Life in all it's fullness...

Isaiah 12  verse 2, "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. vs 3 "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation, ..."

2 Peter 1:3-11 (ESV)

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Family fun...

My apologies to family and dear friends back 'home' for getting so few photographs up for you in the last few months???year! (this was the whole point of starting this blog in the first place! And I just get a bit carried away with words!) Here are a few snapshots of the past 7 months or so. The kids love messing around with the photos, although some kids pull such funny faces of course that there is no need to 'doctor' their photograph to make it funny! Yes, that is Jon with the beard!  And a pet mouse (not ours) in Emma's hair! No we do not have goats. Swimming, beach trips, fishing, sunsets, Barbecues or braais, bonfires, visiting friends, our church family, going to parks, birthdays, and just laughing together and being together are just some of the many blessings that God has showered upon us, thanks be to God for these precious comforts in our time of sorrows. Hopefully I will get some more photographs loaded up in the next few days for you all.

 

God's love is a gift, it is free, Dit Komos Niks

Sorry, I am not even going to try and translate properly! It is beautifully told in Afrikaans, and there is a play of words that just cannot be translated by the likes of me. But basically it is saying Comos do not need to be planted as they are self seeding (they grow in South African paddocks like weeds) and so is our heavenly Father's love.... we need no works to earn His love, it costs nothing and is given generously with much beauty and joy for us! Thank the Lord for the very breath you have and for the many other gifts He showers upon you this day. This precious story was sent to my Mother by my lovely cousin in New Zealand. Baie mooi, dankie!

Author unknown

Jeremiah 29:11 Ek ken die plan wat Ek vir jou het, verklaar die Here.  Liewe vriende, wees vir n oomblik stil en prys God vir Sy Goedheid en Sy liefdevolheid! Aan HOM alle eer, lof en prysing vir al SY goedheid, genade en seninge in my lewe.  Elke dag staan ek op met die sening dat ek asem kan haal sonder enige probleme, dat ek kan sien, hoor, praat, loop, eet en my daaglikse take kan verrig.   Dit opsig self spreek van SY kosbare genade.  Here, vergewe MY asb dat ek in die verlede nie my dankbaarheid teenoor U verklaar het vir die eenvoudige maar tog belangrike seninge nie.  Dankie dat ek kan hoor, praat, loop, eet en dat ek nie afhanklik is van ander om dinge vir myself te doen nie.   Dankie vir my geliefdes wat elke dag deel is van my lewe en dat hulle almal gesond is.  Dankie vir U hand van bewaring wat ons elke dag oorskadu. Amen. Mag julle almal vandag iets besonders in julle lewe vind waarvoor julle ons Hemelse Vader voor kan dank. BLESSINGS en baie liefde aan julle almal

Indelible impressions!

From Grace Gems again...

(William Bacon Stevens, "Parental Responsibility")

We aid and abet the spiritual death of our children, by our irreligious example--both in doing that which is positively wrong, and in neglecting to do what is as positively required. As young as our child is--it has learned to join together precept and practice. And if we are professors of religion, our child has put along side of this profession--our daily walk and conversation, and is perpetually drawing inferences from the one to the other, either for, or against, the truth which we profess.

Uncurbed tempers, ill-governed passions;
unbridled tongues, uncharitable words;
lack of meekness, and gentleness, and truth;
lack of sobriety of mind, and kindliness of heart;
the absence of that strict conscientiousness which should mark all our actions;
neglect of the Bible and of prayer;
disregard of the means of grace;
irrepressible worldliness, in ever dwelling upon "What shall we eat, and what shall we drink, and with what shall we be clothed?"
--are leaving indelible impressions upon the minds of our offspring! So that, copying our habits of thought, speech, and action--our child's character in its essential characteristics, may be formed for eternity; before its mind is able to receive the precepts which perhaps we occasionally teach.

Marks of the True Christian (ESV)

Marks of the True Christian (Listen)

Romans 12: 9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit,7 serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.8 Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it9 to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

The Character of God:

Oh the depth and beauty of God! So seldom do we fully see - too busy with 'life'; too earth bound and finite are we. How good sometimes to be stopped in our tracks by suffering in order that God would have us to take a good long look at 'who God is' and to bring us to worship God as we ought!
 
The 10 commandments reflect the character of God! This is the best book on the ten commandments!
http://www.tabernaclebookshop.org/god-s-rules-for-holiness-9781870855372.html

The passages on love in the Bible likewise reflect the character of God in all His perfection, here are the best sermons I have heard on the love of God.
http://bbcq.org/sermons.php and scroll down to the following series:Love - The Heart of God - [Pastor Troy D. Cane] ; starting 9 May 2010