The Jesus Diet

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Glory to God!

As a Kingdom community that is called to be a spiritual, relational, maturing, healing, generous, outward-focused, serving, creative and multiplying church, we are seeing how essential it is that we live Christ-centred lives - lives that depend on Jesus, live for Jesus and are governed by Him to be Christ-like. The believer's goal, therefore, is to be Christ-like, since, "Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did" (1 John 2:6).

Yesterday, Richard spoke to us about how we can live Christ-like lives by avoiding the Jesus Diet and living the Jesus Life. You can listen to the message here. This is what Richard showed us:

• Diets have a temporary goal and are externally motivated - one follows a set of instructions (external influence) for a short period of time (temporary). Diets might help for a short term solution but usually fail long-term!
• A long-term goal of being healthy, for example, requires an internal motivation - one desires to be healthy (internal influence) one's whole life (long-term).
• Colossians 2:20-23 describes the Jesus Diet that inevitably fails because the motivation is external and is based on rules and regulations for trying to be like Jesus.
• Colossians 3:1-17, however describes how the believer can be internally motivated to accomplish the long-term goal of living like Jesus.
• The process of learning to be Christ-like begins with repentance.
• Repentance involves both a decsion to "cut off" what is harmful to one (and offensive to God) and a renewal of the mind according to the realities of heaven - the reality of the believer's new life in Christ.
• Paul describes the realities of heaven in Colossians 3:1-17:

Position: We have been raised to new life in Christ in heavenly places –
“You have been raised to new life in Christ.” 3:1
Entitlement – we have access and authority in Christ.

Identity: We have a new life in Christ –
“Your real life is hidden with Christ in God.” 3:3
“God chose you to be the holy people he loves.” 3:12
“For as members of one body you are called to live in peace.” 3:15
“And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus.” 3:17
Existence – we come into being as new creations in Christ.

Life: Christ is our life –
“Christ, who is your life.” 3:4
Empowerment – we live in dependence on Christ for life.

Hope: The hope of glory –
“And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.” 3:4
Expectation – we live from the hope that is ours in Christ.

Knowledge of God: the knowledge of God renews our minds
“Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.” 3:10
Encounter – we grow in our knowledge of God as we encounter Him.

• When our internal reality changes, then our outward behaviour and life will change.
• We cannot change on the outside what has not been changed internally!
• When the realities of heaven become real to us, we will put on Christ and live as Christ did.

We praise God for revelation of the realities of heaven; for the position, identity, life, hope and knowledge of God we have in Christ! Hallelujah!

Upcoming events

12.04 - Bengt Wedemalm @ KLF
03.04 - Good Friday Reflection - a time to get together for worship, communion and reflecting on the power of the cross @ Leipzigerstr.60
 

Kingdom Community

Glory to God!

Yesterday's meeting was very powerful! It seems we have broken through into a freedom in the Spirit that is shaking strongholds and breaking down walls! As we worshipped the Lord, the Spirit of our victorious King caused us to enter an arena in the spirit where we began to displace the kingdom of darkness with His glorious light as we proclaimed Jesus Christ as Lord over our lives, the Church and the nations.

Richard then led us in a corporate prayer and proclamation for Kingdom Life to establish her identity and calling as a Kingdom Community. This is KLF's prayer:

Heavenly Father,

You have rescued us from the Kingdom of darkness and placed us in Your Kingdom of light – You are our Saviour and our Lord.
You have joined us together and to yourself – we are one in You.
You have set us apart as your very own people – we belong to You.
You have made us your dwelling place – we are holy.
You have sent us to represent your Kingdom – we are Your ambassadors.
 
Therefore,

You have called us to be a spiritual community: a people who depend on You, live for You and are governed by You. 
You have called us to be a relational community: a people who are committed to one another in love.
You have called us to be a maturing community: a people who are growing in their knowledge of You, in Christ-likeness and in love.
You have called us to be a healing community: a people of hope who bring restoration.
You have called us to be a generous community: a people who give beyond expectation.
You have called us to be an outward-focused community: a people who reach out to the unsaved and needy.
You have called us to be a serving community: a people who sacrificially help others.
You have called us to be a creative community: a people who celebrate their gifts for your glory.
You have called us to be a multiplying community: a people who influence with and birth and establish Your Kingdom wherever they are.
 
We believe that this is what we are created for in Christ to be and to do for Your glory. As Your Kingdom community, we ask You for the grace, the wisdom and the power to fulfill Your will for us.
In Jesus’ Name.
Amen.

Frances then shared a message on the centrality of Christ, looking at the letter to the Colossians and the apostle Paul's emphasis on Christ-centred living. You can listen to the message here. Frances showed us how Christ is the centre of everything and that everything is from Christ, through Christ, for Christ and everything is moving towards Christ's return. Knowing the truth that Jesus is the centre of everything, the question was raised whether Christ is the centre of our lives and whether Jesus is governing each of our lives as we submit to His authority. In response to the message, people made a fresh commitment to Jesus to reestablish that He is the centre of their lives.

Upcoming events

12.04 - Bengt Wedemalm at KLF

Fulfilling Destiny

 iStock

Glory to God!

On Sunday we had a very powerful meeting as the Father revealed how precious Jesus is to Him (1Peter 2:4) and how He has exalted Him to the highest place and given Him the name above all names (Phil 2:9). As we treasured Christ and exalted Him together in worship and proclamation, it seemed the room was filled with an awesome sense of Christ's nearness and authority. It was amazing to enter into the revelation of God.

Elizabeth then brought a message on what it means to work out one's salvation, based on Philippians 2:12,13. She showed us how God has placed divine potential within every believer that He calls each indiviual to realize in His power and by His grace. Elizabeth pointed out 3 areas that can hinder the fulfillment or realisation of what God has placed in each believer:

1. Lack of self-awareness - not knowing one's own, unique identity, gifting and calling.
2. Fear of failure - unless we step out and move toward our destiny, we will not reach what God has purposed for our lives. Failure is part of the learning process that enables us to move forward.
3. Lack of passion - we are called to be zealous for God and to be wholeheartedly devoted to His work.

You can listen to Elizabeth's message, entitled Work Out Your Salvation, here.

In response to God's word to us we prayed with one another and encouraged one another to see breakthrough in different areas of our lives.

Upcoming events

12.04 - Bengt Wedemalm at KLF

Liberating Truth

 Image courtesy of master isolated images at freedigitalphotos.net

Glory to God!

As the Lord continues to call the Church to "Arise and shine" (Isaiah 60:1-3), we are seeing God stir us to stand in His truth and to align ourselves to the nature and principles of His Kingdom. Two Sundays ago, Alexander showed us how literature and the media influence the moral climate of society by creating "tipping points" of what is acceptable in our culture. In his message, he showed us the difference between God's view of relationships and romance and the world's as a response to the currently very popular film, Fifty Shades of Grey. Alexander showed us that whereas the film communicates the devaluing of a person, the perversion of covenant, the exercise of bondage and sexual abuse, as acceptable, God's love is the very opposite. God's love releases man from bondage into the freedom of a relationship in which God restores and values us and is faithful to His unconditional covenant with us that brings us life and true fulfillment. Looking at the example of when king David committed adultery, Alexander also showed us how to avoid sin by understanding the process of temptation that leads to sin. You can listen to the message here.

Yesterday we had a wonderful time in God's presence as we worshipped Him and shared communion together. After hearing an encouraging testimony of God's faithfulness, Tim shared a message on stewardship in which he showed us that,

"Godly stewardship is realising that everything belongs to Him and adopting an attitude of giving generously in the full assurance that He has our backs and knowing that there is always more than enough."

In his message, Tim showed us the Kingdom principles of stewardship using the acronym: C.A.S.A., showing us that we must have the conviction that everything belongs to God if we are to have a Kingdom attitude towards all that God has entrusted to us and to find security in the knowledge that God is faithful and that He provides abundantly for us to be generous and for Him to be glorified. You can listen to the message here.

We praise God for His liberating truth!


Upcoming events

03.03. - KLF Prayer at 19:00 at Leipziger Str.60.
12.04. - Bengt Wedemalm at KLF

The faith adjustment

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Glory to God!

On Sunday we had a very special time as the children prayed for the sick and many testified to experiencing the manifest presence of God and one woman testified that she felt liberated. It seemed the Lord had His hand on the children and young people throughout the meeting and even the message was primarily a call to the young generation. This is what Richard shared with us:

1. God is calling the people of God, and especially the young generation, to rise and shine and to be distinct from the world - we are in the world but not of the world. John 17:15-19
2. The essential difference between the Church and the world is God's presence with His people and the believers' faith adjustment in response to God's presence, truth and will.
3. The Church must receive revelation of what God has done for her to make the faith adjustment that makes her distinct from the world.
4. The Church must see Him who is invisible and live in response to His presence, His truth and His will. When we truly believe, we will make the faith adjustments that are necessary. Hebrews 11:24-27
5. God, who loves us and has freed from our sins by his blood, has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve Him. Revelation 1:5,6
6. The Church is called to live according to what God has done for her and already made her to be.
7. The Church communicates God as she makes the faith adjustment that is according to God's finished work. 1 John 4:11-21

We praise God for His revelation to us and for calling us deeper into His presence, truth and will so that we make the faith adjustments that make us distinct from the world.

Satisfied with the Father's love

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Glory to God!

The Lord is calling us to arise and shine for our light has come and the glory of the Lord rises upon us (Isaiah 60:1). In order to fulfill this mandate, God is inviting His people to deeper intimacy with Him so that we learn to be satisfied in Him alone. Looking at Psalm 17:15 and 1 John 2:15-17, Richard showed us what happens when we are not satisfied in the Father's love, what it looks like when we are satisfied in God and how we can be satisfied in Him. You can listen to the message here. This is what Richard shared:

• God calls us into deeper intimacy with Him so that we learn to be truly satisfied in Him alone. Psalm 63:5; 90:14
• He calls us to take responsibility for our relationship with Him. Psalm 17:15
• He calls us to trust in His righteousness. Psalm 17:15; Romans 5:17
• He calls us to trust in His faithfulness. Psalm 17:15
• He invites us to be satisfied with His unfailing love! Psalm 17:15; 90:14
• Consequently, we will not give in to the craving of the flesh but walk self-controlled lives, making choices according to what we need rather than what we want. 1 John 2:16
• We will walk in the authority to build up, not walking in neediness but in fullness of love, ready to impart to others. 2 Corinthians 10:8; 1 John 2:16
• We will not boast of what we have and do but walk in humility as we depend completely on God and not on ourselves. 1 John 2:16

The believer must learn to be satisfied in God alone if s/he is to communicate the glory of God.

"If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." 1 John 2:15

"Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love that we may sing for joy and be glad all the days of our life." Psalm 90:14 

"And I - in righteousness I shall see your face; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with seeing your likeness." Psalm 17:15

 

The Father's Call

 (Frances, Patricia, Kay and Holger Lorenz at Du Noon Township Creche and Pre-school)

Glory to God!

Richard and Frances are back from their 3 week holiday in Cape Town where they also had the opportunity to minister at the Father's House Christian Fellowship as well as visit some of the ministries that FHCF supports and is involved with. It was very special to spend time with Jacqui Maybery (widow of our dear friend and spiritual father, Richard Maybery) as well as some of the leaders of the church. It was particularly encouraging to see the church doing so well and moving forward with faith and hope despite the tragic loss of their senior leader last year in June. God truly works all things for good for those who love Him! It is a joy and privilege to be connected to the FHCF and to see how God wants to use our relationship in the future for His Kingdom and His glory.

These past weeks, the Lord has been speaking to KLF through David Rowe, Alexander Blair and Prem Christopher about moving forward in faith to bring the light of God's presence to a dark and dying world as the Church responds to God's call to true intimacy with Him. You can listen to these powerful messages here:

Je Suis Jesus by David Rowe: a call to be obedient to the Holy Spirit, to listen to the Father's voice and to be Jesus in the world.
Developing Faith At All Times by Alexander Blair: a call to persevering faith to realise the potential of God that is placed in the believer's life.
A Call To Deeper Intimacy by Prem Christopher: a call to ask, seek, and knock so that the believer can enter into a deeper level of intimacy with Jesus that will draw all men to the Saviour.

We praise God for His invitation to us to draw nearer to Him, for the divine potential of faith as small as a mustard seed and for the awesome responsibility given to the Church to communicate His glory to a lost and dying world! Hallelujah!