Frank Retief was pastor at St James Church Cape Town for 31 years, having planted the church in 1968 with his wife Beulah.  He became the Presiding Bishop of the Church of England in South Africa until he retired in 2010.  Frank remains active in ministry through preaching, teaching, pastoral work & writing, and has authored a number of books.

Where is Jesus when I need Him?

Mark 5:36 Jesus told the synagogue ruler: “Don’t be afraid just believe.”

The story in Mark 5:2-4 is full of interesting and mysterious things. Jesus is approached by a troubled and anxious father to heal his eleven year-old daughter. This man “Jairus” was neither an enemy nor a critic of our Lord. He was simply a father, although he had great standing in the community because he was one of the rulers of the local synagogue.We read that Jesus went with him but on the way he was delayed by another person with great personal needs. The woman who stopped him en route to the young girl had suffered for years with a bleeding condition. We can only imagine what this must have meant for her physically, psychologically and socially because she would have been considered unclean, and also conjugally – if she was married at all – her husband would most likely have disowned her. So Jesus stops to deal with her and help her.Meanwhile, imagine the family waiting for Jesus with great anxiety. Does he not know how serious their daughter’s condition is? Why does He not come at once? Why does He allow Himself to be delayed?

How often have we felt like that. Our personal circumstances have taken a bad turn and in desperation we have called out to the Lord. But nothing seems to happen. Then the news arrives that the girl had died. But Jesus ignores the messengers and urges the family to have faith! Faith in what? Faith in fate, or in medicine or in the unknown or what? No. It is faith in HIM. By trusting Him they are saying: “We believe that you come from God. We believe you have all power in Heaven and Earth. Although we do not understand all your ways we know you not only know best but will do what is right and in alignment with your purposes”As we know the story ends well. The young girl is healed and the family is comforted.Does this mean that there will always be healing for us? Or that every crisis will be resolved satisfactorily? NO! What this great story tells us is that there will come a day when Jesus will “wake” us all up from the grave and in that new world which he will bring with him there will be no more death, sickness and sorrow.

Of course this story also tells us how compassionate our Lord is with us all here and now! We may certainly bring our sorrows and anxieties to Him. But remember the little girl died first before she was raised to live and so too with us. Our circumstances may not seem to change much outwardly, in fact they may even seem worse. In other words somehow for us it seems that the worst that can happen seems to happen first, with no intervention from the Lord.But He who has authority and power over all things seen and unseen is still in control of your circumstances if you belong to Him.

His Word to you is “Don’t be afraid. Just believe”. Believe not in the mystical power of faith, like many superstitious people do, but believe in Him, His love for you, proven by His death on the Cross, and believe that He is in control of your life and working all things out for the best, and for His own ultimate glory. So that whatever conclusion there is to your personal dilemma, sad or happy, you are never out of His hands, never cut off from His care and never outside of His purposes.Prayer:“Heavenly FatherI confess that my faith has often failed especially when my circumstances have been bad. I am very weak. Please strengthen me so that I may trust you and your love for me shown by your Son our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us and rose again so that we might have a brighter future. Amen”

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Candice is a busy wife to Matt and mom of Noah (5) and Tyler (3 going on 21). Candice also works part-time at our Rosebank Store of Christian Book Discounters. In her spare time Candice writes for her own blog and is a travel consultant.

When you have a baby, just getting through one day without falling asleep in our cereal is the biggest achievement. As my two ninjas get older, I’m beginning to realise that raising kids, as much as possible to be Jesus kids, doesn’t just consist of trying to make it through the day in one piece, making sure that homework is done, ensuring that veggies are eaten and that naps are taken. God actually relies on me (and Matt) to give our kids character building lessons, to teach them Godly values and to show them how to be Jesus to people. Because we’re the closest people to them, we’re the first example they’ll know and see ~ ahem. The pressure is great.

Noah, my 5 year old, is at school in the mornings. At the start of the year, he was at another pre-school where he was bullied. It impacted him and his little self-confidence and character a lot. As his mommy, it was just the most heart breaking thing to have to walk through. Needless to say, he’s in a different school and loving it BUT even though Noah and I walked that path, and it was horrible, it gave him a chance to learn an important lesson. Because he knows that being ugly to other kids hurts, because he’s experienced it himself, he knows what it feels like. He identifies. So everyday when he gets out the car at school, and we walk into class, I say to him “Mr Noah, you be the little boy who makes another girl or boy smile today.” Look, he’s 5 ~ and he’s totally not into sharing at the moment and really is feisty so of course, he’s got his moments where he’s not even close to bringing a smile to someone else, but rather a flood of tears. But every morning as his mommy, I pray “Lord, help my baby help someone smile today” ~ and I try remind him at the start of every day as he heads into his classroom. He’s never come home and told me he’s been a smile-bringer but his teacher told me the other day that he prayed in class and this is how his prayer went “Dear Jesus. Thank you for our mommies and daddies and please help us to be kind to each other today. Jesus doesn’t like it when we’re ugly to each other. Amen.”

I’m trying my best to teach my kids to bring and be joy to the people around them. By doing that, they’re demonstrating Jesus, even in the small things, like sharing Lego blocks or by asking another little girl or boy if they’re ok if they fall and helping them up ~ it’s a tough one to teach a little person who’s still trying to figure out what they want in life and who they are in life, never mind trying to be a light in someone else’s but we take it one day and one prayer at a time.

There’s also the practical side of things like trying to get my kids to be involved hands on with people who they wouldn’t normally get to interact with, to get them to see and be face to face with kids who don’t have as much as they do.

SUSPENDED COFFEE AND GROCERIES …… read part 2 next month.

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Hebrews 4 vs 14-16 : Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin.

Recently, we were watching an action packed thriller movie on DSTV.  As we are in the midst of Cape Town winter that brings loads of rain, the DSTV connection went out just minutes from the end of our movie due to yet another rain storm!  The only thing we were able to view was not the end of the movie but the words on the screen that read: “the decoder is attempting to re-establish connection.”

Well, needless to say, the rain storm continued, and we didn’t get to enjoy the movie ending.  We felt frustrated and unfulfilled. 

Transitioning to our spiritual lives, do you feel disconnected to God?  Do you feel frustrated and unfulfilled in your walk with the LORD?  Well, good news abounds.  “we can approach the throne of grace with confidence, so we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

 So what is the cure to feeling disconnected to the Lord due to the storms of life?

We can have the absolute confidence that when we pray through Jesus to the Father we trust that He hears us and cares for every one of our physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.   I encourage you to take some time to call out to the LORD.  His mercy and grace are yours because of who you are “in Christ.”  And then share this good news of mercy and grace with a family member, friend, neighbor or co-worker.

Jesus is able to sympathize with every single one of our weaknesses!

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Frank Retief was pastor at St James Church Cape Town for 31 years, having planted the church in 1968 with his wife Beulah.  He became the Presiding Bishop of the Church of England in South Africa until he retired in 2010.  Frank remains active in ministry through preaching, teaching, pastoral work & writing, and has authored a number of books.

Lying

Ephesians 4:25 “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbour, for we are all members of one body.”

Amongst the people of God there should be no lying or untruthfulness. We belong to the One who said: “I am the Truth” and truth and transparency should categorize everything we do.

Many of us will know the hurt, chaos and conflict that has been brought about by people telling other people lies. Perhaps you yourself have been the victim of some sort of deceit. You then will know how hurtful and shocking it can be.

We know of course that we live in a world of lies. Not only do our politicians and public figures often lie to us but we can hardly escape the falsehoods and deceptions contained in the small print of many of the documents we have to sign just to live in this world. Our TV shows are full of all the things that break our society. Just think of the titles of some of the soapies as you read this. They all speak to you of lies, deceit and unfaithfulness.

Proverbs 19:5 says: “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who tells lies will not escape.” We all know that lies and half-truths all eventually get found out, but how sad to see the characters of young people often forged and formed by living in an environment where everyone lives by lying to each other.

Not so with us as Christians. We know by instinct that truthfulness should form and shape our lives. We know the truth of Proverbs 19:22 “…..it is better to be a poor man that a liar.” We remember the teaching of James chapter 3 about the power of the tongue and how it can set a great forest on fire with a small spark.

Let us avoid lying at all costs. We follow the Lord Jesus Christ in whose mouth no falsehood was found. Whatever others may do let’s always determine to tell the truth and people who are known to be trustworthy and dependable for Christ’s sake.

Prayer:

“Almighty God, How easily I fall into the sin of corrupt speech. Help me to rather emulate my Saviour and to remember that I am indwelt by the Spirit of truth. Please forgive my sinfulness and carelessness. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

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