Royal Agricultural Show 2013 ~ Pietermaritzburg

It is that time of year again – the onset of winter and the Royal Agricultural Show has come to town at the Royal Showground in Pietermaritzburg. This is an opportunity for evangelising and handing out Gospel Tracts to local and visitors from various parts of South Africa and the international community. The Royal Show runs from Friday 24 May to Sunday 2 June, 2013. Please join us in prayer and on the streets as we proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to this generation. We will also definitely open-air preach to the foot traffic in Commercial Road (Chief Albert Luthuli Road) outside Gates 1 and 2 (see the Map).

To visit the Royal Show website, please click the banner above, or Here.

The Times are as follows:

OPENING TIME: 09h00 daily

CLOSING TIMES: Friday 24 @ 18h30, Saturday 25 May @ 20h00, Sunday 26 to Friday 31 May @18h30, Saturday 1 June @ 20h00, Sunday 2 June – Ukhozi FM concert only. **Please note all halls will be closed on Sunday 2 June.

We hope to see you out there labouring with us. To join us please contact Gary Crous on 072 221 1233.

Here are some reports from 2012 – Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, and Days 9 & 10.

SOLI DEO GLORIA

Evangelism at Maritzburg College vs. KES

On Saturday May 18, 2013, Maritzburg College hosted a “Breast Cancer” awareness day (pink socks worn by the players) during their Premier Interschool rugby encounter with King Edward VII School (KES) from Johannesburg.

Lungisa and I found ourselves being lead of the Holy Spirit and attending at this event to hand out Gospel tracts, booklets and to engage school boys and girls in witnessing encounters with the Holiness of Almighty God through the Law and Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Whilst we were able to enter the grounds unhindered past security carrying the “ARE YOU READY” Cross, and we were also able to share the Good News with a host of scholars near the “Tuck-shop” and on the grass banks, we however were confronted by the College Estate Manager named Mr Ken Hackland that said “I must ask you to refrain from doing this!” This incidentally was after the featured televised match between the 1st XV’s had commenced and we were standing around speaking to another brother-in-Christ named Roger. Mr Hackland advised me that there were complaints to him and that people – including some of “other faiths” – were offended by what we were doing. However, we never received any objections whilst we walked around sharing Christ and giving out literature. From the attached video clip, one can pick up part of the conversation due to the “competition” of the rugby match taking place and the vociferous support from the College scholars.

Also, at one point Mr Hackland states that “he is a believer and that he has two Bibles in his office.” If this is the case why was he prepared to prevaricate when it came to “others” sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ! In fact, if he does believe upon the One true God Jesus Christ, as also College professes to do with their “Christian-ethos” and the ministry CFC (College For Christ), then why do they not STAND FOR CHRIST? It doesn’t matter what religious men think or whether they are offended by a man carrying a Cross, or not! It comes down to the following TRUTH:

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

John 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

Later, Christ Jesus was preached from off their premises to those who had ears to hear!

As it says in the Holy Scriptures:

2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 Timothy 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

2 Timothy 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

2 Timothy 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

2 Timothy 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Here are the lowlights of the day:

Cars in the Park 2013 Evangelism

Tomorrow, Sunday May 19, 2013, Cars In The Park 2013 will be hosted by the Vintage Sports Car Club (VSCC) in Alexandra Park Pietermaritzburg where all car-enthusiasts  will come to display their classic, vintage, muscle and modern suped-up cars.

There are over 1000 exhibits ranging from KZN’s oldest car, a 1904 Cadillac, to the very latest. Marquee clubs usually turn out in full force and you are able to view classic MGs, Triumphs, Alfas, Jaguars and Ferraris in an attractive park like setting. Industrial and farm machinery is also on display along with classic and vintage motorcycles plus a unique Stanley Steamer.

This is also an opportunity to “Go” and spend a day preaching the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ to the crowds! If you are in Pietermaritzburg please join us to hand out Gospel tracts, have one-on-one witnessing conversations and preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified, Biblically. Contact Gary Crous on 072 221 1233.

Please keep this evangelistic mission in prayer for God to draw His creation to His Son Jesus Christ to save them and reconcile them into His family.

Here is a posting from last year 2012 including a video.

WARNING!!! ~ A Genuine Plea

Just recently an unsolicited incident took place on this blog which I must bring to your attention and warn Christian brethren of, which if it could happen to you it could impact negatively with your ministry and testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I had most innocently visited a Christian brother-in-Christ’s blog – this brother I do know to be solid in his theology and faithful in his walk with God – as my intention was to download some of his free e-books as I am unable financially (it’s a Rand / Dollar thing!) to afford his paid for books on offer at his blog and website! I choose to keep this brother’s identity unnamed as I do not believe that what I am about to write about was done with malicious intent on his behalf. I will in love send our brother a link to this posting by e-mail.

WARNING ~ BE CAREFUL !

As I attempted to open a link to one of his books a download page opened that prompted me to download a “projector-of-sorts” in order to run the “program” to read the same. Not being an IT boffin, and trusting the site and the brother I clicked the “Run” button and was confused to find another window open that started running what appeared a virus checking program, one that I do not have on my system, but one that was an on-line version. It was scanning all my files as I could pick up some of the file definitions as I watched the scan commencing. At this point I became aware that there was something drastically wrong with what was taking place and desperately tried to shut the scanning down. In desperation I hit “Ctrl-Alt-Del” to “Start Task Manager” to go and stop the application at work. It worked, but to my horror and total disgust when I went to my blog page I was horrifically confronted with “ad.Adware” advertisements that was unsolicited by me that depicted “Meet Oriental Girls” of a pornographic nature. Brethren and friends this was the work of the devil to discredit this ministry! I was hoping to get a good Christian read and was now confronted by this devilish filth! And I do not blame my brother-in-Christ from whose blog I had visited.

My attempts to locate and remove these advertisements that now scammed my Christian ministry blog took some time to locate. Attempts to remove it from the “Manage add-ons” menu listing did not allow me to “Disable” the same and so a hunt through the downloaded programs on my hard-drive ensured. By the grace of God I was able to locate the menace and was able to uninstall and delete the scourge from my system and the “ad.Adware” advertisements disappeared. However, I am sure some damage beyond my control was done by people seeing those ads. God knows my true intentions at that time and therefore I am not ashamed of the incident. A lesson can be learnt by all this – be careful what you download and always be careful not to just “Run” programs without first “knowing” what you are downloading. There is much evil, devilish and destructive programs, programmers, scammers and hackers in cyber space. Just be WARNED and be CAREFUL!

The Path of a Martyr Compilation

Click the picture to view the video.

Freedom Day 2013

Nineteen years ago today, South Africans “celebrated freedom” on April 27, 1994! Since then, the majority of South Africans enjoy what they perceive to be freedom, for that is what the government of South Africa has told its citizens that they have this democratic freedom which incorporates freedom of expression. However, in reality, the majority of South Africans are not free, but just slaves to another system and its master. What the populace do not realise is that they are not truly free. Why? Well, let’s ask the question – “What are you free from?”

FREEDOM DAY 2013

The main stream populace say they are free from colonial oppression. However the very people who say this find themselves oppressed by a system that keeps them in bondage by not allowing them to exercise their conscience and by drumming the same old tiresome speeches over and over again so people will not forget the past! In fact, if the colonial past was really an oppressive system, then those advocating the past oppressions should give up on the rich trappings of colonialism and surrender on all the “westernised or Europeanism” way of living and go back to one’s African roots!  We can safely say this will never take place as those who speak out against the colonials and their ways need the educated, industrialised and modern systems that the colonials brought to these shores! The populace also say they have a freedom charter known as the bill of rights, yet many people find that their rights are infringed upon by the dictatorship of the government! You see the very freedoms that people are to enjoy under the constitution of South Africa are not freedoms at all, especially when you have rights to freedom of speech and information, yet the government contradicts these freedoms by passing a preposterous secrecy bill! It makes one wonder what is so secret when the same government passed a law during the early stages of this democracy that allowed citizens the freedom to the access of information by enacting that piece of legislation!  What has also been presented as freedoms, especially among the vast majority of Africans, that have been passed as law, flies against the “moralistic customs and traditions of true Africans.” These freedoms that are given to name a few are:

• Girls can have sex at 16 years of age (it’s a no-brainer why there are so many pre-marital pregnancies in schools)
• Homosexuals can engage freely and have same-sex marriages (South Africa is the only country in Africa to have this as a law!);
• Abortions can freely take place – what about the right to life of the unborn contained in the bill of rights?
• Religious practices of all faiths.

You see, people think they have freedom, because the government has granted them this so-called freedom. However, what the peoples of South Africa fail to understand is that the very freedoms that they enjoy now will one day be brought out on the Day of Judgment before the Judgment Seat of Christ when all must give an account of how they have lived here on this earth. The government does not care for ones soul. In fact, the ruling government of South Africa in all its guises hates the souls of its citizens and the strangers that live in and among them! These so called freedoms go against the Commandments of God Almighty – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob – the One True God who is the Creator. If the government of South Africa had its citizens’ best interests at heart they would be God-fearing and not pass ungodly laws. The god that the government of South Africa serves is one of ecumenicalism which is the work of Satan the Devil!

To be truly free is not about enjoying and following a set of man-made rules and ungodly laws, but to know the Son of man who can make you free! Our Lord Jesus Christ said that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (see John 14:6) and as He is the Truth, only the Truth can make you free! The real issue here is that by sinning against God this makes you a transgressor of His Law that renders you an enemy of God and therefore you need to obtain peace between your Creator and you, and the only way to attain that peace is through God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ! We read the following Holy Scriptures that are an indictment against evil and wicked sinners and all the ungodly man-made laws that govern God’s people today:

John 8:23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.

John 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

John 8:25 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.

John 8:26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.

John 8:27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.

John 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

John 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

John 8:30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.

John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 8:33 They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

John 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.

John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

John 8:37 I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

John 8:38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.

John 8:39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

John 8:40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

John 8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.

John 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

John 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Joh 8:45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

John 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

John 8:47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

John 8:48 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?

John 8:49 Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me.

John 8:50 And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.

John 8:51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.

John 8:52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.

John 8:53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?

John 8:54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:

John 8:55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.

John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

John 8:57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?

John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

John 8:59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

To be truly free, repent and believe the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is your only hope.

John Harper ~ Titanic Hero

On 15th April 2013 it was 101 years since the sinking of the “unsinkable” SS Titanic in it’s icy-watery grave. A true hero preached upon the decks and in the icy water to lost souls.

Here is … The Untold Story

By Dennis Pollock

Titanic, the movie, as dramatic as it was, was still mostly fiction. Jack Dawson did not exist, except in the mind of the writer of the screenplay. There was no ticket won in a poker game, no heart of the ocean necklace, no near suicide attempt by Rose, and no final kiss between an English aristocrat and an American drifter. There is however, a true story that far outshines the screenplay both in dramatics and in spiritual substance. It is the story of the Scottish preacher, John Harper.

John Harper lived a relatively short time on this earth; he was thirty-nine years old on April 14, 1912, the day the mighty Titanic was proven to be sinkable after all. Raised by godly parents, he began learning the truths of Scripture as soon as he was able to comprehend. When he was fourteen he received Jesus as his personal Savior, and never experienced that rebellious teenage stage that troubles so many. His next four years were unremarkable. He attended church regularly and quietly grew to manhood.

It was when John reached his eighteenth year that a second remarkable change occurred in his life. In the year 1890 John had an experience with the Holy Spirit that seemed to equip him for a powerful ministry to come. An enrapturing and overwhelming vision was given to him, in which he saw and felt God’s purpose in the Cross of Christ. Though he had known the doctrine of the cross and resurrection since a youth, somehow his heart was pierced with the reality of God’s love for a sinful world, and the necessity of his preaching the good news of salvation to all men. He came away from that vision as a man whose lips had been touched by God’s holy fire, and whose divine commission to preach was never to be questioned.

In his early days he sought no pulpit. It was enough to proclaim Christ on the streets. An empty street corner was, to John, an invitation to preach to all passersby the glorious riches of God in Christ Jesus. After several years of such street preaching, several Baptist leaders began to know and appreciate his white hot zeal for the Lord. He was made a Baptist Missions preacher, which eventually led to a pastoral charge. Starting with 25 members, the church quickly began to grow and prosper under his evangelistic zeal and compassionate heart. When, after thirteen years of ministry there, he resigned to take a pastorate in London, the church’s seating capacity of 900 was quite incapable of holding all those who desired to bid their beloved pastor goodbye.

Man of Prayer

One of the keys to John Harper’s effectiveness as a minister was his prayer life. God had given John a heart for humanity, and this loving heart was strongly and continually exercised in prayer. Listen to these tributes to his incredible passion in prayer:

• “I have been with my dear brother in prayer, again and again, when his whole frame shook like an aspen leaf, so earnest was he in his pleadings with God for a perishing world. He often wept in prayer … Little wonder hard hearts were broken and stubborn wills subdued under his ministry.” (George Harper, John’s brother)
• “The passion of his life was soul-winning. It was no unusual thing for him never to go to bed on a Saturday night, pleading for souls, and crying for Divine Power to enable him to preach for the glory of God.” (Pastor John Dick, successor to John Harper at the Paisley Road Baptist Church in Glasgow)
• “How often I have heard Pastor Harper say, when lying on his face before God, covered with perspiration ‘Oh God, give me souls, or I die.’ Then he would sob and weep, as if his heart would break.” (W.D. Dunn, evangelist)
• “I was often there during 1905, when the news of the Welsh Revival spread. I did not go to Wales, but often saw scenes in Paisley Road Church similar to what we heard were going on there. The crowds were so great it was difficult to get in …Then, before any one could speak ten minutes, souls were crying out for mercy under the mighty power of God … It was the Holy Spirit convicting of sin. One was forced to ask often, ‘What is the secret of this perennial blessing in Paisley Road?’ But when in touch with the Pastor in his vestry or in his home, the secret was soon found out.” (Pastor Malcolm Ferguson)

Perhaps the greatest meetings of John Harper’s shortened life were held at the great Moody Church in Chicago. He had been noticed as one of Europe’s finest preachers and been invited to do a short series of meetings at that large church made famous by the great revivalist D.L. Moody. So anointed and effective was his preaching that the meetings were soon extended. By the time he was done he had preached for three straight months there. The Christian magazine, Life of Faith, referred to these meetings thus: “His services were attended with such rich blessing that the visit lengthened into three months, the Moody Church passing through one of the most wonderful revivals in its history.”

Ironically, it was these meetings that led to Harper’s untimely death. So greatly was he loved by the people of Chicago that he had hardly returned when he was invited for a second visit to the Moody Church. They wanted him for three more months. Harper loved revival too much to turn down the offer. Originally he planned to sail on the Lusitania, but, as providence would have it, the decision was made to delay a week and sail on the new ship called Titanic.

God’s Minister To The Perishing

Titanic’s Deck

While there were no video cameras to record the last hours of the great ship, no tape recorders or cell phones to give us an electronic account of that historic night, we can be thankful for the details supplied by the 700 survivors. Before the accident John Harper was seen on the deck of the ship, leaning against a rail that fateful evening, sharing Christ with one of the passengers. Whether that man surrendered to Christ, only eternity will tell.

Once the warnings began to ring out, Harper wasted no time in getting his daughter, Nana, to an upper deck captain with instructions to get her in a lifeboat. She was indeed one of the survivors, and returned to Scotland where she grew up, married a minister, and lived a long and useful life of service to the God of her father.

From that point on John began his “ministry” to the doomed passengers of the Titanic. He was heard to urge the women, children, and unsaved to go to the lifeboats. Feeling it a waste for believers who already possessed the gift of eternal life to take up precious space on the crowded lifeboats, he never gave thought to trying to find himself a place on them.

His unselfish behavior contrasted sharply with many of the panicking passengers, rich and poor. An American banker managed to get a pet dog onto one of the boats. Colonel John Jacob Astor had to be stopped when he attempted to get on one of the boats ahead of the women. One man disguised himself as a woman in his desperate quest for survival.

Not only did John Harper make no attempt to get into the lifeboats, he even gave away his own life jacket to another man. When the mammoth ship slid quietly into the cold ocean waters, Harper’s ministry did not cease. Though without a life jacket, and thrashing about in the freezing waters, he continued to urge men and women to come to Christ. The survivors nearly all reported the terrible roar that consisted of the combined screams of the perishing, but John had more important things to do than scream. Even as he struggled in the cruel freezing waters of the Atlantic, he continued calling men and women to Jesus Christ.

The Last Convert

A year or more after the sinking of the Titanic, a young man testified of how he had met the passionate preacher in the waters. As people were screaming and dying, he saw John Harper drifting near him. Harper cried out, “Man, are you saved?” The young man knew he was in no condition to meet his Maker, and answered sadly, “No.” Harper immediately replied with Scripture: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”

After that they were separated, and Harper disappeared into the darkness. But as God’s mercy would have it, within a short time they came within each other’s sight once again. Again Harper asked the question that he had asked in various forms countless times throughout his years of service to His Lord: “Are you saved?” Once again the answer was given in the negative. Again Harper cried out, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”

John Harper succumbed to the freezing waters shortly after that. As best as anyone can tell, those were his last words. The young man, however, floating on a spar of the ship, was eventually picked up by one of the lifeboats and rescued by the Carpathia. He testified later: “There, two miles above the ocean floor, I did believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for my salvation. I was John Harper’s last convert.”

The evening before the sinking of the Titanic someone had heard John Harper remark, “It will be beautiful in the morning.” The beauty he saw that morning far exceeded what he had expected. Far more than a pretty sunrise or blue skies or fair winds, John awoke that morning to see the glorious face of His Savior. “For to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8).

The question may be asked why God would allow such a choice servant as Harper to be on that doomed ship, especially considering that his first plans involved taking a different ship a week earlier. Perhaps John Paton, John Harper’s friend put it best:
Some of us can well imagine him in these last awful minutes on board the doomed Titanic, standing amidst a group of stricken, repentant souls pointing them to the Savior he had loved and served so well, and helping them to seize their eleventh-hour opportunity. God has not many servants whom He could trust with such a service, and that, to me at least, is the explanation of our brother being on board the Titanic instead of on the Lusitania as he had at one time planned.

How differently God looks at things than we do! Perhaps John’s presence on the Titanic was not a tragedy but an honor. God, in His great love and compassion for all people, was determined to have a faithful witness of Christ to the lost and perishing in those last hours, and chose one of His choicest servants, John Harper for the task.

BACK TO THE PRESENT

Nearly a century [this year is 101 years 1912-2013] has passed since John Harper gave his life testifying of the Savior. Nearly all the survivors of the Titanic have died, most of much more ordinary deaths such as heart attacks, cancer, organ failure and the like. But they did die! Though we may take comfort in the fact that we probably won’t die in a terrible shipwreck, the point is that we will die (except for those believers who remain until the coming of Jesus for His church).

How you die is not nearly as important as the spiritual state your soul is in when you die. When the Titanic began her voyage there were three classes of passengers: first, second, and third class. But when she came to her abrupt end, history records only two kinds of passengers: those who perished and those who were saved. Even so, God’s word divides all humanity neatly into only two classes. God cares not whether we are white or black, male or female, simple or brilliant … In His view there are but those who are saved and those who are lost.

Jesus took our sins upon Himself at the cross and then rose again the third day. This simple truth is the dividing line for all humanity. The Scriptures put it this way, “For He (God) has made Him (Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Have you received Jesus Christ as your Savior? Do you know that your sins are forgiven? He offers you eternal life. While there is still time, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).