But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. 1 Peter 3: 14-16
DR Church synod’s decision on same sex unions Featured
Written by Pastorfish
Pastors, we are not in a talent show Featured
Written by Pastorfish
I love watching America’s Got Talent.
We are spoilt for choice between ventriloquists, singers, choirs, walking dogs, magicians, dancers, acrobats, and whoever else one could think of.
The contestants obviously seek to outperform each other by being more entertaining, more appealing, and...
When will God do something about all the violence? Featured
Written by Pastorfish
As Africans, we are no strangers to crime and violence.
We have had our fair share of invaders, dictators, warlords and freedom fighters who have then turned on their own people. Not only that, we constantly hear of assault, murder, rape, abuse and many other violent crimes.
South Africa is...
In desperate times, many people turn to desperate measures.
It was April 1945 – near the end of World War 2. The telephone rang in Adolf Hitler’s bunker. It was the Minister of Propaganda on the line, Joseph Goebbels.
He spoke to Hitler and he was ecstatic. Although the...
1 Samuel Ch. 13 is a fascinating account of blame-shifting.
Saul is king and has 3000 fighting men, according to v2.
In v3, Jonathan, Saul’s son – the crown prince – defeats a Philistine garrison and the Philistines gather to march on Israel.
The Philistines, however, have 30 000...
Christian, do you unintentionally delve in religious superstition and magic?
Written by Pastorfish
A number of years ago I spent a couple of days with a hiking club in the rural Eastern Cape province of South Africa.
On the first night of the back-breaking, blister-producing trip, a few of us sat around the fire and a sangomajoined us – one of SA’s few white...
I know a Christian family who were really struggling.
The wife’s job did not pay very well and the husband’s employer went bankrupt.
With two small children, the expenses just kept growing and they started living off their credit card.
The husband found another job, but not that...
Can you think of a mismatched partnership?
Perhaps Helen Zille and Julius Malema (very different South African politicians) meeting for a cup of tea and a cucumber sandwich? A Sumo wrestler partnering with petite, ballet dancer on Strictly Come Dancing? A Stormers rugby fan going out with a...
Arnold Schwarzenegger is a famous actor, businessman, politician, and former professional bodybuilder.
He grew up in Austria in humble circumstances and in his teens committed himself to bodybuilding – and to be the best bodybuilder.
At age 20 he won the Mr. Universe title.
Arnold would train...
(Image from Netwerk24)
Die Kerkbode, the official newspaper of the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa (DRC/NGK), published an article on 18 February 2019 entitled, “Congregation chooses ‘love instead of fear’ with the appointing of gay minister”.
The article’s title...
For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you.
2 Corinthians 1:12 ESV
South Africans have been angered the last couple of months by the shocking...
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Affliction...
For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to...
For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.
You may have...
You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until...
Article 6 of the 39 Articles of Religion on the “The sufficiency of Holy Scripture for our salvation” says,
Holy Scripture sets forth everything that is necessary for our salvation. Consequently, nobody should be required to believe as an article of the Christian faith, or to regard as...
You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”
Where is the God of...
- Why the Prosperity Gospel is so poisonous
- The dangerous theology of Spiritual Breakthrough
- Lord, deliver us from deliverance ministries
- What are the greater workers Jesus promised we would do?
- The (unintentional) battle royal
- Why Christians eat pork
- A thought and a prayer about land expropriation
- Why we...
Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Genesis 2.24
The Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.
Malachi 2.24
God’s...
Derby Cathedral
“And now, O priests, this command (warning) is for you. If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honour to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings.
Malachi 2:1-2
Unfaithful leaders have...
Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors (of the temple), that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts… (Malachi 1:10)
The attitude of the people and priests towards God in Malachi’s day was, “Lukewarm...
Do some churches inadvertently promote gender-based violence?
Written by Pastorfish
This week was the start of the international campaign of “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence” (focussing on violence against women and children).
“Police statistics indicate that the murder rate of women in South Africa has increased by 16% in the past five years and...
Leviticus ch. 11 is all about clean and unclean animals and what the Israelites in Old Testament times could and couldn’t eat.
Therefore, every time someone hunted, ate a meal, went to a petting zoo, or came across roadkill, they had to ask themselves, “Is this clean or unclean?”
Lan...
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