A Walk from Death to Glory

Photo by Javier de la Torre

Living life of a vapor, 
Pretending it will last forever.


In a blink of an eye we are dust,
Mortal is consumed by rot and rust.


As for man his days are like grass,
So momentary his glory,

The wind passes over and
Death is the aftermath.


Myriad of kings and kingdoms have come and gone.
All their glory forgotten, overthrown.


Futile is everything under the sun, 
Everything that does not laud God the Son. 


But they who love the Lord for them,
Death is just a beginning, not the end.


The seed fell on the ground and died,
Now grave is swallowed by eternal life. 


Worldliness only left a bitter taste in the mouth,
He smashed open the prison gates, I'm free and found.


The lust of the flesh doesn't dictate anymore, 
As deeper each day the longing to meet my Maker grows.


Now, as I wait for the trumpet sound,
Oh Father, let me not grow weary and confound.


The enemy wastes away bidding for my soul, 
Assured I walk knowing you are making me whole. 


Fixing my eyes on your appearing.
Cast away are old fancies in the light of your beauty. 


Take me home, oh Lord, take me home!
To be made one with You, forevermore.

IS THERE MORE TO LIFE THAN THIS?

How fragile our body is, how transitory feelings are, how uncertain everything in this life is, how fleeting the pursuit of pleasure and how futile is a life without an anchor!

We spend all of our days planning for the time ahead, grappling with life so we could enjoy every bit of the days yet to come. Funny as it seems we can’t even guarantee what might happen in the next few minutes, let alone the years to come.

Just think about it; you touch a bare wire, trip on the bathroom floor or have an unexpected heart attack and the brutal, merciless jaws of death devours the life out of you.
On the contrary, our oblivion towards judgment and the eternal life that is so irrefutably imminent according to the scriptures is seemingly shocking.

We disregard and make light of the laws God laid out and live like there is no judge to give an account to. Even a disbeliever intuitively knows what is wrong or right, God has instilled His law in our hearts so all of us are without an excuse;

"For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus." Romans 2:14-16

Most of the atheism thus burgeons forth as a cover for immorality; it’s a comfortable alternative because it gets rid of moral accountability since now there’s no law to follow and only one conscience to please.
We so brashly claim to be better off without a God; too proud to acknowledge His existence yet we have no power over a single breath that we take. We can’t add a single day to our life yet we claim to be masters of our destinies. What a proud, self centered and deluded claim!

If only we humble ourselves, put our guards down and think for a moment... It’s so fascinating and beyond comprehension how God holds it all together and cares for this insignificant life when we so blatantly and relentlessly shame Him and crucify Him daily. He doesn’t strike us down dead right there looking at our rebellion but He gives us repeated chances to repent and come back to Him. And when we do He purges us and gives us a brand new slate, the old record is written off and the price has been paid.

All of the creation and the cosmos bear a witness to His might and an intelligent design. I think it takes a greater faith to be an atheist and believe that all came out of nothing than to believe in an all sovereign creator. They believe it was the big bang; the Bible says it’s the word of God. I am not going to throw a spiel on intelligent design, but I think the Word of God is to be trusted when it says,
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” Romans 1:20.

I am sometimes doused with a sense of desperate longing, I often find myself bushwhacking my way through successes, failures, relationships, worldly dispositions to something wanting, something bigger, better, larger than this life could ever offer me. To a point where nothing can satisfy me fully - be it achievements, marriage, parenthood or anything in this world. This homesickness for our eternal home is no anomaly but very likely to be experienced by God's people.
As the Bible says “For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven.” 2 Corinthians 5:2

This life and the world we live in was never designed to fulfill us beyond a point where we’d lose the need for God. It always was and always will be all about God and His glory, be it this life or the eternal. That's why for a believing heart death is just a new beginning. That's why even when everything was at stake, Paul profoundly expounded his joy as he said, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21

Reflecting on what became of king Solomon, a man whose splendor and wisdom no one could compete with even to this age. How a hedonist who unrelentingly pursued everything his heart desired came to a point draped in despair where everything under the sun became meaningless to him. Why? because he took a detour and got to a point where it was all about him. In the book of Ecclesiastes we can see him with his rough edges, elbowing his way through all his pursuits with a sense of disdain and vanity for everything culminating with his proverbial advice that was a remedy for his maladies too.

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 KJV

In God we have our fulfilment. A life without His love is futile and chasing after the wind.
I am captivated every time I read the verse that says,

"As  for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more. " Psalms 103:15-17

This verse is deluged with a sense of hopelessness and triviality of life. "Here today gone tomorrow,” that's no less than truth but it's the following verses that fill us with a hope and purpose:

"But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children,
To such as keep His covenant, And to those who remember His commandments to do them." Psalms 103:17-18
What an assurance and confidence we have in a brief, evanescent life with its uncertainty. Even in the midst of such clamour and insecurity we have a hope and peace that's beyond human understanding.
Blaise Pascal once said, “it is in vain, oh men that you seek within yourselves the cure for all your miseries." He was correct that cure is found in Jesus alone. I want to conclude it with the words of our Lord.

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. "John 11:25

May we all live a life pleasing to Him, turn back to Him if we are not there before we are gone like that grass of the field. Before it's too late.

May His love and mercy abide with you.
Much love 

From Wordly to VIRTUOUS

She is worth far more than rubies

"Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives."  1 Peter 3:1. Whether you are a Christian or not, this is a beautiful truth if it is understood correctly.

A simple illustration of this would be the following:

The husband can come home, the table is made, the wife is in the kitchen making the supper, she does it as a duty and not out of the love to serve her husband and her attitude is "there you go" as she puts the meal in front of him.

Or it could be as follows:

The husband comes home, the wife takes care of his needs, she prepares the table in a joyful way, she is in the kitchen making the supper, she is full of joy that she can serve her husband, when she dishes up, she makes a "heart" design in the food as a small expression of her love, and her attitude reflects that she is glad and honored to be serving her husband as she puts the meal down.

Which scenario best depicts a loving wife? Of course the latter one.

You might then say, yes, but who does that? That sounds cheesy and I feel overworked anyway. But the truth is that when you do something out of the true joyfulness from the heart, it becomes more of an expression of your love, rather than a work-based duty that you have to fulfill.

Behavior is your attitude, your ways; the way in which you do things.

Joseph Stalin, the former Russian Dictator, said the following about his wife at her funeral:

"This creature softened my heart of stone. She died and with her died my last warm feelings for humanity."

- What a bold and powerful statement from a man who was responsible for thousands of deaths. His wife did not "soften his heart" by doing a duty... She softened it by the way in which she loved him and served him.

WHAT'S ON THE INSIDE IS REFLECTED BY WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO WEAR ON THE OUTSIDE

It's so beautiful to see a woman covered up in the way she dresses. Beauty doesn't need parading of the skin.

"The humble woman, the modest woman, is concerned about the lost. And her dress reflects that concern.”~~C.J. Mahaney

Often, women wear short and revealing clothes and then wonder why the men they've been with have not treated them with respect, by doing this, the man is not drawn in because of who she is, but rather 'what' she is.

“If your clothing is a frame for your face, from which the glory of Christ springs forth, it is of God. But if your clothing is a frame for your body, it is sensual and God hates it” – Charo Washer.

Ladies, please understand that if you show off your body, don't expect the man to love you for your heart and who you are as a person. Compare that with a woman who does not wear tight fitting or revealing clothing, the man's only option is to love her for her heart and who she is as a person...

Do not be fooled by what is considered "beautiful" in the world's eyes... True beauty lies within; it's not the makeup, the shoes, the clothing, nor the small waist that should draw the man in - and if it is that, then open your eyes, because you are in the wrong relationship then.

Would you not want a man who honours you, who respects you, who uplifts you, who boasts about you, who loves you, who grows you, who is caring, who is kind, and one who treats you like the queen you deserve to be?

Then be the woman you want him to see...

Be the woman you want him to be with. Show him who you are, your ways, your gentleness, your grace, and you shall be amazed at our fruitful your relationship will be then.

MARRIAGE:

If your boyfriend does not want to marry you at some point in the relationship, leave him. Would an Olympic professional sprinter train for 4 years only to watch the 100m sprint from the sidelines? Of course not, there's a reason and a purpose for the beginning; with the end goal in mind.

MEN:

Understand your role in the relationship. Many women do not understand what the true role of a man is because their own father possibly did not display that role correctly.

It is your duty not to abuse your authority in the relationship. Understand how vital your role is... You are responsible for your woman's holiness, you are to grow her in Christ daily. Also, please don't speak loud at her, speak to her with love and kindness, honour her and respect her at all times - in doing so, she will honour your role in the relationship. She'll look at you with a twinkle in her eye and be proud of the man she sees reflecting Jesus, not just in words but in action. 

If you are currently pursuing a relationship with a woman who is loud in her ways, who is overly opinionated, one who fails to submit and one who does not respect authority, flee from her as quickly as you can.

In short: If you had a daughter, be the man you'd want her to be with.

We hope this helps you as it has helped us and since you took time to read all the way we suppose you are motivated to lead a life that pleases God.

If you have questions write to us at teamprinsloo@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

Stay Blessed

love

Kyle and Niharika

Dating & Relationships - Part 2

DATING & RELATIONSHIPS - Written by Niharika

What usually runs through a girl's mind when she thinks of a perfect man for herself can be a whole lot of things; Good looks, compatibility, personality, sense of humour, good job, shiny cars etc - this might differ for each lady though, I can go on and on but let me begin by asking a simple question: Would you be willing to settle for someone who's got none of what I just mentioned, but you'd still find him the most breath taking man on the face of the earth if it's God leading you to him?  

Well, I am in no way saying that God will lead you to empty pockets only or someone absolutely opposite to what you've dreamt of, but the point I'm trying to make here is how much are you willing to settle for God's choice than your own?  

After I got saved God, revealed to me how important this area is. I needed to commit myself to honouring God through my dating relationship. Kyle and I prefer calling it "courtship" rather than "dating" - I don't mean "courtship" is some magical word in itself but it defines the principles that we follow. The worldly phenomenon of dating involves the sole purpose of 'recreation'. I usually call it the 'TB syndrome,' Testing Out and Bailing Out syndrome. Participating in serious relationships just for the fleeting pleasures, almost similar to a test drive and then bailing out as soon you've had enough, or pursuing someone romantically without the intentions of marrying one another.  

A wrong relationship can cheat 5 people:

1. God
2. Yourself
3. The person you are with
4. Your future spouse whom God would have reserved for you
5. The future spouse of the person you are with  

Courtship on the other hand is a relationship with the purpose of marriage. In addition to that we ought to do it in a Godly fashion because the ultimate aim is to please God through it.  

To those who are single and praying for a partner, do not give up on it. Once you submit everything to God, the good work begins, so this is just the period of preparation. God is preparing you for your future spouse.  

To those who are in a relationship with a person who doesn't share your faith, to them I would simply say that being with a man who doesn't follow Jesus is dangerous. 2 Corinthians 6:14 - "Be you not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion has light with darkness?" I would also advise you to read "Breaking Up: He's Just Not That into God" by Stina Wilson.  

To those who are in a relationship and are truly committed to honouring God through it must know that a Godly relationship is radically committed to purity. Physical intimacy is a pure joy and a blessing of marriage and commitment. Consider a woman who has had 4 serious relationships in her life before she got married, and even if there is no physical intimacy connected to it, there is still an emotional clinging and it's no surprise that this woman will take all those 4 men with her to her wedding night because of the romantic nature of these relationships.  

It's interesting, God's Word doesn't ask us to fight youthful lust but to absolutely flee from it, simply because we can't conquer it on our own. It's always wiser to keep away from the predicaments than to fight it and fail.

You can see what dating does... It drains the future of marriage's blessings. Sex is not bad because our bodies are naturally designed to desire it, but when we go out doing it out of His appointed time, we can flip this blessing into a curse.

A Godly relationship is all about honoring God through it and desiring His perfect will in the life of your partner. Avoid putting yourself in situations where you'd be tempted to do things you'd later regret and it's not just about "no-sex-before-marriage" because Godly a relationship goes above and beyond that.  

We are called to be submissive to God's appointed authority. Do not look to 'outperform' each other in things like income, talents or skills but try to 'outperform' each other in serving one another. Ladies, respect your man and let him take the lead because it's not just some patriarchal system that puts them over you but it's God's authority, and if you think that defies the law of equality then you are questioning the concept of trinity itself.  

Aim to grow each other daily and help to stir Godly passions in each other. Friendship before marriage is essential as this friendship builds greater respect and understanding in the relationship. I would also advise you to seek the counselling of Godly people in your life who can lead you well, it could be your spiritual mentors, pastors, elders or your parents.  

I would encourage you to live your relationship in a Godly manner and to reap the fruits His promise... AT ITS BEST!!!  

Be blessed

Dating & Relationships - Part 1

DATING & RELATIONSHIPS - Written by Kyle

The amazing topic of dating. We are all at different stages in our lives, some are single, some are dating and some are married - each stage has importance.  

If you are single, do not be despondent, God has the man/woman for you. His 'clock' is not broken, perhaps He's still working on your own or your future spouses character, but it will come together in His timing. Don't give up in your prayers, keep seeking on The Lord and focus on growing yourself as a person and advancing His Kingdom.  

In my view, Dating is a "testing out" relationship and Courting is a "knowing you are going to get married" relationship. It's important to know which one you are in or which one you are going to be in.  

Do you have marriage in mind and is that your main goal? If there is no vision for the relationship, then it is likely to lead to heartache despite how much love there is for one another. Proverbs 29:18 - "Where there is no vision, the people perish."  

If you are in a relationship right now, are you growing each other daily towards Christ and are you serving each other out of love or duty? Do you have the blessing of the parents from both sides? Are your expectations of your future husband or wife 'too perfect' for someone to fulfill?  

In choosing a partner, make sure that your beliefs are the same and don't be hesitant on asking fundamental questions as follows:  

How is your relationship in Christ?
Who is God to you?
Do you believe everything in The Bible?
What does marriage mean to you?
Would you like any children, if so, how many?
What are your goals and interests in life?  

Be cautious to be around a woman who is like the 'man' in the relationship, if this happens, then you might as well start growing your hair and wearing a dress. Relationships work on personalities, dominating personalities are never good in any area of life. Also be cautious to be around women who wear a lot of makeup. As a general rule; The thicker the makeup, the more trouble. It is a facade to cover up the insecurities and falseness that lies within.  

Some ways work differently for each person, but the best way to know someone is through friendship at first, spend time with that person, become that person's best friend, after all, isn't that what being in a relationship is about? Being with your best friend and fulfilling God's plan for your lives, growing each other and loving each other?  

If you are vulnerable, then you love your future wife/husband; if you are not vulnerable, then you don't love the other person. True love is vulnerability.  

Many think that when you marry someone, you will feel complete, but the truth is that marriage is not meant to make you a 'complete' person - Jesus makes you a complete person. We are 'whole' and 'complete' because of the life we live in Christ, therefore, marriage is designed to make us more holy than it is to make us more 'whole' or 'complete'.  

We are complete because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. There is no other man or woman who can complete you other than Jesus.  

The 8 keys to a successful relationship are:  

1. Jesus as the foundation and centre
2. Love
3. Communication
4. Honour
5. Respect
6. Selflessness
7. Understanding
8. Forgiveness  

What are your views on Dating and Relationships?  

Thank you for reading this post. Please read Part 2 as an additional read from a woman's perspective.  

KBP