The journey continues....

After about 5 years of not updating this blog, the time has now come. In the last 4 years we lost our dear sister and Pastor, Nkisheng Mphahlele who regularly and faithfully updated this blog.
The work of the Lord still continued...
The work of the Lord has expanded to Malawi in the Mbalachanda region, which is in the North of that beautiful country. Pastor John Banda is taking care of the flock together with his wife. The Lord raised 6 other pastors who are serving with him.
For the first time, during December 2019, a movie night specifically intended to reach to the youth was held in Makhoweni (Country Mushroom farm in Bapsfontein) and over 50 people attended. We give glory unto God and believe the seed of the gospel has been planted.

We began 2020 with a joint service in Mushroom/ Makhoweni. Message from Exodus 33, reminded us that the presence of God is more important. Milk and honey without God is not an option. Our prayer is that we continue to seek to do His will only and be directed by Him...

The year that was- 2015

The year 2015 is finally coming to an end. So much took place in this year. We saw the greatness of the Lord in our personal lives but also in the life of the church in general. Two more branches were born. Not because as Pastors we wanted to, but these communities hungry for God heard about the work the Lord was doing in Mushroom farm and they too asked that they too have a church were their spiritual needs can be met and worship together as a community.
We celebrated our first anniversary and were joined by Daughters of Destiny and ladies from Prayer is a lifestyle. The two blessed the members with the Bibles that are indeed a great need.
We were blessed by the selfless service of Pastor Lesego Mcwango- who took over the preaching in Bapsfontein Mushroom farm. Mrs Buli Mongalo took care of the children and without holding back met the needs of these young ones, including providing food for them every Sunday. Her commitment led to the 1st Christmas party with friends and colleagues buying school uniform and toiletries for the young. Ms Brenda Mahlasela- gave her time and skills. Providing refreshments; resources and time. We are truly humbled and grateful. To Him only be the glory. The word will continue to reach the unreached and transform lives...

Thabang: May you rest in peace

I remember it like yesterday, the day I walked within the Bapsfontein compound on a Sunday before church service as I normally do, to invite others and share the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ with the people and His love. As I called to this young man whom I came to know later as Thabang, the shock in his face was shocking to say the least. He actually asked “O mema nna mmamoruti hot la kerekeng? Meaning are you actually inviting me to church? True to his word he came and after church I got time to talk to him. It is then that I understood his shock, he was born-again from Lesotho. As is the culture from where he comes from he went for the initiation and was expelled from the church when he came back and never again allowed to fellowship. He was therefore surprised that I am extending an invitation to him. We spoke and I reassured him that though man ca find it easy to condemn God doesn’t. There is always a chance to be reconciled with him. A chance he gladly took.

A few months later he disappeared from the church, and could not find him even during my weekly walk about. When I finally found him and asked what was going on, in his usual loud and slow voice he said “mmamoruti ha key a wa, ke sekame feela” am not yet fallen but just bending over a little. Again we had a very serious talk about righteousness and encouraged him to rule over sin and not let it rule over him. About three weeks ago he came to church, very very drunk. I had never seen him in that state. In the middle of the service he stood up, took out his offering, left it at the table and off he went. My heart was very troubled that day. I asked one of the ladies-aus Connie to go check him and talk to him as I was very concerned about what I saw. By God’s grace I also managed to meet him during the week and again had a serious talk. He repented and asked to be forgiven. The last three weeks he again took his cross and followed Christ. Faithfully coming midweek with his note book and Sundays. Today we woke up to the news that he has been brutally beaten and murdered by allegedly some white men on his way back from work.

My heart is burdened and am saddened by his passing away so suddenly and so violently for no reason. I am, however, also grateful to God for having given us the opportunity to share the Gospel with him and followed up when there was a need. I pray for the day when Bapies’, rich and poor can worship God together under one roof. I pray for the day when Black and White will truly be equal and treat each other as such!

Galatians 4:19 “¹⁹ My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you!” May God give us the strength to travail for his souls until Christ is formed in them. May we never get tired of sharing the good news and praying that it bears fruit. None of us knew that Thabang will be no more today. I will personally miss him. I have fond memories of him. The short time I knew him, I thank God for his life….. May his soul rest in eternal peace!!

Hope and Restoration Time Volume 2 Issue 3

COME JUST AS YOU ARE

Today it is one of those when one is really humbled by what God is able to do. Things that we take for granted and yet have stopped many from embracing the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am particularly grateful today when thinking of the change- small as it may seem- in one of our brethren’s life. The first time I invited him to join us for a church service, he had a beer in his hand and it was still full. He told me straight “Mamoruti I can’t leave this bottle like this because by the time church ends it would no longer be drinkable”.

The week that followed (he is only able to attend fortnightly due to work commitments), I found him seated in a shack not far from the church, again with his beer but almost halfway. When he saw me he said, “don’t worry Mamoruti by the time church starts, it will be finished. I am coming today”. 

A few more occasions his target was just to ensure that his bottle is finished before church starts. However, as God is the One who changes people, the last two occasions that he has been to church, he came very sober. Instead of finishing the bottle, he came early to ensure chairs are packed and cleaned. He gave a testimony which really moved me. He said “I love this Jesus, I know I have accepted Him, and I am fully aware that I am not yet where I am supposed to be in my walk with Him, but all I know is that everyday my life is changing and one day I will be fully transformed”

What a wonderful God we serve! When He said come just as you are, He knew His Gospel is able to change lives. We celebrate God and are grateful that we can witness these miracles in our time.

JESUS HEALS A MAN SICK FOR 38 YEARS AND ONE BORN BLIND-

In John 5:1-10 Jesus went to the Pool of Bethesda. There were several pools there with many sick people waiting for healing. They all waited for an Angel to stir the water and when the water is stirred, whoever goes into the water first received their healing. It was a survival of the fastest. You had to be fast and first.

This was an untenable situation for this man, he had no capacity to be first and fast. For more than 38 years he tried his luck and no one felt pity for him to give him a chance. Christ had to come and impart healing to this man.

When Christ saw him, the Bible records that Christ could see the man had been sick for a long time, his facial expression showed a long sickness. It probably showed a lack of hope, he never saw himself leaving the pool side whole. He couldn’t imagine a point where everyone around him would be slower than him.

Christ moved into the scene and Jesus asked him “ Do you want to be well?” the man must have been perplexed at the question: It’s like Christ was saying after all these years you want to tell me that you couldn’t possibly jump in quickly? Are you really serious about the healing? Of course I do, but I don’t have the means to go first, the strong and fast go in quicker and therefore I’m still like this after all these years.

Those with a higher priority are able to have appointments before me, I’m always bumped to the back of the queue. Those with better medical aid options get enrolled for their healing operations than me. I want to be well but unfortunately I have no means, there’s no one to help me, I don’t have the right connections to get the jobs, always someone with better connections and qualifications gets in first and takes the job from right under my nose.

I’m almost giving up all hope of ever working, someone more qualified than me always comes. I’m desperate but there’s nothing I can do, Sir if there’s something you can do for me to appropriate my healing I’m ready. I’m ready to accept my healing if you will give it to me whatever it takes and whatever it costs. It might be the Sabbath but if you say I must pick up my mat, I will do it.

Christ says to him “Stand up. Pick up your mat and walk.” The man responded. When Christ speaks, nature responds, when He spoke to the storm it became quiet, He created nature and therefore nature knows and understands His voice. He is Lord and master over it. He speaks to disease and it responds to Him, He is Lord and Master over all. Everything that is created obeys Him, everything that has a name responds to Him He has a name above all others.

Jesus is here to change your situation, He wants to turn your circumstances around, He wants to bring the healing to your life that you so much desire. The answer to your prayer is here today, Christ has come that you may have life. You might have lost all hope before, but in Christ that hope can be restored and realised. Christ is your connection to your healing, progress and salvation He’s the one you need for your circumstances to change for the better once and for all.

 

Stand up, pick up your mat and walk in Jesus’ name. Stand up and go and take that job that you desire, stand up and go and access the healing that has eluded you and cost you so much in life, your life savings and all. Jesus is here just for you, to announce that you are healed, you don’t have to have the connections and strengths of others. He loves you and came to the pool just because of your pain. No matter what you’ve done in the past to cause you the pain that you are suffering He says” Stand up, pick up your mat and walk.”

We learn in John 5:14 when Christ comes into contact with the man he had healed the reason for his long sickness. Christ says to him: ‘See you are well now. Stop sinning so that something worse doesn’t happen to you.” Somehow this man’s sickness (whatever it was) was a result of his sin, still this didn’t preclude him from being a beneficiary/ candidate of Christ’s mercy. Christ healed him inspite of the cause. This suggests that there are conditions (even sicknesses) that are a result of sin.

I believe it is because of this incident that a few chapters after this in John 9:1-3 when the disciples saw a man born blind they were buffled, they had an internal dialogue which they later verbalised to the Lord. They said Lord, a few days ago you said to the man who was sick for a long time at the Bethesda Pool that He must stop sinning else the sickness will be severe, now we are confused- this man we see before us was born blind, could it be that his parents sinned, or was it him who sinned. Christ said to them: This particular man was born blind so that God’s power could be shown in Him.” There are those who are the way they are so that God’s power could be demonstrated, whatever the cause of your situation without exception you are a candidate for God’s touch and healing.

Christ spit on the ground, made some mud and put it on the man’s eyes and told him “ Go and wash yourself in the pool of Siloam and the man came back seeing.” This emphasises the importance of taking instructions from God and obeying His word, when you obey God you will reap the benefits/ fruits of His word.

Many people make sure they take and follow instructions of people, professionals (doctors and others) and even inyangas to the letter but when God asks them to do something, they disobey or are filled with unbelief. They cannot follow simple instructions from God no matter how simple and straight forward they are. Professionals can give them the most complex set of instructions, inyangas can give them the most awkward rules and instructions they will follow, just look and live, follow Christ and live.

 

 

Welcome function for up and coming Missionaries

OM hosted a function to welcome new missionary trainees. The service was held at the OM farm in Boschkop on sunday the 22nd of February 2015. Our own Bro Cedric Maunatlala was one of the 37 new missionaries who have signed up for this 5 month programme. It was a great moment to witness mainly young from 6 continents getting together with the aim of preparing themsleves to advance the kingdom of God through active service in Missions.

We look forward to tapping into the expertise of Bro Cedric and working with him as he journeys to impact the world with the Word of God.