Parable of Faith

When I was in youth service, a few years ago. I had to leave my home and live at the youth centre for the years I was studying at church.

The one morning I was laying in my bed, waiting for sunrise, to get ready for the day. While I was talking to God I suddenly longed for my dogs that was left behind at home. I had two dogs, one German Shepherd and a small crossbreed.

The German Shepherd was a loyal dog that was very disciplined. She always listened when we spoke and never charged us for attention.

The crossbreed was selfish and never listened to anyone. He also use to charge and jump on us even though we never gave him attention or patted him. He used to role in any dung he can find and always smelled bad. So bad smelly that we didn't even wanted to touch him.

They were not allowed in the house. The German Shepherd never tried entering the house unless there was thunder on the way. The crossbreed took any chance he got. We tried very hard to get him out when he got in. Sometimes we didn't notice him sneaking passed us. Then he will lay under the couch until we went to bed, then he will sneak through the house.

After a few years we got tired of fighting with the crossbreed to stay outside. Eventually we let him come and go as he pleased. Because it was hard to get him out from under the couch, he slept in the house. He got most of the leftover food and was fed while we were eating. But the German Shepherd was being a good dog outside.

I was missing them so much that I wished I could go and pat them. Yes, even the stinky, selfish one.

While I was thinking about them, God asked. Do you see what faith is?

The crossbreed got what he wanted because he believed he will and never stopped trying. He will also get that pat he always believed he would get when you see him again.

The German Shepherd behaved yes but she lacked faith. She was always scared to go for something she wanted and that made her lack a nice life the crossbreed had. She also had self-pity and believed things would never change for her. The only time she did try to run for your comfort, was when she was scared and had nothing else to lose.

Faith is to go for something you want, no matter what and not to stop trying if you fail. Stop trying means there wasn't faith to start with.

Even though the one was behaving and the other one was bad most of the time. You loved them both.

God loves the righteous and the wicked, the reason God sent His only Son. But what you believe is what you get...

Luk 18:1  And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Luk 18:2  Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: Luk 18:3  And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. Luk 18:4  And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Luk 18:5  Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. Luk 18:6  And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. Luk 18:7  And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? Luk 18:8  I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Kingdom of God

Stay a child, to these belong the Kingdom of God...

The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away!

A lot of times I have heard at funerals that people say "the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away"... This however, is the words of Job, not God.

Job 1:21 (KJV)  ²¹ and said, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

(Afrikaans) ²¹ en gesê: Naak het ek uit my moeder se skoot gekom, en naak sal ek daarheen terugkeer. Die HERE het gegee, en die HERE het geneem: die Naam van die HERE sy geloofd!

God is the Giver, not the taker.

Jeremiah 29:10-12 (KJV) ¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

¹² Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

 (Afrikaans) ¹¹ Want Ek weet watter gedagtes Ek aangaande julle koester, spreek die HERE, gedagtes van vrede en nie van onheil nie, om julle 'n hoopvolle toekoms te gee.

¹² Dan sal julle My aanroep en heengaan en tot My bid. en Ek sal na julle luister.

And I know a lot more scriptures that show us that God is the Giver, not the taker. Even if you read the book of Job, you will see that God say even if ' you ' take everything from Job... He did not say even if ' I ' take everything from Job. He told that to the enemy (the taker), after satan told God if God will harm Job, then he will not serve God anymore. The devil challenged God to struck at Job and then God told the enemy that the enemy can struck but not kill him... After the enemy stole everything, belongings, family and health. God gave back in double fold.

So do yourself a favor and read the book of  Job. This book just show that we can rejoice in the LORD always for what ever the enemy takes, God gives back and not just what the enemy stole but double fold.

Before we run with a scripture in our heart, we must understand the concept in what it is meant or from whose mouth it came from. Job was in a bad state and so was I a lot of times in my life. I also made the mistake of thinking God will take and punish. But time with God learned me that He cares for us and Job also learned that. At the end of the book of Job, Job apologized for thinking that God was the taker...

There is one thing though I did agree on with Job in this scripture... blessed be the name of the Lord.

New on the blog

First I would like to apologize for not posting on this blog for almost a year now and second for no updates that I have made till know.

I have added a few new chords and lyrics and will update new ones as match as possible. Click on the "Chords and Notes" tab to open them.

If you have any queries, please contact me by lourens.ober@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting my blog.

God Bless.

Walk in the Spirit

Let's make time to listen to God because only He can teach us to walk in the spirit.

To walk in the flesh leaves us with fear, low self-esteem, vulnerable, desperate and it makes us a siting duck for the enemy. Then we act out of fear and shoot ourselves in the foot.

If you walk in the spirit, you will have peace and joy with all your ways and you will know how to handle every situation.

Only God gives wisdom, no book or professor. So make Jesus your best friend because He wants to do good for us.

Blessed day.

What is your perception of grace?

Before the flood came, God told Noah to build an ark. Before the ark was built, all heard the flood was coming, but they did not consult God. Instead they continued with their sexual immorality and licentious life. The ark had a few (100) years left to build and very supernatural works happened and people still did not believe. Just to think that Noah told the animals to go in pairs on the ark was supernatural because the animals was obedient to Noah. But still no one believed in Him.

Sodom and Gomorrah is a good example of where God has given people time to Repentance and it's all in the Old Testament. The Word of God says that God will never change because He is not human. His yes is yes and no is no.

The period that we had before the ark was finished, it was grace ... until Jesus comes again, is grace.

What do we do with the time left?

Blessed day

Who is bride of Christ?

There are a lot of prophets that say who will be brides of Christ, especially in the time we live in.

The only One who can judge who is bride and not is God, no prophet can. God’s Word is very clear on this and if we listen to most of today’s prophets, we will be misled.

There is written in Revelation 2 and 3 about the bride of Christ. If you study these two chapters then you will know most of what you should work on to be bride, there is no other why because God is not a liar.

I am going to make a summary of these letters that was send out to the churches, in this summary I’m going to point out the things that will be held against us if we don’t repent.

The things we should repent are;

1st letter, Rev 2:4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. We should stay focus when we give our hearts to Christ and continue in the same Loving, willing spirit to do the work of the Lord.

2nd letter, Rev 2:10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. Fear is the enemy’s biggest weapon, so do not fear of the things that happen to you and know that God is in control.

3rd letter, Rev 2:14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. Rev 2:15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Rev 2:16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. If we know the shop owner is worshiping idols will we buy food from him? Some franchises and big restaurants belong to idol and devil worshipers. It’s best not to support them for they have offering systems on their foods and rituals on most of the material things they sell… Most people think that masturbation is not a sin but God say Mat 5:28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Masturbation is a reaction to lustful thoughts, so those who have no lustful thoughts won’t masturbate.

4th letter, Rev 2:20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. Rev 2:21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Rev 2:22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, Rev 2:23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you as your works deserve. What does God’s Word say about homosexuals, Rom 1:22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, Rom 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Rom 1:24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, Rom 1:25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. Rom 1:26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; Rom 1:27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. Homosexual desires and self satisfaction is what jezebel is all about, she doesn’t take no for an answer and force her will on people. If we are like this then we should repent so that this jezebel spirit will flee from us.

5th letter, Rev 3:2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Rev 3:3 Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. If we see someone stumble then we must correct them, we sometimes don’t even see what is going on around us. We see people do sin and we don’t even correct them or give them the word of God. We cannot just concentrate on our own lives and not help other.

6th letter, Rev 3:11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. Rev 3:12 The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. There is nothing to repent in letter six.

7th letter, Rev 3:15 "'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! Rev 3:16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. Rev 3:17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Rev 3:18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Rev 3:19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. Rev 3:21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. We cannot serve two, the world and God. We can only serve one. What is the most important in your life? Material things, your parents, children, wife, sex or is it God. Do you give everything to God? A lot of people say that we must give 10% of our money to the church and God also want just 10% of our life. But that is not true, only half is true. God wants our whole life to be His, even the 90% of our money that is left we must ask God how and on what we must spend it. Everything we do must glorify God. If not, then we are lukewarm.

I know there are a lot of prophets that say it was a letter to those churches so it doesn't count for other. Why is the letters written in the Bible? God won't change, what count for the one count for the other. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and God flooded the world with water. That all because of sin, idolizing and the most pointed out was sexual immortality. Isn’t that the most conman sin today; Adultery, sex before marriage, homosexuality, porn and masturbation. Who said that God will ignore it if we do the same? The letters clearly state that God have that against us and we must repent from our sins to be bride. If these sins are still in our life, then we did not repent.

Please study the whole Revelation in the Bible to learn more of the things to come.

I pray, in the Name of Jesus, that all will understand the Word of God that was shared here. Amen.