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Moriel Ministries > Missions |
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Moriel Missions South Africa June 2008
Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus our Messiah and Savior. We have all had a very busy and exciting month with me going to the UK on itinerary and also receiving friends from Pittsburgh USA. I will tell you more about this later. As usual if you want to see pictures of the ministry associated with this newsletter than please visit our googlepage at http://Morielmissionscollege.googlepages.com/ First of all Jacobs Tour This begins this week and we are very excited about having Jacob over with us. Its seems only 5 minutes since his Christmas visit and yet the last 6 months have been filled with of exciting things. Below is his itinerary for the next three weekends. Saturday 7th June Elijah ministries. Sunday 8th June Elijah ministries Monday 9th of June till Thursday 12th June Tanzania mission Friday 13th till Sunday 15th Monday: 16th June 3pm and 6pm Tuesday: 17th June @ 7:00pm Wednesday: 18th June 7pm. Friday 20th till Sunday 22nd Cape Town Sat 21.06 at 1900pm Ebyown Children's Home First of all some news. Lettie our New Ebyown Child The last two weeks have been very busy with the visit of Manny and Kelly from Pittsburgh who came to help us get our new home for children with physical and mental challenges. On Sunday afternoon the house was finished and on Sunday evening Simphiwe, Deven moved in. Today Lettie arrived ensuring that the house is already full. Paulina still waits for permission to remove a bone in her foot. This has now taken 8 months and is an example of the things we have to battle against with social services Luke had a nasty lump on his shoulder due to a swollen gland and Baden who is lactose intolerant managed to steal some cheese from the top of one of the kids Pizza. He ended up quite unwell with a terrible tummy. Prudence really has a talent for baking. Her Corn bread is the best I have tasted. Who knows she maybe Ebyown's future cook? N'thombi, Siphiwe and Jo have all been well this month for which we praise God for. Deven has had several seizures but has stabilized in the last week. Dave's UK Itinerary June I will be over for a short while on business and some fellowships have kindly opened their doors to me to teach. If you would like to catch up with me I will be found at the following places and as usual my telephone numbers are 0161 737 2996 Cell 07771544456 Sunday 29th June 10.30am Sunday 6th July 11am Sunday 13th July 10.30am Aletheia Community Church This month to welcome Manny and Kelly Luteran from Pittsburgh we decided to have an out reach and a Boaraworse roll meal together. The tent had many visitors and 6 people gave their lives to Jesus including one of our workers Patience. We plan to have this as a monthly out reach. We also dedicated a little baby called Mbali. Her name means flower and it was good to see some of her family come along for the service. In late June we plan to have a Baptism service and we hope to use this happy event to invite others along. Services begin at 1030am but being African time we usually have people joining us throughout the service. Tanzania Please pray for Jacob and I as we visit Tanzania on the 9th June. Our destination will be Arusha to visit the Moriel head quarters there and catch up with Ps Norbert and his team. We hope to also meet with Ps Moses from Kenya and Ps Deo from Rwanda. We will be doing house to house evangelism in a Massai community as well as preaching the gospel at several events. We pray that the whole trip may produce godly fruit. Teaching Ministry We will be publishing a list of Jacobs teachings while on SA tour. Meanwhile we have a catalogue that can be ordered from Chris at morielmissionscollege@gmail.com Teaching Chapter Five 1 Thessalonians ch 2:7 -13 But we were gentle in the midst of you, as when a nurse cherisheth her own children: 8 even so, being affectionately desirous of you, we were well pleased to impart unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were become very dear to us. 9 For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail: working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God. 10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and righteously and unblameably we behaved ourselves toward you that believe: 11 as ye know how we dealt with each one of you, as a father with his own children, exhorting you, and encouraging you, and testifying, 12 to the end that ye should walk worthily of God, who calleth you into his own kingdom and glory. Now we begin to look at the work and ministry of the believer. In the last teaching we looked at Paul's defense and part of that defense was to remind the Thessalonians of the nature and style of the work he did among them. And in doing so, Paul gives us today a glimpse into the life of an apostle and also we receive a clear picture of what it means to be a minister for Christ. This is important to us because the word of God says in 1Peter 2:9 that you and I are "a Royal priesthood". It is to you and I today that Christ looks at to be His ambassadors here on earth. And if we are to honor God and fulfill our calling in Him we can learn a lot from the ministry of Paul among the Thessalonians. So how did Paul minister among the Thessalonians? We are going to concentrate on v7 and v11 and look at the "Parenthood" of Paul. The kingdom of God is a kingdom that values the relationships of its members. When we speak about God often it's in the context of family relationship. We see how Father relates to son and how Son relates to the father. We also see how Jesus often speaks metaphorically concerning a certain depth of relationship He has with His people. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to her, how often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings."- Matt 23v37 When the apostle Paul write to a young Timothy in 1 Tim ch5, he describes how he must relate to other believers and again here we see that God requires depth of relationship between His people. 1 Tim ch5 v 1 says "we must appeal to older men as fathers". Verse 1 again says "we must treat younger men as brothers". Verse 2 "We must treat older women as mothers and younger women as sisters in all purity." In verse 8 Paul goes on to say that "if any one does not provide for his own and especially for his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever". We have two categories of dependant here- "His own" and "His household". I wonder if Paul is talking about not only his immediate family here but also the extended family. Even the family of believers. There is this interchangeability within the kingdom of God between blood family and kingdom family. Both are precious, both are honored; both are given great dignity by Jesus. But the apostle Paul, how did he relate to the believers? What can be learnt from his relationships as we relate to each other? Another thing to consider is the comparison to Paul and the so called Apostles and evangelists we see scurrying around our cities and rural areas today. I think it's fair to say that when we compare these 'ministries' or even our own ministries, how do we compare to the example of the great Apostle? First of all Paul describes himself as a nursing mother, "Trophos" in the Greek language. Strong has the following trof-os'; from (5142) a nourisher, i.e. nurse: — nurse. 'Nursing Mother', I enjoy Strongs term 'Nourisher' it's a very strong description as regards relationship. It is the epitome of sacrificial love. Looking at some of our young mothers nursing their children. They bathe them, feed them on demand at all ours of the night. Yet Paul describes himself in these terms and yet it seems contrary to what many Christians experience today. Even in the church we see that the individual is king and you just don't get this close to people anymore generally speaking. Dependence is often seen as weakness and far too often baby Christians are left to stand on their own far too soon in a world full of spiritual predators. Paul describes this nursing as having two distinct characteristics. We see that Paul was "gentle among them". First, notice he was among them. Not distant, cool, aloof, unable to let his life touch others. He was "among them". But he was also gentle, "Epios" in the Greek. It describes a mildness, a kindness of a parent. Strong has the following: ay'-pee-os; probably from (2031) properly affable, i.e. mild or kind: — gentle. O for more gentleness in the church. The word says so much about this lovely attribute. 2 Timothy 2:24, And the Lord's servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing, Titus 3:1-2, Put them in mind to be in subjection to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready unto every good work, 2 to speak evil of no man, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing all meekness toward all men. James 3:17, But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy. 2Corithians 10:1, Now I Paul myself entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, Galatians 5:22-23 ASB, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, Notice in 2Corinthians it mentions the gentleness of Christ. Why is it we see so little of this fruit around us particularly amongst our leaders. Having worked for over 14 years with Proctor and Gamble I can see that certain of the world business attitudes have infiltrated the body of Christ from the top down. Our Pastors seminars are now taking the shape of business seminars. At a conference I heard one speaker appeal to his colleagues to 'Invest in yourself'. This coming from the continent of Africa where poverty could be found outside the conference centre's door. Aggressive leadership with a no nonsense attitude when dealing with people so as not to show 'weakness' is sadly being cultivated. How would it be if our loud, bold, brash unapproachable leaders cultivated a gentle approachable nature. After all this was Paul and even more importantly, this was Jesus. He is also described as someone who tenderly cares for or cherishes the believers. The Greek word itself "Thalpo" means to heat, top soften by warmth, to keep warm as a bird keeps its chicks warm, by covering the nest with her wings. Strong has this to say: thal'-po; probably akin to (to warm); to brood, i.e. (figurative) to foster: — cherish. Paul was tender. He cared. He looked upon God's people in Thessalonica, as people needing and deserving of the love and care of a nursing mother. What then does this say to us today? I believe it says that each of us must take care of each other in the same way that our young mothers take care of their little ones. It's quality of caring. It doesn't mean that we treat each other childishly. It means we provide the quality of love that is sacrificial, gentle and tender, as a nursing mother looks after he children. Let's look further at this fruit of gentleness: Gentleness is lovely. Proverbs 15v1 says "A gentle answer turns away wrath". Matthew 5v5 says "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth". How would it be if you and I bore more of the fruit of gentleness among us? But Paul also describes himself as a "father" to his children; the children being the Thessalonians. Both Motherhood and fatherhood were strong concepts to the reader of Paul's day and for different reasons. We've seen what a nursing mother is but fatherhood brings a lovely balance to Paul's picture of parenthood. The father figure, particularly to the Jews, was a figure of authority. Not the lording over kind but it was sanctioned in scripture akin to the relationship of Almighty God and His people, His children. All the property of the soil, the power to judge, all civil rights concerning family, belonged to him and him alone. The father was the head of the household and upon him was the obligation of bringing up his children in the fear of the Lord, making them familiar with the Torah and acting as their guide and instructor. That is the Biblical standard for fatherhood. A man to head his home to take responsibility for his family and the things of God, not lording it, but responsibility and accountability. But it's the counterbalance to the motherhood and Paul uses this balance to bring three characteristics to the Thessalonians mind. First of all, as a father, he exhorts his children, "Parakaleo" in the Greek. Sounds familiar doesn't it? The root word is "Paraklete", which describes the work of the Holy Spirit. It means to call to ones side, to call to, to urge towards some form of conduct. It doesn't in this case mean comforter because comfort often looks introspectively. Exhortation looks forward. It is the heart of discipleship. Strong has this entry: par-ak-al-eh'-o; from (3844) and (2564) to call near, i.e. invite, invoke (by imploration, hortation or consolation): — beseech, call for, (be of good) comfort, desire, (give) exhort (-ation), entreat, pray. Secondly, as a father, he encourages, "Paramutheomai" in the Greek, it means to stimulate towards a discharge of duties. Again, it's a positive forward looking word, which builds up the believer. Strong has the following: par-am-oo-theh'-om-ahee; from (3844) and the middle of a derivative of (3454) to relate near, i.e. (by implication) encourage, console: — comfort. Thirdly, as a father, Paul implores, "Martureo" in the Greek. It's related to the English word Martyr, which means to be a witness or testify too. It can mean to change with, to testify to, to bear witness to, it has the meaning of instruction in Godly duties. Strong says: mar-too-reh'-o; from (3144) to be a witness, i.e. testify (literal or figurative): — charge, give [evidence], bear record, have (obtain, of) good (honest) report, be well reported of, testify, give (have) testimony, (be, bear, give, obtain) witness. So we see how these three areas fit in exactly with the perceived role of biblical fatherhood and the relationship with his children. What then does this say to us today? In the world today, and I speak primarily to we men at this point, it's difficult to be male, especially biblically (it's even difficult to be female biblically at this time). Isaiah prophesied it, ch 3v12 says "O my people. Their oppressors are children and women rule over them". Ch 4v1 continues. And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, We willeat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy In Christian leadership, feminism in all its manifestation is taking hold to such an extent that one year my wife attended a conference for leaders wives and she was ridiculed for supporting her husband in the ministry as head of the home and for being content with being a helpmate as scripture ordains. Homosexuality, gays, lesbians, parade around the church within leadership, contrary to God's laws. What does this communicate to the world? What does this communicate to our children when they see leaders and believers in same sex relationships? The world is mixed up. The world is in the church and it's hard to be a man with biblical standards. That's why these three areas are important to all of us men and women. We need exhorting. We need to pull alongside each other and urge each other on towards godliness. We all need encouragement. We need to implore each other. To instruct and charge each other to God's standard. Paul was a parent to the believers, the example so often on display today is the direct opposite. No wonder the church of the living God has become so unattractive. Who wants unapproachable leaders? Who wants abruptness and hostility? Who really desires others to Lord it over them? As I itinerate it has almost become embarrassing the way many people approach me apologetically after I speak just in case they waste y precious time. Where have they received this attitude from? From leaders who should know better and who follow the business trends in the office rather than the gentleness of Paul and our messiah. Rather than say "keep away I am busy", we must echo the words of Messiah, Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, Prayer Items
How can you help?
Contacts UK Mr & Mrs B Royle Moriel SA
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