As you pray -26 October 2007

We are thankful that Onkel Erlo and Onkel Friedel are back safely from Russia and Europe. Onkel Erlo came by and shared about the overwhelming need in Russia. We keep looking to the Lord of the harvest.

Jan de Bruin and the Cederborg brethren will appreciate your prayers for their conference this weekend with Klaus Alius from Germany and Juerg Laederach from Switzerland.

Helmut Fuerst has got permission to put up an information stand on abortion in Aachen for the following dates,
30 October - 1 November
16 November - 17 November.
Let us remember this action, especially those who will be ministering at the stands.

It was good to hear from Peet and Andra Botha who are presently ministering in Cincinatti, Ohio, USA. They have already been blessed as they shared from God's word. We pray on.

Johan Claassen from Doctors for Life would like to thank us for the prayer support during a 4-week medical outreach around South Africa with Dr Gene Smith and his wife from World Challenge, USA. Dr Albu van Eeden and his wife from DFL joined them for part of the trip. Johan is so thankful for the opportunities to see to patients' medical needs whilst reaching out to their souls as well. The team rejoiced when they saw people come forward to accept Christ into their lives. May the Lord bless those who will be doing the follow-up work.

The KwaSizabantu Choir and others left this morning to join Onkel Erlo and the team in Pretoria for the outreach in Atteridgeville and Saulsville this weekend. May the Lord be glorified in every way.

Part of the Eurochor arrived today in Johannesburg and the rest should be landing tomorrow morning. Our prayers are also with them, Onkel Friedel and the rest of the team that are accompanying them.

A team from KSB will be joining Pieter and Isabel Becker in Richards Bay for services this weekend. Let us remember them.

We shall also be thinking of Kjell Olsen who has been invited to Greytown tomorrow to give an address at a function of a computer school from Msinga. Such opportunities often lead to open doors for the gospel.

'Just do it'

There is hardly any debate about the fact that Nike manufactures top quality sportswear It would seem that their marketing strategy is paying dividends; their brand is as strong as ever. My problem starts when it comes to Nike's famous slogan - Just do it. I find it tragic.

Some would argue that 'Just do it' captures the spirit of the time. I am afraid the slogan goes further than that; it actually promotes the spirit of the times.

My misgivings on Nike's slogan were reinforced when I read a news item on Wednesday about the 24-year singer Amy Winehouse whose health and marriage are being threatened by her booze and drugs. Well aware of the her self-destructive lifestyle Amy insists that she will not change her ways. And the reason? She says, "Life's short - just do it."

We would agree with Amy that life is short but her conclusion 'Just do it' is most unfortunate. I would rather put it this way, "Life's short - why make it even shorter?"

Where does Amy's warped mentality come from? I believe that it is part of the death culture of our times. Suicide numbers are soaring. Drinking and drugging yourself to death is in effect suicide.

The man of God Moses tells us where the realisation of how short our life is should lead us - to gaining a heart of wisdom.

"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Psalms 90:12)