Why does a woman who just divorced herself from an abusive husband so often get herself into another abusive relationship?
One of the factors could be that the woman does not feel herself worthy of a better partner. "I don't deserve to be loved because I'm a bad girl", she says to herself.
Even if she meets a nice guy he will be tempted to treat her with less respect than is proper because of her attitude and behaviour. The way she feels about herself does not go unnoticed.
Much more can be said about these kinds of relationships. The people who are best at analising them are, in my opinion, members of the Arbinger Institute.
Saturday 28 February 2009
Saturday 21 February 2009
Helping God financially
All the pentecostal churches can trace their origin to a world wide revival which broke out more than a century ago. Since then many people who have never seen God act in any significant way, have entered these churches. They are puzzled by some practices instituted by old timers who knew the power of God.
Article 38.6 of the 1997 constitution of the Assemblies of God in South Africa reads as follows:
"The financial needs of Recognised Assemblies are normally supplied by the tithes and offerings contributed by the congregations of such Recognised Assemblies. Worldly activities for the accumulation of funds are deprecated."
Many are of the opinion that cake sales, bazaars and craft markets are needed to collect funds for the propagation of the Good News. This mindset subtly undermines our concept of a powerful God. It facilitates the creation of an image in our minds of a God who needs our help. The general effect is that we treat the church very similarly to the way we treat a beggar and the church often acts like a beggar.
Suppose someone in the church, who is a plumber, is asked to quote on a plumbing job. He may feel he should do it cheaply or gratis. In fact, the pastor may expect him to charge a minimal fee, if anything. But the plumber may not be cash flush at the moment and so other jobs get priority over the church's.
We need to be careful how we treat and speak of God's Church. Is he poor? Should jobs for his Bride be put on the back burner? Will he not supply the funds necessary for his work?
My experience has been the opposite. We have not had any "worldly" fund raising activity in our church for more than a year and our financial position has never been better.
Article 38.6 of the 1997 constitution of the Assemblies of God in South Africa reads as follows:
"The financial needs of Recognised Assemblies are normally supplied by the tithes and offerings contributed by the congregations of such Recognised Assemblies. Worldly activities for the accumulation of funds are deprecated."
Many are of the opinion that cake sales, bazaars and craft markets are needed to collect funds for the propagation of the Good News. This mindset subtly undermines our concept of a powerful God. It facilitates the creation of an image in our minds of a God who needs our help. The general effect is that we treat the church very similarly to the way we treat a beggar and the church often acts like a beggar.
Suppose someone in the church, who is a plumber, is asked to quote on a plumbing job. He may feel he should do it cheaply or gratis. In fact, the pastor may expect him to charge a minimal fee, if anything. But the plumber may not be cash flush at the moment and so other jobs get priority over the church's.
We need to be careful how we treat and speak of God's Church. Is he poor? Should jobs for his Bride be put on the back burner? Will he not supply the funds necessary for his work?
My experience has been the opposite. We have not had any "worldly" fund raising activity in our church for more than a year and our financial position has never been better.
Saturday 14 February 2009
The Curse
When God breathed into Adam he became a spiritual being. Breath is air or wind and the Hebrew word "ruach" can be translated "spirit" or "wind".
The devil tempted Eve and Adam to become "like God", although they already bore his image. When they sinned God told them "You are dust and to dust you will return". They tried to reach for the stars, independently from their source, but ended up below the earth.
What was God to do? He had told them they would die if they ate of that tree. Could he go back on his word? He could come down and throttle them to death but we know he did not. So he cursed the world they lived in. This world would then bring about the death they deserved. Sickness and the ageing process entered the planet and eventually takes its toll on every human who does not die violently. God made sure that we could not live forever in this sinful state by keeping us away from the tree of life which was also in the Garden of Eden.
Is it God who makes us sick? He put things in place that bring about disease. He also helps us to overcome disease by science as well as prayer. But we all know we shall ultimately be overtaken by the curse.
One man did not have to die. He could forever live on earth but did better than that by dying and rising again. He expects us to
(1) not regard this world as all there is, wonderful as it may be;
(2) have faith that he will help us with how to live in a cursed world and
(3) call on him regularly to overcome the negative effects of the curse.
The devil tempted Eve and Adam to become "like God", although they already bore his image. When they sinned God told them "You are dust and to dust you will return". They tried to reach for the stars, independently from their source, but ended up below the earth.
What was God to do? He had told them they would die if they ate of that tree. Could he go back on his word? He could come down and throttle them to death but we know he did not. So he cursed the world they lived in. This world would then bring about the death they deserved. Sickness and the ageing process entered the planet and eventually takes its toll on every human who does not die violently. God made sure that we could not live forever in this sinful state by keeping us away from the tree of life which was also in the Garden of Eden.
Is it God who makes us sick? He put things in place that bring about disease. He also helps us to overcome disease by science as well as prayer. But we all know we shall ultimately be overtaken by the curse.
One man did not have to die. He could forever live on earth but did better than that by dying and rising again. He expects us to
(1) not regard this world as all there is, wonderful as it may be;
(2) have faith that he will help us with how to live in a cursed world and
(3) call on him regularly to overcome the negative effects of the curse.
Monday 2 February 2009
On This Rock
Peter got a revelation that Jesus was the promised Messiah who was also the Son of God (Matthew 16:16-18). "This rock" refers to the revelation Peter received. All who get it are built into the church like "living stones" (1 Peter 2:5).
The church of God was no longer to be built according to the system of animal sacrifices and the law of Moses. No-one would enter the Kingdom of Heaven by following the tenets of Judaism. That fig tree will never bear fruit again.
This does not mean God has abandoned the Jews or Israel. People who lived before 1948 could be excused for holding that view. Today the very existence of the state of Israel is one of the strongest arguments one can use in favour of our belief in the Almighty.
John declares that those who deny that the Christ (Messiah) has come in the flesh, are anti-christs (1 John 2:22). This is another way of saying that the revelation Peter got from the Father is a prerequisite for becoming a member of the Body of Christ, which is the same as being born again.
Just after Peter was commended for hearing from the Father he received a rebuke from Jesus for being mindful of the "things of men". That was because he attempted to persuade Jesus not to submit himself to the suffering he had been destined to.
In the same way the Church which was built on the rock soon got it wrong by setting up an earthly kingdom. They did not understand what "this rock" meant and took it to be the man Peter. This faulty interpretation may also elicit from God: "Get behind me satan".
The church of God was no longer to be built according to the system of animal sacrifices and the law of Moses. No-one would enter the Kingdom of Heaven by following the tenets of Judaism. That fig tree will never bear fruit again.
This does not mean God has abandoned the Jews or Israel. People who lived before 1948 could be excused for holding that view. Today the very existence of the state of Israel is one of the strongest arguments one can use in favour of our belief in the Almighty.
John declares that those who deny that the Christ (Messiah) has come in the flesh, are anti-christs (1 John 2:22). This is another way of saying that the revelation Peter got from the Father is a prerequisite for becoming a member of the Body of Christ, which is the same as being born again.
Just after Peter was commended for hearing from the Father he received a rebuke from Jesus for being mindful of the "things of men". That was because he attempted to persuade Jesus not to submit himself to the suffering he had been destined to.
In the same way the Church which was built on the rock soon got it wrong by setting up an earthly kingdom. They did not understand what "this rock" meant and took it to be the man Peter. This faulty interpretation may also elicit from God: "Get behind me satan".
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