As you pray -10 November 2007

The Eurochor returns to Europe today, leaving behind many blessed hearts. Indeed, God was glorified through these young people.

We would like thank God also for the whole leadership team who are obviously putting their heart into getting the best out of these young people.

The visit to my house last Saturday afternoon by Onkel Erlo, Onkel Friedel, the support team and the Eurochor warmed my heart. It was such a precious time. As I told Marc Remond the conductor afterwards, they had made my day so special.

We are thankful that Georg Grau, Jan Willem Mout and Benno Neufeld are back safely from Latvia. It was an oversight on my side that I left out Benno's name last week.

Again, I marvel at God's ways. Our Russian-German brethren had a tough time in the former USSR but today the Neufelds, Penners and others play a key role in the ministry to Russia and neighbouring countries.

Georg Grau requests that we pray for the children's services in Lindach this weekend with a team from South Africa consisting of Loretta Stegen, Fraenzi Stegen and Ruthilde Husslig. May the good seed of God's Word bring forth much fruit.

The TAK Radio brethren in Berlin request that we pray for their programme this afternoon. Their guest on the phone will be Dr Lothar Gassmann and the topic for discussion will be "Esoteric? - Eine Gefahr fuer uns Menschen?" (Esoteric? - A danger for us people?)

We are also thinking of Klaus Deis and the Limburg brethren who are having a book-table before the Town Hall today.

Jan de Bruin and the team will appreciate your prayers for their trip to Norway from Thursday 8 November to Monday 12 November. The invitation came through our Norwegian friend Morton Haugen.

Jean-Pierre Coulin requests prayers for CFT-France as they will be taking part at the annual Christian Exhibition in Logne, near Paris, from tomorrow to Tuesday. He says it is a good opportunity to inform churches about the fight for the truth in society.

We thank God with two of Radio Khwezi's presenters and journalists Mandla Khwela and Sandile Zama who won awards at the national Vodacom Journalist of the Year competition in Johannesburg last Sunday.

Fire-fighters

Sometimes I ask myself why the world has seen so many devastating
fires in 2007; from our beloved South Africa to more sophisticated Europe and the USA.

Tuesday's events at Kwabadala, the old age home in Nkandla, Northern Zululand, shocked and saddened South Africans. A raging fire whose cause is yet to established demolished a building in which old people were housed, taking with it 12 lives. 

From what we hear it must have been a horrible scene. Imagine smoke and fire in a building where some old people can hardly move on their own. Worse still, those that did get to the doors found that the doors were locked. It must have been a burning hell!

The million dollar question is, "Where were the carers?" Well, an investigation is underway to get to the root of what happened.

What about fire-fighters? Unfortunately, they had a long distance to travel, so by the time they got there were only pieces to pick up.

Obviously, whatever system was there failed the old people. In the aftermath of the tragic incident there is much soul-searching even in government circles. An international conglomerate donated R1 million on the spot towards the improvement of the infrastructure and facilities. More contributions are pouring in.

Back to the 'burning hell.' That reminded of the film 'Burning Hell' which was mainly the initiative of Rev Estus Pirkle of Myrtle, Mississippi, USA. How the modern humanistic mind loves to hate such films. 'Hell, fire and brimstone' preachers are often objects of mockery; seldom do they make it to the shortlist of popular guest preachers.

Somehow I think that our generation prides itself not only on sending aestronauts to the moon and venturing various spectacular explorations in space but they would seem to believe that they have also sent fire-fighters to hell. No wonder that Rock and Pop stars present hell as a 'cool'  place.

Dare we forget that it was not a prophet, an apostle or an extreme preacher but our Lord Himself who described hell as the place where "the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched?" (Mark 9:44) If anyone should know, then it is He.

Finally, could the 2007 fires be a warning to the world that it is in for a rude awakening - a universal inferno from which no amount of fire-fighters will save it?

"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." (2 Peter 3:10)

Have a blessed weekend.
 
Pressing on!
 
In His love
 
Fano Sibisi