Blessed Life SA & Unemployment

South Africa's unemployment rate is currently at about 26%. That means out of the 53.5 million people in South Africa there are about 14.5 million people who are not working at the moment. The stark reality due to this fact is that there are families starving. 

We have created a platform on Facebook which allows Jobseekers to place there CV's and Employers to put our job requests. Find it at www.facebook.com/blessedlifesaconnect 

A Warning.

Hello friends. 

Today's topic is a pretty serious one as I believe it's important for us to hear the truth, and also know the truth. Like I mentioned in my previous post, I am busy working through Galatians and I found a strict warning from the Apostle Paul to the church. 

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:6-9 ESV)

Verse 6 speaks about turning from the truth and Grace. Our foundation as Christians is based on Grace and the sacrifice Jesus made. 

Verse 7 states that there are people who want to distort the gospel of Christ. They aren't trying to do away with it, just muddle it up and make it there own Gospel. Think of a clear pool of water as the pure Gospel of Jesus and then someone comes and throws sand and rubbish into the pool. It's the same Gospel in essence, but it is now distorted with half truths and full lies. 

Verse 8-9 are a stern warning from Paul. He may come across as being a bit arrogant at this point making a statement that says "even if we or an angel from heaven should preach something different to what they preached before, let him be accursed." I take some comfort in the fact that he puts himself in that criteria as well. 

Ok so we now see that we have to be careful what gospel we listen to. But an even bigger eye opener for me is that I have to be careful as to what gospel I preach. I can never take a story of my life and try fit the gospel into it. I have to fit my story into the gospel as that is my baseline and concrete foundation. I've seen and heard preachers take there preaching and fit a bit of Gospel in there. Lets get back to preaching the unadulterated word of God with no compromise or deviation from the pure gospel. 

Friends we have such a huge responsibility in haveing a platform like this. I might just be speaking to myself on this one and if that's the case know that I will always do my best to present the pure gospel of our savior. 

Love you much. 

Thanks for reading. 

Pastor Chris

You ARE called.

Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— (Galatians 1:1 ESV) 

Ok so I haven't done this in a while and I have a very valid reason.

 You know when you start something and it gets to be an obsession. I started the blog and was so worried about numbers and viewership, that I lost sight of why I started in the first place. I really felt led by the Holy Spirit to stop and get my priorities straight.

Now in bearing my weakness to you I want to encourage, maybe even just one of you today that you ARE called. Not from men nor through man! 

You are called by Jesus Christ and God the father who raised Him from the dead. 

I have been working through the book of Galatians and there are so many statements and corrections that Paul makes to the church at Galatia. But he starts the book off by reaffirming his call. He makes sure to say that his calling isn't man made or maintained by man but that is a call that was established by God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

My friend today this scripture is for you. You may be going through a season of drought and questioning God. You my be criticized by friends and family about your call. Take heart today that you have a call that is established by God himself. With your call comes the anointing. With this anointing you are equipped by God to do what he has planned for you to do. 

The book of Galatians primarily deals with grace but also gives us a good understanding of the road less traveled, yet Paul did just that. He was in training and sharpening his ministry tools for 17 years before he went to meet with all the apostles. Your season is at hand and God is sharpening you up. Don't lose sight of that. 

With much love 

Pastor Chris. 

Healthy Thinking - Effective Reflective

Good morning all. It's really an amazing day here in Johannesburg and it's all because of God. 

We sometimes forget to notice these small things and thank God for them. The air we breathe. The fact that we can see, walk and talk. Before we carry on I would love for you to quickly think of something that you are greatful for and thank daddy God for it. 

The title of today's blog is Effective Reflective. 

I believe there are three keys to being an effective Christian. Being effective is important otherwise potential and energy is wasted. We are to model our lives around that of Christ and live the way He did. 

First key - Giving Well. We are to give well as believers. This is a principal that was instituted by God millennia ago because of the seed time harvest effect. When we give we receive. The bible says it is more blessed to give then to receive Acts 20v35. When we give well we reflect the nature of God as he gave very well. His only son. Believers sometimes have it backwards due to being programmed by the world system saying "first receive, then give". God says other wise give then you will receive. I personally don't give and then expect to receive. I give out of a mind set that says I've given God says it will come back. Luke 6v38. 

Second Key - Serve well. Servant hood is what we base our faith on. Jesus says that he did not come to be served as the King of heaven and earth. But he came to serve. Matt20v28. A pastor once told me that you spell LEADER as S-E-R V-E-N-T. Our heart should be to serve at our local ministry, serve our spouse, serve our parents and serve our communities, serve our boss and business's.  By serving we reflect the heart of Jesus. 

Third Key - Love well. Jesus was the absolute best at loving. He loved all that came to him. Even to his last breath he loved the mockers and haters. On the cross he asked God to forgive them. Luke 23v34. What kind of love is this. Jesus loved the unlovely and when asked which of the commandments given by God to Moses he summed them all up in one. Love. Love God, love people. 

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:36-40 KJV)

My friends be encouraged to do these following steps

Give Well

Serve Well

Love Well

Do these to effectively reflect Jesus. He is who the world needs most

Love you much. 

Now Go

Healthy Thinking Day 33 - Let the Redeemed of The Lord

Well once again I say God is so Good. I hope you are blessed as you read this. 

Many a time we walk out the door and we say "don't drive with your window open cause it's unsafe" or "I'm so scared of being mugged" even thou you have never been mugged. This is an important principal to learn today as this could help you and others out of a fear mentality. 

There is a saying that says "all the small foxes destroy the vine." This is so true because we don't speak something once and instantly believe it. It takes constant repetition for us to start believing it. Those small words spoken will sooner or later grow out of controle and cause disaster. 

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; (Psalms 107:2 KJV) 

This scripture challenges. If I had to put it into a question it would be like this. 

Has The Lord redeemed you?? If so tell the world about it. Don't let the word you speak against and contradict that redemption.!!!!

If you are fearful today about being mugged, hijacked, death or anything that goes against what God says speak faith. Yes. Let the redeemed of The Lord say so. If you are redeemed you are bought with an unbelievable price. 

Now I can hear my wife saying to me but stuff like that happens even thou people don't speak it. Yet that's true but they are still the redeemed. I'm not saying go drive around in a bad area with your windows down and in surtain cases be unwise. What I'm saying is if you realize that you are redeemed your thought life will be a whole lot better with less stress when your faced with a person standing at your window just asking for cash and you think he or she is there to mug you. All the fear starts in the mind and ends up showing itself in all other areas of your life. 

So as you read this say it out loud. 

I am the Redeemed. 

Now Go. 

Healthy Thinking Day 32 - Building your foundation right.

What an amazing weekend I've had. Privileged to serve our youth in worship and then on Sunday what an amazing service we had.

Today I want to talk about build your foundation right.

Matthew 7:24-29(NKJV)

Build on the Rock

²⁴ “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: ²⁵ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
²⁶ “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: ²⁷ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
²⁸ And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, ²⁹ for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 

When a builder stats to build, he doesn't just put up a wall and a roof. The foundation has to be laid first as to take the weight of the building. the deeper the foundation the bigger the building structure. the foundation is probably the most important thing in a building structure. When we build our lives we build it with the word of God and our foundation needs to be supper strong. Jesus is said to be the rock in the scripture. A rock that can not be moved. The rock when to the depths of the earth to reclaim the keys of sin and death. I would dare say that's a pretty deep foundation.

Once foundation is laid the builders would then start with the walls and pillars to hold the weight. There are guide lines that have to be followed as to where the walls may be built. If the wall is being built inside the edge of the foundation then the resident of the house will be done in with space as it steals inches and those all add up. in the same why if we have a foundation the size of a football field yet we only build a single room on it we are doing ourselves in. build your life to its full potential using every single inch to its full potential. Delve deep into the word of God never stop building.

Now on the other hand if we build on the outside of the guide lines of the foundation we defeat the object of having the foundation. In this way I see Christians building their own thing wanting to base it on the Rock. Don't do that because it will fail and sink.

Friends build well, build consistently and build correctly. In this way we will always have Jesus as our sure foundation and He will never fail.

Love you much.

Now Go

Healthy Thinking Day 31 - Prayer Requests

Good morning friends. Thank you for reading my blogs as it's a humbling experience being able to share the Gospel of our lord and saviour Jesus.  Today I would love for your interaction. Ill be praying this afternoon and would love for you to send me your prayer requests. I will lift the up before God and stand in agreement with you for what ever it is you may need. 

Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 18:19 KJV)

I truly believe that there is no distance in the spiritual and that once we pray for one another that God will move on our behalf. 

So please don't hesitate to send those requests. No need to big or small. God will come through for you. 

Send your requests to blessedlifesa@gmail.com

I will pray and respond. 

Love and appreciate you all so much. 

Now Go.