Khulekani Mahlangu report back for CYPSA outreach
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Audio Service:
Listen in English/Zulu
Listen in French – Traduction Française
Listen in German – Deutsche Übersetzung
Introduction Dietmar Joosten
Good morning. I hope you have been longing to hear what God says this morning. They that wait upon the Lord will receive. If you have come because you have to, do not be surprised if you leave exactly the same as you came.
Have you lost a key in your life? So you notice that there is something missing in your life. Maybe there is no victory. You have lost the key but you think you are right. Consider your comments. A person who has lost the key never examines himself, others are always wrong. You may have lost the key because of a grudge and a root of bitterness.
Reverend Stegen tells the experience of a person who loved gossiping but never considered the implications thereof. One day he was given a chicken which he had to pluck while walking a far distance. When he arrived at his destination he was told to return and pick up every feather which had been plucked, which was an impossibility. You have possibly been doing the same thing in a subtle way. If you listen to people plucking their chickens you are just as guilty as the one who plucks.
Khulekani Mahlangu report back for CYPSA outreach
Last week we visited schools and universities in Pretoria. We represented CYPSA at university residences and schools. At some schools children have been given permission to use cell phones. We could address that issue in our presentations.
This reminded me of the life I have left. I used a borrowed I-pod with a touchscreen where I could look at the contents of that i-pod, including pornography. I only realised later in my life how much that activity damaged me when I went through a selection process for a SAAF pilot. I failed the Vienna eye-hand coordination test. We were tested as to whether we would be able to handle stress levels in order to fly a fighter plane. I had never had problems handling stress. However, through reading CYPSA literature and attending some of Dr van Eeden’s presentations, I realised that because of my previous life, my mind had been affected and as a result I lost the opportunity to become a pilot.
The message of hope we conveyed was that the children did not need not go through the same destructive process I went through. We told them that cell phone exposure seems constructive and helpful but only later when you lose your future that you realise the damage it caused. We told them it was possible to place safeguards on your internet access. It is not only through human effort but in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that you can be set free. Even if a person has physically restricted himself to no longer access pornography, what has already been planted in his mind constantly replays. Only One can help you. When I realised that the Lord Jesus is a holy God, I received help and was set free.
The children paid careful attention. They are on the way of truth, they hunger and thirst for the truth. They recognised the problems that cell phones created for them. We are thankful that we were able to reach those souls. I do not know how we can thank enough. I especially thank Baba Ngubane who has helped me personally as well as Mr Craig Engelbrecht. Thank you to Reverend Stegen who started this mission. My joy overflows if I think of the truth and the freedom we can experience here every day. Thank you to Ms Lydia Dube.
Detlef Stegen
This morning I feel insufficient to share the wonderful things that we read in God’s word but I pray for grace that you will be blessed with the morsels that fall from the table which I can share.
The choir sang of that great grace that through the Cross we can be cleansed and receive a pure white robe. That should be our dress! Are you part of that throng that is clothed with Christ’s robe that is pure white? In Revelation there is a throng who have washed themselves and made their garments bright in the blood of the Lamb. I believe that the preachers here endeavour to ensure that you are clothed in that pure white garment, not in rags or tatters. Jesus will be ashamed of you if you rise out of the grave to meet the heavenly Bridegroom with what you are naturally wearing. If you are dressed in the white robe, you will not spend your time pulling feathers even if the chicken you are plucking is white. What do you clothe yourself with? In Khulekani’s testimony, he said that the power of sin, the power of thoughts is broken and he experiences victory because of the cleansing power of the blood of the Lamb that was slain and who is worthy to receive all honour, glory and power forever and ever.
Today I would like to read you some portions from the Bible. Maybe we do not read the Bible and it is not a blessing to us but maybe if we read it here, in the presence of the Lord, maybe it can change us. Jesus told His disciples, You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you, John 15:3. One however, was not cleansed.
This portion stirred me when I read it.
Elijah the Tishbite, of the temporary residents of Gilead, said to Ahab, As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before Whom I stand, there shall not be dew or rain these years but according to My word. 2 And the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 3 Go from here and turn east and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, east of the Jordan. 4 You shall drink of the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there, 1 Kings 17:1 – 4
This man’s name means “My God, Jehovah is He”. One does not hear of his ancestry, his parents but one hears of Elijah. He could speak God’s word to King Ahab. What he said was true, he did not speak slanderous words. One day he slandered the worship of Baal and his followers with the authority given by God. His words were sifted. They were spoken in the presence of God. And he could say, As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before Whom I stand, there shall not be dew or rain these years but according to My word. He was a messenger of God who said that it would not rain until you hear from me or until I am sent by God to speak rain to you. What a man! In your Christianity, what are you after? What do you chase after? What do you seek? What gain do you want for yourself? Do you want recognition for who you are?
Moses said in Deuteronomy: Yes, he loved his people, all his holy ones were in his hand; so they followed in your steps, receiving direction from you, Deuteronomy 33:3. Whenever we talk about those who are in God’s hand, let our words be few. Do not anger God through trivial and cheap talk, however spiritual it might sound. Do not use the Bible to your own advantage. The Bible says the one who uses the name of God in vain will not go unpunished. For how many years have you been a Christian? Forget about what you know, forget about all your excuses and justifications; all your valid reasoning. Know this: the God of Elijah marks your words and by your words you will be condemned or by your words you will be released.
To whom is Elijah speaking in this text? To Ahab, the king of Israel. And of Ahab we have a short summary in 1 Kings 16:33 And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him. Pity that nation that had such a king for 22 years. He was a good gentleman to his wife. He allowed her to serve other gods. He built an altar to Baal and he allowed his good queen to entertain the worshippers and priests of Baal.
We cannot expect blessings from the Lord if the king provokes the Lord to anger. What kind of a king are you in your family? You father, the head of your family. You are a king. You do not allow anyone to mix in the affairs of your children. Nobody is allowed to disturb your wife. You allow her to worship what she wants. You say that she belongs to you because she is so beautiful. She is a make-up expert. She has such a smooth tongue and she helps you out of your troubles.
One day King Ahab wanted a piece of land. The owner of the land told the king that the land was his inheritance from his fathers and that he could not give it away or exchange it. King Ahab went home, lay on his bed and sulked because Naboth was not willing to give up his inheritance. Ahab’s compassionate wife asked him why he felt so bad and troubled. King Ahab replied, “Oh my dearest one, this Naboth is an obstinate man. I made a wonderful proposal to him and he did not accept it. He did not want to listen to the advice of his king.” This wonderful, clever, scheming wife came up with the right solution to help her poor, miserable, wretched husband who was suffering from depression. She said, “Oh, king, remain here. Do not move a finger. I will sort out this matter.” Secretly she enticed the liars, whether it was using money under the table or into their bank accounts, to tell lies about Naboth saying that he had cursed the king and spoken badly about the king and that he was no longer fit to live. She encouraged them to stone him and end his misery. Elijah stood before this treacherous king who was like soap or a slippery fish or snake and said, “I have been sent by God, Jehovah. My God, Jehovah is He, oh king!”
It is wonderful to have saints, His holy ones, who can speak and their word is final and truthful.
2 And the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 3 Go from here and turn east and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, east of the Jordan. 1 Kings 17:3. This prophet had to flee to a desert place because of the wrath of Ahab’s wife. 4 You shall drink of the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there. Elijah obeyed the One he served and he hid in the reeds, to be alone and drink from that brook and eat the meat and bread that was carried on wings that he could sustain himself and wait patiently on the Lord. David speaks of this type of experience in Psalm 31 perhaps because the same spirit that was in David was in Elijah.
13 For I hear the whispering of many—terror on every side!—as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life. 14 But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” 15 My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors! 16 Make your face shine on your servant; save me in your steadfast love! 17 O Lord, let me not be put to shame, for I call upon you; let the wicked be put to shame; let them go silently to Sheol. 18 Let the lying lips be mute, which speak insolently against the righteous in pride and contempt. 19 Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind! 20 In the cover of your presence you hide them from the plots of men; you store them in your shelter from the strife of tongues. 21 Blessed be the Lord, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city. 22 I had said in my alarm “I am cut off from your sight.” But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help. 23 Love the Lord, all you his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. 24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord! Psalm 31:13 – 24
18…having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all, Ephesians 1:18-23.
Do you want to experience the riches of the glory of His inheritance together with the holy ones?
19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places… This is incomprehensible with the human mind. Have you allowed this power to be revealed in your life? When you are attacked, whether it be in thought or whether your own thoughts brew within you, read this. Is Christ’s power too small in your life?
22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Do you belong to this church? Yes, we claim to belong to KwaSizabantu but do you belong to the One who is the head over all things, to the church which is His body? You can be part of the body of Jesus to experience this authority, power, dominion where all things are in subjection under His feet.
Children, do you understand that if you receive instruction and teachings from the saints of the Lord, they want you to be part of Jesus, His church, His body, in order to experience this rule, authority, power, dominion, above every name that is named, then you can stand as an Elijah and fear no man because Jehovah is your God and you are part of His church. If one member suffers all others suffer too. You need not stand alone. Why are you standing alone? Do you believe in this Jesus who has come to redeem you and give you a snow-white garment because He wants you to be part of His body? Can you feel what Christ feels? If He speaks a word, that word is in you and part of you. If you are corrected, it is for your own good because the body of Christ does not want you to lose the connection to Jesus. They do not want you to be part of the devil, of sinners or defectors. They want you where you can experience God’s power filling your heart, soul and body.
You will not be just an onlooker who says, “Well, I’ll go on Sunday and hear what they have to say. I wonder who will be testifying today? Is it really genuine? He could have said it in a different way.” No, you will feel what that person feels because you have been grafted into the vine, you are part of Jesus and what He feels for that person, you feel it too. Do you see what Christ, His suffering and His death mean? He came for this!
In a conversation these days someone made this comment “…maybe that person’s heart is not here. He is working, but his heart is not here.” A little girl in our house suddenly piped up, “Opa, my heart is here!” pointing to her chest. Is your heart here? Where is your heart? Is it part of Jesus?
If you have not understood, take this portion and read it again. It is difficult to explain what Jesus intends for you and me, what His purpose is. Everyone who seeks holiness and who seeks to be a saint of Jehovah urges you to be part of Christ and in the body of Christ – to talk what He talks, to feel what He feels, to go where He says. How often haven’t the saints, Christ’s holy ones, prayed for you? Every service they pray for you. Have you made it your own or do you say they are praying for someone else? It is for you so that you will be part of Christ. Even if you are an unknown, you have no father on whom you can rely and no mother – you have no history, but stand like an Elijah and say, “I can say this because I have heard it from the Lord and He commands me to say this, to go there. I am in seclusion and attacked, everyone hates me and seeks my life but God You are with me. You are my refuge. All my hope is in You alone even if everyone forsakes me.
Dietmar Joosten
The key is Christ. He died for us so that we may understand and grasp what is said. It is not by our own works, strength and ability to understand but it is by His grace that our eyes and hearts are opened to Him. Elijah knew that He stood before God. Joseph understood that He stood before God. They had a relationship. That was their secret. Have you got that relationship with Christ? Do you feed on what He has said? How do you read your Bible? It is a desire to do so? Do you learn from what you have read? If we could understand who Christ is and what He has done for us, and friends, that we are in His hands. When we belong to Him, we are in His hands that hold and protect us. Why does sin so easily get hold of you? Do you rely on your own strength, abilities and ideas or have you died to yourself and your own will and ways? Then you are in His hands.