Healed by a stranger

The dust was killing me. I had travelled for days to get here. It was not the easiest travel since I could not walk. I had to rely on others to get me from A to B. My family had been very supportive. This was my last chance. This place was my final hope of healing. I had heard of a doctor of sorts that would be able to heal me. I had heard the stories from so many people of how he had healed others. I assumed he was some kind of magician although all the magicians I had heard of were not able to do what I had heard he had done. Trust me, I had tried them all. Magic potions, spells, chants…..It was all pointless. None of It had worked. I had paid, I had slaved, I had done everything and it had got me nowhere. All the gods I had tried were useless.

As I was being carried into Jerusalem there was a huge amount of commotion. Crowds were following people going up the hill. It looked like the romans were going to crucify a few people. I wondered what they had done to deserve that. They were probably murderers, thieves, rapists or something of the like. They deserved the death sentence. I felt no pity for them at all even though I knew they were going to suffer the most painful death anyone could suffer.

As we waited for the procession to go past so we could continue I saw the one prisoner go past. He was bleeding profusely from the back where he had obviously been whipped. There was very little skin left on his back. His face was beaten black and blue to the extent that I was surprised he could see where he was going with the swollen eyes from all the punches the romans had obviously given him. He had a weird crown of thorns on his head. I had never seen that before in any crucifixion. As I watched he stumbled and fell. The beam he was carrying smacked him from behind onto the unyielding ground. He barely moved from what must have been exceptionally painful. After some prodding and pushing the roman grabbed a guy from the crowd and made him carry the beam.

The guy with the crown slowly drew to his feet. Other than some groans of pain he said nothing. He stood slowly and with some pushing from the romans began to move forward. As he began to move he looked over at me. I froze. There was something in his eyes. He bore deep into my soul and I could tell he knew everything about me. Through the blood he smiled at me, if ever a man could in the pain he was facing as if to say that this was for me. Then he was shoved forward by the roman soldier. Before I could say otherwise the guys carrying me began to follow up the hill. They wanted to see what was going to happen. I must confess I was drawn for some reason to what was going on.

I watched them crucify him.

I watched him die.

I cried my eyes out.

Something about that man had been more than anyone had known. I cried even more when I found out that he was the man I had come to see. He was my last hope to ever walk again. He was dead and my hope was gone. I would never be healed.

After three days of hiding in the room and crying myself to bed I was woken by a man standing in front of me. At first I was confused who he was. He looked me in the eyes and then I knew it was him. I could never forget those eyes and that smile. He said to me “My name is Jesus, You were looking for me and now you have found me”. “You are now healed”. “Stand up and walk”. He took my hand to help me up and as he did I could feel my legs. I could wiggle my toes. I had not done that in all my life. I started to stand up. My legs held my weight. I took a step forward and could not contain the elation in me. I screamed in pure joy and ran to the side of the room and then ran back. I knew this man. He was the Messiah. He was my Lord and King.

Jesus is risen. As we celebrate Easter and the days ahead remember that Jesus is risen, he is real and is a miracle working God. He wants to interrupt your life and heal you from everything. As you draw close to Jesus and look into his eyes. He will smile at you and change your life. You can make that choice today to meet with him. Close your eyes and picture him smiling at you. What does he say to you?

Cheers

Greg

Talking to Demons

I was up in the hills of the Drakensberg enjoying another Christian youth camp. I had enjoyed them all and seen many young people meet Jesus. This particular camp had been stranger than most. We had spent significantly more time in prayer and looking to God. We had seen more young people showing more interest in being closer to God. We had quiet times and the camp and had allowed the young people to go off and pray and come back with what God had been telling them. More than before God had spoken. He had met the thirteen year olds and touched their lives. He had spoken directly with them in ways that had blown my mind. God had shown that he was real and that he was alive and well and wanting to be a friend of those who wanted. God had spoken because the faith of a young person is strong and alive. God honours that faith and touched lives.

That night the leadership were all relaxing and having discussion about God, the camp and how things were going. We were amazed at what had happened and prayed and thanked God. Things were disrupted however by a young man, one of the leaders of the camp. The young man jumped up and began to speak foul language. Cursing everyone and in a voice that was not his own. Before we could understand what was happening he had run out the building towards the river screaming that he was going to drown the man. It had very clearly dawned on us that we were experiencing a demon manifesting. Most of us had heard the stories, read the book, watched some movies. This however was very different. This was real and in our faces. We ran after the guy to help him. We saw him dive in the cold waters of the Drakensberg to drown himself.

A few of us dived in and with great effort managed to rescue him from under the water. We dragged him up to the building in a stupor and sat him down with towels to dry him. He seemed normal. We began to pray for him and then he changed. He became the demon again. His voice was different, His language was different, and his actions were different. He threatened us and taunted us. The demon was in control of him and we were out of our depth. We prayed harder, we called on Jesus and we rebuked the demon. Nothing worked. The demon said he had the right to stay. We knew no different. We were young and impressionable. We eventually got to talk to the man. He confessed that not only had he been molested as a child but he had also molested children himself at a school. He was unrepentant and did not want to let go. We knew why the demon remained and was in control.

The next day the camp was over and the young man left. I have never seen him since. I still wonder who is in control of his life? Had he dealt with his past? Had he laid it all before Jesus or was he holding back? That experience woke me up. I realised that demons are real. That the fight we have is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers. (eph 6) I also realised that if demons exist and are real I needed to be very sure about my relationship with Jesus. we needed to lay everything before him so that he would be in control our our lives. Have you truly laid it all before Jesus or are you holding something back? Jesus wants your all and not just the pieces you think are nice. He wants you warts and all. Thats what repentane is about. Lay it before him, all of it, and let him turn you into what he wants you to be.

cheers

Greg

Free Gift

Once upon a time there was a man who had everything in the world. There was nothing that he did not have. This man decided one day that he would give away some of his wealth. At first he thought it would be a select few. He then decided he would rather give it away to everyone who needed it.

He spent many years planning his great free gift give away. He got the names of everyone who lived with their delivery address which he placed in a large book. He began to wrap gifts for each person individually. He wrapped each gift the same in red wrapping with a big ribbon on top. He made sure that each would change the person’s life in a dramatic way. The big day came for his deliveries. He summonsed his team of helpers who would be responsible for delivery he gift. Trucks were loaded an off the gifts went to their destined addresses.

The wealthy man sat at home waiting in anticipation for those who would receive his gift. He was hoping that they would love the gift. He knew that it would change their lives forever.

A messenger arrived with the good news. The gift delivery was going well. Many people had received the gift with joy and appreciation. Some had opened the gift immediately and their lives had been changed for good forever.  The wealthy man began to receive phone call of thanks and built friendships with those who called who had appreciated the gift.

There was some news that worried the man.

Some people had taken the gift and told their friends and displayed it at home to elevate themselves in their society. They had however not opened the gift. They had missed out.

Other people had taken the gift and hidden it making sure no one knew where it was.

Still others opened the gift and were disappointed that it was not what they wanted. They had thrown it away in their rubbish bins.

A further group had mocked those who received the gift. They wanted no part of it and began to remove the gift from others and to steal it.

There was another group of men who ran a company though it was a good marketing idea and began to hand out their own gifts. They often managing to replace those that the wealthy man had sent.

A messenger came in the door with some disturbing news. One of his helpers had been injured delivery gifts. Someone had set their dogs on him and he had been badly hurt. More news came of another helper that had been beaten to death when he had done the delivery. More and more sad news followed of helpers being beaten and often killed while doing deliveries. The wealthy man got angry with those who had rejected hi gift and even more so with those that had hurt or killed his helpers. He began to record the names of those who had rejected his gift and rejected his helpers and put these in another large book. He was going to get his revenge as soon as all the deliveries had been completed he would send his army of helpers to take revenge.

Jesus is the free gift. We have a chance to accept him now or reject him. A time will come when we will no longer have a chance and God will exact his revenge on those who have rejected his gift, rejected him and called out his wrath. Some of us have become Christians by name only to satisfy our friends and community yet we have never spoken to God and built a relationship with him.

I encourage you. Do not reject God. He wants to hear you and speak to you. Talk to him now just like you would a friend. He will reply.

Cheers

Greg

Roses for Valentine’s Day

I was nervous, as I put on my school uniform I realised that today might be the day that I had been hoping for since Christmas. Today was going to be the day I got my first rose. He had promised he would give me a rose. I had butterflies in my stomach as I picked up my satchel with my school books in and ran down the stairs and out the front door. My Dad drove slowly through the traffic. It felt like it was going to take forever to get to school.

With a kiss on the forehead my Dad said goodbye and left me at school. I stood where he had left me watching people getting out their cars I noticed the sea of red that came with them.  There were roses, lots of them, beautiful full blown red roses. I hoped I was going to get one. I saw teddy bears of various shapes and forms. I saw cards of many sizes. It was finally here, Valentine’s day and I was going to be special to someone today.

I got to my class and saw other girls shriek when they found something special in their Desk. The usual questions followed “who was the secret admirer, who had left the rose for his love?” a boy in the background secretly watching would normally smile and blush when he was noticed. He would deny it of course, but everyone knew.

I lifted the lid on my desk slowly peeking inside to see if there was anything. Nothing, I lifted the lid and felt my heart sink. Maybe he needed more time. I made sure I stayed away from my classroom as much as possible to give him time to do something, anything. Whenever I came to look there was nothing. I waited in the passageways hoping he would come to me and reveal himself. Still no-one came and nothing was revealed. I was beginning to be disappointed. Was I not worth it? Did he not love me? He had promised and I knew that he would keep his promise.

I stood waiting for my Mom to fetch me outside the school. As I stood and watched I saw a sea of red leaving the school as people returned home. My heart sank further and further the longer I stood waiting. It was not long before I was standing alone. A tear was forming in my eye. I was sad and heart broken. The tear ran down my face and then fell off towards the ground and landed with a splat. As it landed the water began to disappear into the dirt. That was when I saw it.

It was a red rose. The biggest I had ever seen. It was on a rose bush in front of me. I was sure there had not been one there before. I walked towards it and stopped. Another rose popped open in front of my eyes and then another and another. The bush slowly turned red with roses as one by one the buds came to life. I smiled as the strong smell of the roses filled the air. He had given me many roses and he loved me more than I could imagine. I started humming “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tell me so”.

As Valentine’s Day approaches don’t forget the greatest lover of them all. For God so loved the world, he gave his son Jesus for each and every one of us. This is by far the greatest gift anyone can give. Regardless of how you feel about yourself or how you think others think of you. Know that Jesus loved you enough to die for you on the cross. Stop for a moment and consider the pain, humility, suffering, torture, ridicule that He bore on that day. Then consider the joy, happiness, elation and sense of completion when he rose from the grave. Here is Jesus, the rose of Sharon for you on Valentine’s Day.

Cheers

Greg

Angry with GOD

I was no friend of God. He had killed my parents. He had ruined my life. I had to live my life without any help. I had to feed myself and protect myself. God!!!, give me a break. He had left the planet if he even existed. He was probably watching us all through his magnifying glass. Burning us like little ants whenever he pleased. I was no friend of God. I was more of his enemy. I was the wolf people spoke of. I had taken their daughters, I had taken their money. I had used people as much as possible for my own gain. I was wealth and could do what I wanted. I had no need for God.

That was until now. I was battling to breathe. My ribs had cracked from the impact of me hitting the rocks below the cliff I had been rock climbing on. I had tried to call but winced in pain. I was alone and bleeding to death. No one knew where I was. I tried to push myself up. My one leg bent sideways in an angle it should not have done. Pain rushed through my body and I collapsed. My head throbbed. I could feel blood oozing down my face. This was my time. This was my end. I was now going to meet my maker, assuming he still existed. I could feel the strength draining from my body as the blood flowed out. As the blood flowed out so did my anger. I prayed, begged and pleaded. God if you really exist. Show me. If you really Love me Show me. Save me now. I tried to negotiate my way out. I tried to beg my way out. I shouted at him. “You want me dead like my parents”. “What kind of God are you? Everything went black as I passed out.

It was a great day for a walk. I was in my usual spot overlooking the mountains and the beautiful view. This was where I found God the most. On weekends I Loved Spending time with him, listening to him and worshiping him in this spot amongst his creation.  It was my favourite place and with my favourite friend, Jesus. “Lord, I am here for you”. If you need me speak to me”. “I am all yours” I prayed.  That was when it happened, the audible voice. I had never heard Gods voice so clearly before. I had read about it in the bible but had never experienced it so vividly.  “Get up, go down the cliff face”. “Follow the path to the left along the cliff at the bottom”. “I need you to share my love with someone today”. I was shocked. To hear a voice was one thing. To obey the voice was madness. I considered the voice was a dream. Then it came again. “Get up, go down the cliff face”. “Follow the path to the left along the cliff at the bottom”. “I need you to share my love with someone today”.

There was nothing down here. What was the point of being sent here? This was a wild goose chase. I must have been dreaming about the voice I had heard. No one was waiting for me at the bottom of the cliff. I had been walking ten minutes and was considering giving up. This was an exercise in futility. It was then that I saw some rope on the cliff face up ahead. It was dangling loosely on the rock face. Some rock climber must have left it behind I thought. My eyes followed the rope and what I saw shocked me. It was a man lying on the rocks at the bottom. He was still attached to the rope. He was badly injured if not even dead. There was blood all over the rocks. I ran to him and checked his pulse. He was still alive barely. I pulled out my mobile and called 911. I was praying “Jesus, Help this man”. I heard a voice reply “I am“.

I was sitting in church getting ready to preach. I was a friend of God. He had saved me that day at the bottom of the cliff. He had sent someone to save my life and the least I could do was tell others and share his love for them. I got up and walked forward using my crutch to support me. I knew what I needed to do.

Q – Do you share God’s love with others? How?
Q – Do you listen for Gods voice? When, where, How often?
Q – Do you obey him even when it seems stupid or unimportant?
Q – Do you resist God in your life? Why?
Q – How has God shown his love for you?

Millions of people die every day without knowing God. That could be you. Maybe it’s time to cut God some slack. Get over your petty human issues and realise that he does Love you and does want the best for you and from you. Without him you are nothing. With him you are everything. You are designed to fulfil his purpose and not your selfish desires.  I hope you feel as challenged as I am to hear God and obey. To bring Jesus to a broken world and show that he cares.  Paul was the worst person, killing Gods people yet Jesus wanted him and met him on the road to Damascus. How much more does he want you?

God Bless

Greg

Going Home

I woke with a start. Something was out of the norm. I remembered going to sleep in the hospital. I had been looking forward to going home to see my wonderful wife of 47 years the next day at home. Something however was different this time. I was in a place I had not been before. I should have been worried but I was not in the slightest. I felt strangely at ease. I felt loved more than I ever had before. It surrounded me from all sides. I stood and looked around. I was covered by a thick mist yet through the mist was a bright light. Next to my feet were blue and white balloons. It was as if someone had been celebrating. The light was the brightest I had ever seen. Like a moth to a light I started to inch forward. Slowly at first wondering if my legs could handle it. It was then that I realized there was no pain. I stopped. I lifted one leg...no problem....I lifted the other...it also worked. Better than it had in years. I jumped. What an experience. I began to run delighted by the new found freedom my legs now had. The wind blew in my face, the bright light got closer. I could hear a sound. It was getting louder. I began to recognize it as people. It must have been a massive crowd to make that noise. I started to see the people all around me. They were clapping and cheering for me. They were shouting my name, whistling and clapping me to carry on. I saw a face I recognized. It was my mom and there was my dad. I had missed them so much. I could see some of my primary school teachers, my friends and family who had gone before me. Tears of joy streamed down my face. I wanted to stop running and talk to them. To see what they had been doing. To find out more about this place, but something kept pushed me on. The crowd grew larger. The people were now joined by angels, thousands of them. It was absolutely amazing. I had never seen angels like this. Some were huge and built like body builders with swords strapped to their sides. The light got brighter, my joy and excitement grew stronger as I continued to run. I could hear the faint sound of bagpipes. I recognized the tune of ‘Amazing Grace’, it was one of my favorites. I saw someone in the light running towards me. As he got closer I knew it was him. It was my God and King. I stopped to kneel but before I could kneel he gave me a bear hug and whispered in my ear. Well done Neville, my good and faithful servant. You have finished the race. I took a deep breath and realized I could smell someone braaing and I knew that I was now truly home.

Dedicated to Neville Heron Laing.30th May 1940 - 23rd January 2012

Philippians 1:21 For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

My prized possession and it’s free.

I was 12 and very alone. No one was with me. My world had been turned upside down in a few seconds. I was freezing cold from the icy wind that blew over the water. It was pitch dark sitting on the roof. Where I used to see lights from the surrounding houses I now saw none. In the dark I could see the shapes of some of the structures still standing. Most had been washed away by the force of the water that had come pummelling through with no mercy or warning. I had been one of the lucky ones. My bedroom was on the second floor when it all started. I had heard the sound of trees crashing and water roaring from my room. When I got to the bedroom window I saw a glimpse of my Dad as he was swept away by the raging waters that had caught him unawares with the sudden surge as he was cutting the lawn. I could only assume something similar had happened to my Mom and sister.

At first I had panicked. I had screamed for help. None had arrived. I had sat and watched the water rising for hours. I had seen many things float by. Cars, houses, boats, cows, horses and yes…..what bothered me was the amount of people that had gone by. I knew they were dead. It scared me. I thought the police would rescue me, until I saw what must have been one wash past. I realised that I was only going to survive if I did it myself.

I watched the water rise and realised I needed to get to higher ground. I needed a ladder so I could get on the roof and knew there was no way I was going to get one here. I ran to my parent’s room and tried to drag a cabinet into the passage way so I could get to the roof hatch. It was too heavy. I was starting to panic. Water was coming in the doors leading downstairs. I heard my bedroom window glass smash and knew something floating past had hit the window. I needed a plan fast. I grabbed the draws on the cabinet and threw them out one by one. I knew there was no way I would get in trouble for this. Once they were all out I pushed the cabinet and it began to move. Inch by inch I moved the cabinet to the middle of the passage way. I climbed up on the cabinet with water sloshing around my feet. I pushed open the roof entrance and was about to climb up when I remembered I needed stuff to survive.

I jumped down and sloshed to my room. It was difficult to move through the water. There were lots of things in my way. Once in my room I pushed open the cupboard as best I could while the water rushed in. I reached up and grabbed a dry blanket and a torch. As I turned to leave the room I stopped. I was sure I left something important behind. Then I saw it on the bookshelf, My bible that my dad had given me in third grade. I dashed over as fast as I could and grabbed it. Carrying the blanket, torch and bible I struggled to climb the cabinet. I pushed the Blanket into the opening in the ceiling and hoisted myself up. I turned the torch round and bashed on the roof tiles. As they gave way daylight streamed in. I made a hole big enough for myself and climbed up onto the roof. My parents would never have allowed me to be up here. I knew that this time it would not be an issue. I was safe for now although I did not know how long. I was alone.

In the darkness I cried. I looked at my bible and wondered if God did love me, if he really did care. I wondered if he would leave me on a rooftop to die. I prayed, Lord Jesus, I have always known that you are there. Please don’t leave me alone now. Send me a fiery chariot to save me from these waters. As I finished praying a bright light shone down on me from above. At first I thought it was from heaven I then realised God had sent me a helicopter with a really bright light. I guess a fiery chariot would have been overkill. A rope landed next to me with a face on the end. It was a man named John, He was really nice and let me get my bible before pulling me up to my chariot. I knew God had a plan. I knew things would be tough moving forward, but I knew I was not alone. God was going to be with me, I would fear no evil, his rod and staff were with me.

What would you take if you had a flooded house? What do you prize more than God? Would you save yourself before others or would you climb over them to save yourself first? We need to have the faith of a child. We need to know God is there waiting for us to talk to him. He has our best interest in mind even though we might not think so.

Cheers

                Greg

School shoot out

Being adopted had frustrated me all my life. I always felt like I could never get anything done right. I always felt like I was second hand baggage. I was someone my parents did not even want and was thrown away like garbage on the side of the road. My new parents were ok, they fed me and looked after me. They had put up with my temper, my mood swings and my weird dress sense.  Today I was angry, angry at everyone but mostly angry at God. How could he allow this to happen? How could he allow my biological parents to throw me out? It was his fault. He should have looked after me. In fact he should have not even allowed me to be conceived. If I did not exit it would have been better.

I was sitting at school in my class complaining about life. Complaining about everything that was going on and how life was unfair. I had no purpose. My life was a waste. As I finished the though I heard a popping sound, Followed shortly by another. The entire class went deathly quiet. Someone said, “Isn’t that a Gun”. There were a few more pops, this time they were closer and were sounding more like bangs, they were sounding more like a gun. A few people came running past the class screaming. “Someone is shooting people, we need to hide” Said a boy who ran into the class. The teacher tried to calm us all down. We all got under our desks and remained as quiet as possible. Some of the girls were crying. The tension was too much.

My desk was by the door. I was beginning to freak out. We could hear the gun shots getting very close. We heard footsteps outside our class door. It was someone walking past. It could only be the shooter. Everyone else had been running. The footsteps stopped. I heard a gun being reloaded. This was not a good sign. I tensed up waiting to see what would happen. We all remained quiet. Suddenly the door burst open and in walked the shooter. He was a young guy holding a 9mm pistol. As he leveled it towards the room to begin opening fire I sprang into action. I grabbed the legs of the desk I was under and charged the person in front of me. The desk slammed up against his head before he could turn to face me with the gun. A shot went off and ricochet off the roof.  I rammed the desk a second time against him. The gun dropped to the floor as did the attacker. He was out cold. The desk must have hit him squarely on the jaw. It was a KO in round one. I was stunned. The entire class was stunned.

Afterwards I was sitting by the police cars drinking some sweet juice. People from my class came past and thanked me. For the first time in my life I felt special. I realised that if I had not been around people in my class would have died. I then realised that I did have a purpose. I could make a difference. It was up to me to make the choice. I dialed my adopted parents and told them what had happened. I told them that I loved them. It was a start.

Always remember that life is made of choices. You can choose to live a selfish life or a life that blesses others. You can choose to be depressed and full of self-pity or you can choose to be a person that other people want to be with, someone who lifts people up rather than kicks people down. Make some right choices today.

Cheers

Greg

New Year Giveaway Surprise

It was New Year and I was Grumpy. My dad had dragged me out to some remote area. It sucked. I had far better thing to do. I had friends to see, parties to go to. I had my whole life ahead of me. Why would he drag me into such obscure locations? I guess it was where his heart was at. He had been a Christian for many years and always wanted to help others, but why on New Year’s. There was so much more to do. He had woken me at the crack of dawn to make sandwiches. He had bought bread for a small army and jars of jams of various flavours. We were going to make the usual one I had for school. The one that sat in my bad and got soggy from the heat and I eventually threw it away. I did not know how people would eat them. I had suffered under the oppression of jam sandwiches for years. It was terrible. We had slaved for two hours making sandwiches. The entire time I had bugged my dad and begged and pleaded to get out of it. My hands were a bit stiff from all the spreading of jams. I think I had even mixed some of it up. Someone was in for a strawberry apricot surprise all mixed in one.

The road to where we were going was rough. It had many pot holes in the gravel and needed careful navigation. My dad’s four by four made easy work of it. I wondered how these people moved around. The view on the drive was terrible. All I saw was tin shacks, dirt, garbage and dirty people. I was not enjoying it at all. When we got to our destination I was surrounded by screaming children with dirty faces. I was sure they were trying to steal my mobile or wallet. I went back to the car and locked them in the cubbyhole. My dad was in his element. He greeted everyone with a smile. I was sure he hugged all the old people and there were a lot of them although they were outnumbered by the children ten to one. Where were the children’s parents? It was a Sunday. There was no way they were at work. Everything had been closed down for New Year’s.  

We pulled out the food and started handing it out. I was surprised at the response. It was as if they had not eaten for days. The children were well behaved and came one by one. They thanked me every time. I noticed one or two who snuck back in queue for seconds and I ignored the offense. They were just as polite the second time round. We stayed a few hours and played some soccer. My dad chatted to the older people and prayed for a few of them.

When we left my dad explained that the food we had brought was the first meal they had for that day. He also explained that the children had no parents. Their parents had died of aids and now the grannies looked after the children. Most of the children were not even related to them. They children had just needed a home when the parents had passed on.

On my way home all I saw was friendly people, soccer fields, family and people trying to survive. I was glad I have spent my new year doing this. I asked my dad if I could go with him next time to see my friends.

This year we should spare a though for the less fortunate amongst us. In South Africa we have many orphans who go to school on empty stomachs. We have many grannies that look after large families and have only pension payouts to feed them and ten children. Maybe take a break this year for a few hours and go and help out the less fortunate. Go and make some new friends and help them out where they are at. Be the salt and light in the world in a way that people cannot mistake it.

 Cheers

Greg