lord open to us'; and He shall answer and say to
you, 'I know you not whence you are'."
 Sunday Evening, 7 Dec 2008 - Rev Joe Newlands took the
evening service from Acts 26:12-18, "I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the
brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me ... I heard
a voice speaking unto me, 'Saul Saul why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick
against the pricks ... but rise upon your feet for I have appeared to you for this purpose
to make you a minister and a witness ... to the Gentiles to whom I send you to open their
eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they
might receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them who are sanctified by faith
that is in Me".
Sun morning, 7 Dec 2008 - Rev
Alpheus Mdlalose took the opening service and preached from 1Ki 18:21, "And Elijah
came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If
the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him
not a word." King Ahab was more evil than all the kings that were before him. All his
evil he did in the sight of God. It would be good if we remember that everything that we
do is done in the sight of God. And, we must be prepared to make a clear choice and not be
like those who "sit on the fence".
King Ahab sinned more and more by heeding Jezebel,
his pagan wife who was a diligent worshipper of Baal. She had all the prophets of the Lord
killed and taught Israel to worship Baal. But God raised up Elijah who served the Lord
with all his heart and wasn't afraid to confront Ahab and Jezebel. When he stood before
Ahab he said, "As the Lord God of Israel lives before whom I stand, there shall not
be dew nor rain these years but according to my word" (1Ki 17:1).
Again when Ahab had Naboth killed for his vineyard Elijah met Ahab as he went to take
possession of it and pronounced God's judgement on him. It would be good for us to know
the fear of the Lord and therefore not fear the face of man.
As Naboth would not sell his inheritance when Ahab wanted it, so too let us not sell to
the enemy what we've received from the Lord. Elijah challenged Israel to choose whom they
would serve. Let us today make the right choice and choose the Lord outright and turn our
backs on the world and its pleasures.
 
  
Previous information about the Youth
Conference
Speakers include Rev Stegen, Rev J. Chauke,
the SAPS and a variety of other organisations.
Our main purpose with these conferences,
which started in 1974 and take place twice a year, is to lead children to Christ. Over the
years it has become necessary, unfortunately, to deal with a number of other issues
because their lives are being affected by: drugs, teen sex, sexually transmitted diseases,
sexual abuse, crime and other awful things. We usually bring in experts to share
information on these topics and allow the young people to ask questions.
Rev Erlo Stegen has invited political leaders to a special meeting
at 7pm on 10 December 2008. During the July Youth Conference this year the young people
who attended had requested Rev Stegen to ask for an opportunity to question political
leaders regarding issues which concern them. There is already a good response from
political parties (at least 7 have already responded) and it seems that we will have most
parties represented and an audience of between three to five thousand children, teens and
young adults.
Please pray for these young people. Each one of them is
precious to our Saviour. Who knows what God can do through a single life who is changed by
the Gospel?
(to read more about the previous conference see [more] here).
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