The Passionate Believer

The late Eugene Peterson's work in this devotion is derived from different works that he had produced over the years. It's a beautiful devotional that is suited for all ages. Just like the The Message Bible, Peterson is brilliant in telling stories and captivating not only the mind but the heart also. He commands the reader to think hard about being practical instead of only what's being written instead of only being reflective. The best part of this particular devotional when in comparison with others, is that it's actually quite short. The reader would be able to finish the day's reading in less than 2 minutes. But it does require deep understanding. Eugene Peterson's work is most inspiring because he simply addresses not only matters pertaining to one's spirituality but issues that flow out of everyday life. I recommend this devotional, for anyone serious about personal devotion. It would be great even for young people. This kind of a ...

There are six references to John being called the 'one whom Jesus loved.' References: John 13:23, 19:26, 20:2, 21:7 and 21:20 Why did John refer to himself as the one whom Jesus loved ? Did Jesus not love the other disciples? He most certainly did! "Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end." - John 13 vs 1 (ESV) . He loved them all to the very end. Was it a matter of pride or too much ego that he could refer to himself in such a way more than the other disciples? The answer is NO! John knew that Jesus loved the disciples just as much as He loved him, but he understood Jesus' love better than his peers did. That's one of the reasons why he could boldly claim that he was the 'one whom Jesus loved.' The question that remains for us is simply this: do we understand the love of Jesus i...

Shawn Bolz speaks of showing the love of God through prophetic revelation.  The book is beautifully written and he engages the reader through many personal stories of the people he has seen God working in their lives.  His understanding of the Prophetic seems to be on a whole different level. He can't be put into the same room as other charismatics who let loose and at times think they're speaking prophetically but in reality their words have no spiritual effect but rather causing damage. Shawn Bolz on the other hand teaches that to be involved in the Prophetic, one has to be more of a listener to God's voice than just merely speaking all the time. The prophetic is always spoken in love. God's love must be seen in every move of the Prophetic word that is spoken to people. At most times, it's our actions that prove the Prophetic true based on how we relate to and pray for people. He touches on many areas relating to the Prophetic. Whilst I did enjoy the w...

John Bevere strikes at the heart with this book. At the outset I must add that this book is a must for every Christian. It has certainly resonated with me. Relating through personal experiences, He explains the processes of being in the wilderness using scripture in its rightful context. Whatever the circumstances many Christians find themselves in the wilderness. For some, it may be a season of much difficulty in finding the purpose of life. For others, it can be a time when life becomes too much to handle. But ultimately the wilderness experiences has one particular goal and that is to be drawn closer to God. He explains that no matter how hard it may seem, one should never quit because in those very moments God is building us to become stronger through being equipped to do his will. The author teaches that the wilderness may be a dry place but if we pursue God and never give up, He will reveal His will to us. It is a place where our hidden faults(sins) are revealed to us...

By Sam Machaka We all have a very strong sense of justice or fairness especially when we think or know that we are in the right and someone else is wrong. This can be seen when king David’s anger was kindled upon hearing about how a ruthless rich man, in order to entertain his guest, slaughtered and feasted upon the only ewe lamb that a poor man in the same community had [2 Samuel 12]. He could not take any one of his many lambs but chose to deprive the poor man’s one and only ewe lamb. “Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” [2 Samuel 12:5-6].  Was David’s judgement just? Yes, it was. That was the only fair verdict to for a righteous king to declare. This man was so unkind, so unloving and so unthoughtful. He did not care about the welfare of the poor man neither did he ha...

Bob Goff is amazing in the work that he does as a philanthropist. Building schools for children in war-torn countries. He is a best selling author and this book is no exception as he explains how to get out there and 'Dream Big.' Every chapter starts with a lovely story that becomes an analogy through to the end of that chapter. He's quite a quirky guy and I loved his humour in expressing some of the most profound principles he has gleaned from over the years. He talks about going after our ambitions whole-heartedly. There is certainly much to learn from him in this book as he relates personally as well. His love for Jesus is expressed throughout the book and that is deeply admirable as it's quite hard to find other authors in this genre expressing the same. Big dreamers are lacking in the Church today. We need people who are willing to dream big. For without dreams there is no action. Dreams create passion and passion creates action. Whilst this a g...

Thank you to all our readers across the globe. Thank you for your support in reading the articles on our blog. At the bottom is the list of 22 countries that we have reached in the span of eight months since our conception. We hope to reach even more with your help. Please share the link with family and friends and across all media platforms. We do this not for our own fame and glory but for the glory of the one who is completely sovereign - Jesus Christ our Saviour. A big thank you to our partners who have walked this journey with us thus far. To Sam and Mildred Machaka. Thank you for being a part of this work. Thank you Sam for being one of our regular authors and for all the work that you put in, in bringing articles that not only inspire but transforms lives. We look forward to the new year as we continue to partner together in the ministry of this blog.  We continue to pray for the work that you do in Malawi, training and equipping leaders for the work ...

By Sam Machaka The worst thing that can happen to you is to be stopped when you are on the track of getting what you have so desired to get all your life; It is to be told that you cannot or you may not get it now or ever in this life. Whatever that maybe we do not want to be disrupted while we are on the way to our success. Many people today would rather shun negative people, people who do not speak anything positive which encourages them or that makes them “better”. They want to surround themselves with people who affirm and lift them up and I think it is the most natural thing for anyone to desire. No one has ever said they long for anyone to pull them down or someone to change the trajectory of their intended success. Enter Jesus. He is nothing but disruptive. He caused disruption wherever He went. If He did not cause commotion in their politics, He did in their economics and if He did not cause it in these two, He caused it in their religious, cultural, intellectual an...

"Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command." 1 Chronicles 12 vs 32 (ESV) This was a time when men joined David in the cave at Adullam. These men were gifted in strategic military service. They were almost invincible. But my focus here are the descendents of Issachar. They were gifted with wisdom of understanding the times and knew what must be done. The entire world is experiencing a time of Changing Seasons. It's been one of the toughest years, but for those of us still alive, we have much to be grateful for and still much more work needs to be done. As the new year looms in the not so distant future. In fact it's just a mere 12 hours away(South African time). This is a time that most people will be preparing for celebrations of the coming new year. Others won't be celebrating due to the many difficult circumstances this past year has brought with i...

‘And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.”’ [John 14:4-7] The world does not have a short supply of philosophers or religious leaders who for generations before and certainly those to come have spoken or will speak words that motivate many to act them out. Many of these have said things that have become part of many cultures world over but Jesus comes and begins to speak in a way that no one had ever done. While religions have been specific to the local tribes and cultures, Jesus does not speak to the Jewish culture alone. His claims have a bearing on all people on the earth. He is not a tribal deity. Unlike Alexander the great who wanted to have political dominion on all t...

Timothy Keller and John Inazu along with ten other collaborators have produced a work that is hard to find anywhere else on the market. 'Uncommon Ground' searches to find a way to bridge the gap and allowing Christians to work with what they have to propogate the Gospel in truly unconventional ways. Through the personal telling of life experiences, these twelve authors spread themselves bare and show a cetain vulnerability when confronting life issues surrounding race and prejudice. They show how as Christians we can find alternative Gospel-centred solutions to the negativity and all the pushbacks we recieve. Each chapter is by a different author and each one speaks from the perspective of where they are as believers and from the standpoint of their vocations. For example Tim Keller writes personally from the perspective of being a pastor and John Inazu from the standpoint of having been a lawyer and now a teacher of law and religious studies. Sara Groves speaks...

"That night the LORD said to him, “Take your father's bull, and the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of the stronghold here, with stones laid in due order. Then take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah that you shall cut down.” So Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the LORD had told him. But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night." - Judges 6 vs 25 - 27 (ESV) Today I want to encourage you all to stand strong and take courage from God's word as we look to the close of one of the toughest years in history and the opening of a new one. In Judges 6, God calls Gideon to deliver his people, the Israelites, from the hands of the Midians. And I'm quite sure we know well how that ended. Gideon won thro...