So close yet so far

This is part of an email I sent to one of my friends at BBC when he pressed ganged me into becoming a door welcomer. I feel that I should post it as I felt God physically standing next to me as I typed...

I know that God has naturally gifted me as a welcomer but I feel that God has some other mission field waiting for me. No I don't know what it is but I must earnestly seek Him and He will be found. I also feel that I supposed to be working in this field a long time ago and I let God down.

They say a tree which does not bare fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I look at myself and cry when I don't see any fruit. God has never left me but I have left Him many times. God is in the center of the universe and I am in the centre of mine. My friends around me are asking questions like what are my gifts and what is my calling? I know deep down because God told me long time ago that I am special and that He has something special for me to do. (Excuse me I am crying and I don't know why I am tell you this). I suppose because God is standing right next to me as I write this and yet I am so far from Him. If this does not make sense to you, don't worry, it doesn't make sense to me either but God is smiling.

I will know the special mission what God wants me to do when it requires not my natural born talents (which God gave me at birth) but a super natural gift which will prove that it is not me but God.

I will help full the ranks of a welcomer when needed but please note this comes naturally to me so it is not my calling, it is not the special mission that God wants me for.

My armour is too shiny and the enemy can see it. I need to stand up, step forward for that special mission soon and get dirty. There I go crying again.... It won't be easy but one day I sit with Jesus under that tree and show Him my battle scars with proud. What a beautiful day that will be.

Private Jerome reporting

I'm in my corner, and you in yours

Well, with so much happening all at once this week, there was not much time to do anything else. So I do apologise that this posting is a wee bit late. My project is about to launch, a new client on board who wants his work out within two days of giving it to me, Sun International's 4 new hotels in Port Ghalib, Egypt needs to be processed, my birthday and a party to help arrange, my best friend up from Durban to spend the weekend and so much more. There wasn't even time for God and spiritual warfare. I was so involved in my own world where I was in the centre, Mr Venter, that God had no place to maneuver. Don't get me wrong God was also with me, in thought and prayer but God was in the centre of the universe and I was in the center of mine. It is these times that the devil comes and trys to distract us. He knows us so well and we make it even easier for him by not focusing on God. Angus Buchan says that the best form of spiritual warfare is to lead a soul to Jesus Christ. And that was the furthest from my mind this week.

What was really shocking for me, that came out from last Tuesday's cell meeting was that we will find the devil in places we least expect him to be. We don't expect him in church do we? Well that is where we will find him busy stirring seeds of sin amongst God's people. Denise mentioned how easily we un-wittingly do the devil's work for him. We have to be on constant guard against satan because he is like a lion seeking for our week points.

The Invisible War

As we can all feel it, winter is truly here but that was not going to stop us. Last Tuesday we had a hot start to a new series "The Invisible War" by Chip Ingram.

The Invisible War is what every believer needs to know about our enemy and the mighty spiritual warfare that is raging all around us. Sandy started by stating that us "mlungus" have lost touch with what is happening around us in the spiritual realm while the Africans still sense it and feel it in everyday life. We just hope that it isn't quite so real.

We are God's children and what better way for satan to get back at the Father through his children. Satan knows us so well and he will try anything to oppose God's plans. The good thing is, he does not know the future, only the past and it is with the past that he will try trip us up.

I pray that this series will wake us up. Lord open our eyes that we my see what is going on around us so that we can prepare ourselves for the spiritual battle.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. " Eph. 6:10-12

So as we head down this course, let us take out that armour and put it on, it is the only protection we need. For some of us our armour is rusted and never been used, for others they are well polished and shining as for a parade but have never been warn in war. Yes some of us are so focused at keeping our armour sparkling for the coming general that we fail to see the enemy flanking us. The armour was given to us to be worn in combat. Let us stand together as a home group ready for the enemy. Let him think twice about out flanking us but attack us head on, for the war is already won by our general. Wouldn't it be wonderful to show God the dings and scars in our well worn armour at the end of the battle.

And the war cry for this week is from Eph. 6:10
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power."