

## Salvation Is The Life

### By

### Nelson Canha
Salvation Is The Life

Author: Nelson Canha.

Published by Smashwords

ISBN 978-1-4580-5145-5

Copyright © 2011 by JNS Canha [Nelson]

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the King James Version® 1611, Copyright © 1962 by American Bible Society and taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher or author, or purchase another copy.

Contact author:

Email: **nelson.canha@gmail.com**

Postal Address:

P.O. Box 1615,

Rant-en-Dal,

Krugersdorp,

1751

Gauteng, Republic of South Africa

I dedicate this book, my first, to...

Our Lord Jesus Christ, for having been there for me, patiently awaiting my return to His ways and will in the "new" life. I exalt and praise Him and rejoice in His company - my New Covenant Partner and Saviour, who is first priority in my life, being my Resource and Guide for this book.

For standing by me, my wife Ansa. May the Lord bless you for being so supportive. To my children, Chá-Mari and Jeân, with the love of God, that they always be blessed in everything they do. To Pastors Pat and Louisa Moffat [now retired], the then Morning Light Church leaders, AOG Krugersdorp, for their guidance and mentoring that realized the renewal and change in my life. To my parents, for their support in my Christian endeavours and new life with the Lord. To my relatives. God bless you all. Live in His will.

To Billy Verster, the Dean of the Bible School at the time, a brother of strength who taught me and was my guide in my knowledge-growth period. To all my "brothers and sisters," for caring and supporting me. May His blessings increase upon your lives. To all my "brothers and sisters" now residing in other countries. Thank you for building me up to here. I am now enjoying life in His glory.

To Pastors Noel and Zelda Wood, the new leaders, Real Life Church, AOG Krugersdorp [ex Morning Light]. Thank you for the blessings and support and prayers over my life. May God take you both and your family from strength to strength.

God bless you all.

### Chapter 1

##### In The Beginning

The first thing most people will be saying is that this is another boring book. Yes, for those who don't know our Lord Jesus Christ, it may sound boring, maybe even a waste of time. Unfortunately, many are lost in sin and the world's standards rule them. These standards are " _driven_ " by the devil. He was the most beautiful angel in heaven, called Lucifer, but he tried to become mightier than God. What happened next? He was thrown out of heaven with a third of the angels. These angels were his followers and worshipped him and not God. The devil became known to mankind as Satan.

Look into your mind's eye and imagine a world without sin – a perfect world. A PERFECT world? What would such a world be like? What would it have been like to live in such a world... PERFECT? Salvation acceptance is the way we will be able to live our worldly life and one day be able to enter into heaven, to live a new life in eternity, a life where God's riches will become our life's treasures. This is where life actually begins, through the acceptance salvation.

Where do we start? How about the beginning? Everything has a beginning and an end to it. But life after death on earth never ends. All this because of the Gift of Salvation offered to us by God the almighty Father of the heavens and the earth, the Creator of everything we can see and cannot see, through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

" **In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." – Genesis 1:1-2**

This is where it all began. The earth was formed and created by God. Have you ever driven around the country side on a weekend, maybe taking the family for a picnic? What do you see? I used to work at a satellite tracking station a few kilometers west of Johannesburg. For approximately 12 years I drove out to this station situated in the hills away from the bustle of the city. What did I see? I saw beauty in every direction I looked. An earth that was dark and formless, now filled with God's beauty as He added to it. Before empty – now filled with His glory.

Seven days later and everything was completed. On the seventh day He rested. But before He completed everything, on the sixth day He made man according to His image, He made man and thereafter woman as his companion. He told them to live a righteous life and to multiply; **"be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it." [Genesis 1:28a** **]**. And creation was complete, with animals, birds and fish in the sea. Now you must be wondering what all this has to do with salvation. How will you understand it unless you know where it all began? God told Adam and Eve to never eat from the tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden. But the serpent was the craftiest of all the wild animals that God had created. Something happened at this point in time. The devil was already wandering the earth and he was not happy that God was mightier than he was.

The tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was at the centre of this garden. The serpent " _convinced_ " Eve to try out the fruit from that tree and so she did. She ate of the forbidden fruit from that tree and later she told Adam to eat of this fruit as well, explaining to him what the serpent had told her.

The rest of the story you know by now. They disobeyed God and sin took hold of mankind. The devil had his hand in "the pie of life." The devil caused Adam and Eve to sin. This is where it all began! Adam and Eve were now filled with knowledge and wisdom and they knew much more than they had known before eating from the fruit of that tree. God was angry and He cast them out of the Garden of Eden. He placed cherubim to guard this garden and the tree, never allowing anyone to go near it again.

" **Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life." – Genesis 3:14**

And so the serpent was cursed forever by God. The serpent, or as we commonly know it today, the snake, was made to _suffer_ forever. And Adam and Eve suffered as well. God's creation was tarnished by sin. His people became distant in His heart. He was hurt by us who are sinners, because of disobedience. She would suffer much pain during childbirth, and man would rule over women thereafter. Adam would work hard to plant and grow food for them to live. His life would never be easy again. And so that's where sin came into being, where sin originated! Because of this sin all mankind is born into sin and the only way to survive in this world and be able to enter into God's kingdom in heaven, is by the saving grace of God, through the receiving of the Gift of Salvation. God's loving and forgiving grace is the only way to enjoy a life everlasting, filled with joy and peace, and many other great things that only He can offer.

Let me paint a picture in your mind quickly. You are in a field filled with green shrubs, trees and plenty of colourful flowers. This is God's creation. You are one of the flowers. Picture this scene in your mind. At the edge of this field is a small flame burning, growing in strength. You get too close to it and it scorches you. The beautiful flower has now lost its colour. It is now dead. From you, the scorched flower, this flame spreads across the field and scorches the other flowers, then the trees and the shrubs. The flame is the serpent known as the devil. Can you see this picture in your mind now? Sin touched one then spread throughout the world.

Eve caught the first licks from the flame, then Adam took hold of this flame. And sin was "born" into the world. In Genesis 4 we read about the first murder when Cain killed Abel. This is the second time that man sins. Right through the Old and New Testaments sin is the common denominator which determines mankind's eternal future. Because God loved the people of this world so much, He made a _plan_ to save us. Jesus Christ was the _plan_ for our salvation. He became the key to eternal life filled with joy, peace and a place in His presence in heaven.

" **For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." – John 3:16**

The old or the new, this is what it's all about – God's love for us. Sin ruled the world from the beginning and it still rules the world today. There were a few generations between Adam and the time Noah lived. Mankind continued to increase and everything was well. But everything changed! Man became wiser and decided to do things their own way, started living in their own will and not the Lord's will. He was grieved and decided to end it all, except for Noah and his family. Noah "found favour in the eyes of the Lord." [Genesis 6:8]. He was a righteous man, blameless amongst the men of all nations and the people of his time; and he walked with God!

The rest of the world's population had to die because corruption and violence ruled it. Sin was great indeed and salvation was not a factor amongst the people of the world. They worshipped other gods. Only one man and his family understood that salvation was the only way to walk and that it was the way to the Father's home – heaven. They were spared because they worshipped God. So the ark was built and God allowed rain to fall down upon the earth for a long period of time.

For forty days and forty nights the rain poured without ceasing. All mankind died except for Noah and his family, and a pair of each type of living creature that roamed the earth as well. All the people on earth died because they did not except the ways of the Lord and His salvation gift which He offered. Along with man, the animals, birds, and everything on and above the earth died, except those which were safely on board of the ark.

The waters flooded the earth for one hundred and fifty days. Then it all subsided. The world was _cleansed_ from sin once more. Noah and his family offered God sacrifices of clean birds and animals, burnt offerings for saving them. They lived because they obeyed God and lived as He wished them to live – they had accepted salvation from the beginning, living a righteous and pleasing life before God. Never again would God destroy the world or ever flood it because of mankind. God cut a covenant with Noah and until this day He has kept it. Although we live under a New Covenant, God has always kept His promise. He placed a rainbow in the sky which signifies His promise to us; the earth would never be flooded again, no matter what.

Salvation has always been the message from the beginning. And all because God loves the people! Yet, throughout the centuries, mankind turned to sinful ways, and sin is still very evident today. What is salvation and what does it mean? It is the act of saving from sin or an eternal death. It is the redemption of our dark-filled lives. To save someone or something from an eminent danger. The danger here is the devil, the _father of lies_. God's beautiful people now live in sin. Part of His creation has been tarnished by darkness. Sin now rules the world. One reads about it in the newspapers or magazines. One hears about it on the radio and television. The world has lost its shining and beautiful colour. It has been darkened by the " _flame_ " called Satan.

Next came the separation of man, each speaking in different languages. Why, you may ask? For one simple reason. Mankind brought together all their wisdom and knowledge, in this way making them think they were above all things once again, which included God. When they started building the tower of Babel they turned away from God.

God came and caused confusion amongst mankind and they could not understand each other any longer. That's where the name Babel is derived. They thought they were untouchable. Once again, salvation "went out the door." The building of the Tower of Babel came to an end. This is not the end but the beginning of how the world nations were " _born_ ", and all mankind lived by their own nation's laws. Never again would the world be able to stand as one, trying to conquer the impossible.

_Salvation_ is the life that you should be striving for, the life pleasing to our merciful and loving God. Only through salvation can one live a glorious life. And our Lord Jesus Christ is the way to that salvation.

### Chapter 2

Our Lives Today

As I mentioned in the first chapter, we are born into sin. We are not born sinners but the standards of this world engulf us and life swallows us up. Not one of us is perfect and no one remains perfect, even after birth. As we grow up we start to gain some knowledge of what life is all about and soon we use this knowledge for our own selfish ways – even as children we become rebellious and sin " _kicks in_." Remember one thing. The devil has a stronghold over the world, because the world is his " _playground_ ," the only place where he can score and where he has an opportunity of winning over souls to assist in his dirty and dark works. This is why none of us are pure and perfect. Sin rules us, and it begins somewhere in our early ages of childhood.

" **For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," – Romans 3:23**

Let me paint another picture in your mind. You are walking across the country side and you are enjoying life as you see fit. You feel free and can do whatever you wish. The country side is your playground and in it lies all your treasures. Then one day you reach a point where you cannot cross. It is a deep gorge. The distance to the other side is too great and you cannot jump over it even if you tried your best. But on the other side you see a country side which is even more beautiful than where you reside now. It is outside your grasp. There is nothing in this world that can help you get to the other side. Along comes a Man and He offers you a gift which will allow you to cross that gorge.

This Man is called Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. He only wants you to do one thing, and this will allow you to cross to the other side. All you need to do is accept Him as your King and new Ruler. When you do this, He places a cross of wood and this forms a "bridge" to the new beautiful country side you have seen. Do you see that picture? Because of sin we all fall short and cannot jump or cross the gorge to the side where life looks more beautiful and more peaceful. This will only happen when you become a true believer and follower of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He is the truth, the way and the life, and only through Him can we come to the Father. God made a plan for us. He offered us the gift of a lifetime. What do you do about it? Now we need salvation to free us from the grip of evil, from the bondage of sin. _Salvation_ is ours to have, to take and keep forever, and in this way we can lead beautiful lives where the Lord is our Ruler, where He is King forever. This is where our Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ, enters " _into our lives_."

"... **and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." – Romans 3:24**

Only by the loving and forgiving grace of God can you receive salvation. Remember, He has always loved the world [which is the people of this world]. Since sin has ruled amongst all nations, God had to do something to save us. He had to gain victory over darkness and sin – Jesus Christ became the way to this victory. He paid for your sins in full. There are no left-overs or something you need to accomplish to gain this victory. He did it for us. Satan was beaten by His death on the cross and freedom is yours to choose. It was victory given freely to us. That's right! Freedom is a choice you have to make. To turn away from sin is a choice you have to make.

God does not " _twist your arm_ " to convince you or to force you to turn away from the lifestyle the world has taught you. _Salvation_ is a free gift which is available to all who want to receive it and they must decide for themselves if they want this wonderful and loving gift from the Father. I still see many who call themselves followers of Christ living in sin daily and they do not realize where they are heading – hell road.

" **You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly." – Romans 5:6**

God's timing is always perfect. He knew that sin would mean the end of the world and His people, just like it happened in the beginning when He destroyed mankind by flooding the earth. As I stated before, God keeps all His promises. He would never destroy all mankind again in that manner. But the world was living in total chaos and in total sin once again. What could He do to change all that? The devil's stronghold over the world was great and God had to do something to save His people He loves so much. He had a plan! This plan destroyed the grip of Satan over mankind forever – it was the plan of the _Cross on Calvary_. Now the bridge has been placed across that gorge and you may cross to the other side. When you cross to the "new land" and you start to live a different life according to His ways and His will, you discover another dimension of living you never knew – and all because of the Father's love for you.

The salvation gift has come into " _play_." All who believe and accept Jesus into their lives become the chosen ones by His grace and faith in Him. Here comes another picture for you to view in your mind. You purchased a motorcar some years ago. For many years it drove well, always feeling good and sturdy. Now ten years later it is falling apart. It drives like an old tin can and feels like it's breaking your back and ribs. It still offers you freedom and takes you wherever you want to go. Then one day you see a new model standing in a showroom. You want it but you cannot afford it. It looks great and sleeker than your old model. How can you get your hands on it? There is Someone who can help you. He wants to give it to you for free.

Unfortunately, you do not fit the description of someone He wants near Him, never mind offering you that new motorcar for free. Only when you accept His ways of life and you make a declaration that that's the way you want to live into your future, only then will you receive the keys to that new model. Sin rules you after birth, when you get older and start to understand the ways of the world. Years later you discover that you are not getting anywhere. You are dying and getting older in body, soul and spirit. Along comes God and He offers you the keys to a new life. To receive these keys you must allow Jesus Christ into your life. You must confess Him as your Saviour and Lord. Only then will you start a new life filled with greater things.

Just like trying to get that new model motorcar, sleeker and more beautiful than the old. Your old life is nothing compared to the new life offered by God. Are you getting this picture? What was life like back in the Old Testament compared to today's standards? Was sin ruling the world? Of course it was!

" **Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come." [Romans 5:14].**

The death spoken of here is sin. Sin reigned over everyone, even those who walked in the fear of God. Many did not break His commands, but sin ruled over them – somewhere along the way sin took a hold of them and turned them around, making them live outside God's will. The Bible offers many examples of this " _sin-grip_ " over men. David is a very good example. Only by God's grace and His love for David did he remain saved. He repented. _Salvation_ was offered to him and he accepted it; and many times he needed it! He had an affair with Bathsheba, something which was totally ungodly. Then to make it even worse, he send her husband into the frontlines of the battlefield where he was killed – this was just like planning a murder, even when you are not present at the scene.

What happened to David? Did he land up going to hell? No, not at all! He repented before God for being such a sinner and rededicated his life totally to the One who loved him. He was known as the " _blue-eyed boy_ " of God, the favourite one He loved so much. Because of God's merciful love, David was saved by His grace which kept him from going to hell. David knew God well and he realized that his actions were far from what the Lord had expected from him. He had opened up a gap where the devil could place his foot into it, therefore allowing his stronghold to strengthen within David. At least he did not overcome David. God loved David and forgave him when he turned to Him for forgiveness of his sins which he committed.

" **Jesus said: 'I tell you, nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.' " – Luke 13:5**

That's all you need to do. Confess your sins and repent from them, accepting Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord and you are saved. God heard David's cry for forgiveness, and it came from the depths of his heart, not false and made to look real – his repentance was real! How could the Lord send him to hell? If he hadn't repented, David would have been in hell now. But he repented and confessed his love for the Lord his Saviour and God. How did salvation in the Old Testament compare with the New Testament? Jesus Christ offered us a New Covenant when He died on the cross for us. His blood was the atonement for our sins. His crucifixion offered us the open door to salvation and allowed us to enter into the presence of the Father God. No more tabernacle or veil where only the High Priest could enter. We who are saved can enter into the Holy of Holies and come before the Father any time we wish.

There is only one way in which you can do this. When you are a born-again Christian. No one else can enter in this manner. Only by the free gift of salvation which is offered to us by Jesus Christ. Only in this manner can we enter into the presence of the Father. Jesus Christ is the " _key_ " to the " _door of salvation_."

" **I am the way, the truth, and the life; No man cometh unto the Father but by Me." – John 14:6**

These are the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of Him and only through Him can we enter into the Holy of Holies. There is no other way. In the Old Testament the High Priests appointed at the time were the only ones allowed into the Holy of Holies, into the presence of God. They prepared sacrifices and sacrificed animals for the atonement of the peoples' sin. But if the people committed sin during the time span between these periods of sacrifices, and they died, they would not be with God. They journeyed straight to hell! In the New Testament, our times today, because of Jesus' crucifixion, we were saved - only if you are a believer and follower of Jesus Christ.

_Salvation_ _Is The Life_ you should be living. There is no sacrifices needed between periods to atone your sins. You are saved and free from sin forever if you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Saviour. Now you may ask, " _What if I die while I'm still deciding if I should accept Jesus into my life or not, but I have left behind my old ways for now_?" Sorry to say, but you are on the bus to hell. Viktor Frankl once said, and I quote,

" **Clinics are crowded with people suffering from a new kind of neurosis, a sense of total and ultimate meaninglessness of life."**

As the above explains clearly, it is not a physical suffering as such, but the suffering you cause yourself, being useless in this life due to sin. It tells us that we have no goals to reach an achievement that has any significance or meaning in our lives, unless we are aiming for the top goal - living the life God has planned for us. He allows you to set the best goals and ideals in life. Now one can say that some meaning has returned into our lives. When we continue with the renewal of our 'rebirth', we start refining our hearts, and it just happens...

_The Light_ starts shining within you and your heart feels the true love that has pierced it. Love is now birthed in you, His love. And everyone will see the new radiance that emits from you, and flows in your daily life. The suffering will cease. No more neurosis, no more meaninglessness in your life. Does this sound like the kind of life you want for yourself, your family, relatives and friends? Then you are now moving in the right direction, the path of love! God is LOVE! This is our life today. Either we are saved and called children of God or we are still living the lies of the world, being enforced by the devil and his " _angels_ ," and this will lead to an eternal death. I prefer the eternal life rather than the death part. I accepted the _Gift of Salvation_ offered to me by Jesus Christ. I left my sinful nature behind years ago. _Salvation_ is the way forward.

### Chapter 3

Starting Over

Your mother gives birth to you after nine months. Your life starts inside her womb. You are either a baby girl or baby boy. That's how God planned it. There are no choices here. He created you long before you were in your mother's womb. In time you get your first teeth. In time you start to crawl, and learn to walk and talk. For the next few years you go forward in a process from babyhood to adulthood. Your adult life begins. Which life? The life of the world. There are the few who " _hear_ " the _Gospel of Jesus_ in their younger years and they become true believers and followers of Jesus Christ.

They become born-again Christians and are given the right to be called children of God. _Salvation_ crossed their paths in early years and this became the life they chose. Unfortunately, this is not the same for everyone on earth. Some accept Jesus at a later stage in their lives; like I did at the ripe age of thirty seven years of age, and others much later or earlier. Many never accept Him. The free _Gift of Salvation_ goes by and they miss out. Why? Because the devil, or as he is known, Satan, twisted their minds and hearts in such a way that the truth has been hidden from them.

They ended up part of the " _living dead_ " and their eternal life is all the way to hell. No free passes to heaven and no special forgiveness. Straight to hell. Still today many do not accept Jesus into their lives. They have had the truth concealed from their hearts and minds. The world's ways have become a " _magnetic force_ " in their lives. What about you? Have you accepted Jesus as your Saviour and Lord yet? Are you still thinking about it? Do you understand and know the truth yet? Maybe it's time I teach you about the truth. Enjoy the journey!

The good living and lustful times that made us heroes among those we met. Those were the days, when God was only a myth or a legend in everyone's imagination. I am sure that many of us did live a " _young innocent_ " life, when under the tutorship of our parents – mine were such parents, strict in our upbringing. I remember that somewhere along my life I was part of the youth groups and their activities, while growing up in the Roman Catholic traditions (these were mostly my school years). I did not remain such an innocent youngster as was hoped for by my parents. I am sure that you too did not continue with the "Christian" ways throughout your life. These were the old ways, not fulfilling the Lord's wishes and only causing sorrow in His heart.

He seeks us, patiently awaiting our return into His will and ways. Yes, those were the days, when the old ways were the only greatest adventures in our lives, where nothing else mattered and the world was our joy. In the Bible we read how life in sinful ways caused the downfall of many non-believers, or complete countries. After giving fully my life back to Jesus Christ, and publicly having confessed my sins, I discovered what I had been missing throughout my past years. Freedom, joy, peace and a new dance in my step was born in me. I was truly saved by the grace of our loving God.

" **I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes." – Romans 1:16**

Read the Bible if you are not sure in which way your life is dragging you. Martin Luther once said, and I quote, " _The Bible is like a lion. It does not need to be defended; just let it loose and it will defend itself_." Allow the truth to sink in and you too will see what you have been missing all these years. You will discover how the devil has been playing you all along. You will discover how his deception has kept you from salvation. He is out there like a roaring lion, ready to kill, steal and destroy. Those are his plans! God's plans are much different. His plans are **"to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." [Jeremiah 29:11]**.

That's right. God wants to prosper you. He wants to fill your heart with the fullness of His riches. He wants to be your _Protector_ , keeping you safe from the devil. He does not want to harm you in any way. He wants you to believe in Him, to trust Him and to have a hope for a future which He has promised His followers. The future He wants for you is for you to be with Him in heaven one day, the eternal life filled with joy and peace which will never end. That's a big difference from what Satan wants for you.

All he wants to do is destroy you, filling you with hate and sin, which will lead to your demise and others around you. And this will lead you into his " _eternal den_ ," in a place called hell. My purpose in life is to teach and speak about the _Gospel of Jesus Christ_ to the world in any means possible; whether through the internet [www.tdnm.za.net] or this book, or any means possible. I will not be ashamed of who I am and who I serve. He is my God and my Saviour. He is my All in all – my first Love. Where is your life leading you right now? Is it to heaven or hell? I know where my life is leading me. I discovered that _Salvation_ _Is The Life_.

You are working at a company or you own a company for many years. Yet you feel you are going nowhere. Your life just does not seem to be filled with something which truly makes you happy. You have been sweating for nothing. Even wealthy people feel that way. They may have everything man can dream of, yet their lives are " _empty_." Along comes Someone who offers you an alternative way of living the real " _dream_ " you have always wanted. He teaches you how to live this new life filled with many treasures, a truly formidable and prosperous one.

His name is Jesus Christ! Only when you start living a holy life will you understand salvation, and faith that abounds with it. Transform yourself away from a sinner's life and feel the power of the living God in you, when you repent and give your life to Jesus Christ; becoming a born-again Christian. Everything righteous comes from knowing the Word of God and walking in the power of the Holy Spirit.

To be Bible-minded is to be Christ-minded. Nothing in our Christian lives should be separated from God and His Word. No matter what you are doing, whether at play, work, or just relaxing. **Jesus is the Word!** Get to know Him! Remember one thing though. The minute you accept Jesus into your life the devil is going to go into " _attack mode_ " because he will be very unhappy about the decision you have made. That's his purpose. To keep you from entering into the glory of our loving God.

" **Therefore remember, that formerly you, who are Gentiles by birth and called 'uncircumcised' by those who call themselves 'the circumcision' (that done in the body by the hands of men); remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ." - Ephesians 2:11-13**

What happens when you give your life over to God? You are a newborn Christian, a believer of the Truth, a future disciple. Why all this? You have publicly confessed your sins before God and you repented from your past, and now you are willing to abide by His laws. As a born-again believer you will hunger for the knowledge of the written Word of God, the Bible. When you start reading the Bible you begin to understand your past, before you met God. At first, you only see a basic picture.

I found myself in tears when I gave my life to the Lord, and so did my wife [two years before I did]. It was a traumatic turn-around in our lives. We felt the love and joy of God flowing in our inner beings. It is a 'sense' that we carry forever. I felt myself floating in clouds for days to follow, wondering how this feeling came upon me. The answer was there all the time. God is the " _Transmitter_ " of Love and Joy. When you read His written Word you will discover that His message is radiating Love all the time. God is Love! And you get it through salvation. Can the devil offer you all this? I don't think so. But Jesus can, and will.

As read throughout the New Testament, those who accepted in their hearts the atonement of the cross, were born again, and changes took place in their lives because of their new belief. Becoming born-again Christians and believing that Jesus Christ died for our sins, we find ourselves in a new dimension of our earthly patterns. We have reached the new beginning, the new relationship that we are establishing with our Lord Jesus Christ. We are on the road to riches. His riches in Heaven!

The _Word of God_ is so pure that Satan and his followers run away frightened, knowing that they do not have power over Him. This will be true at all times when your heart is clean and pure, being the temple of our Lord, with Him manifested in you through the Holy Spirit. Yes, be the true believer, the one who has only place for the " _Light of Life_ " in His life, place for our Saviour Jesus Christ.

" **I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." – John 10:28**

This will not be true if you are ignorant of what the Spirit is telling you to do, or you are not living God's ways. You cannot say that you are living the new life with God until you are ready to become His " _disciple_." You should be past the stage of repentance and confession of your sins. Maybe present strongholds can cause some conflict, but by faith and prayer, through our Lord you can overcome these too. You should have reached the stage where you are starting to grow in the understanding and meaning of God's Word. The life that God promised us is a life of peace, joy and full of riches. He said. "I have come so that they might have and enjoy life to the full." - John 10:10.

While I was putting pen to paper I remembered that the 2010 soccer world cup was taking place. This made me think. What goals must we achieve in our lives? The aim in a soccer match is to score a goal or goals against the opponents. This will take that team into the next round, if they succeed in reaching their target. Now this is a challenge to you as well, to reach your goal in life, your target.

You can achieve it and come free from the chains of no purposeness and an empty life. Maybe you have been 'floating' around or drifting carelessly throughout the years, having no success in life. Life without goals becomes very tedious. Stop wandering around in the game of life and join the winning team, not in soccer, but in the glory of God and His blessing upon you. You can achieve that goal too; being part of a select team, the disciples' team of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is what the new beginning is all about. Sometimes God allows things to happen in our lives just to test us, to test our strength and proving our faith towards Him. This allows us to strengthen our faith.

This is the greatest and highest rated match in your life because it outperforms the soccer world cup matches. The target that you have achieved, and succeeded in, has more value than the soccer goals scored. They end soon and become history. Your ultimate goal will become your life from here onwards, and into eternity later, with or without God. Are you ready to start over? Starting over can only bring you gain. Starting over can bring new life for you. Starting over is better than continuing on the road which leads to a certain death. Start over today!

### Chapter 4

Your First New Steps

You have now entered the new journey as a born-again Christian. Where to from here? What does a baby eat for the first weeks or months after birth? Usually babies start by drinking milk from their mothers' breasts. Later they start to drink other milk, either from goats or cows. Babies never start eating steaks, rice or other nice delicacies. This will destroy their stomachs and damage their bodies. They start with milk! _Salvation_ is the life ahead which now awaits you. Through the _Gift of Salvation_ which you have now readily accepted, you are starting your first steps into a new world.

This world can sound more frightening than the world you have exited from. Believe me, it's not. You are now in your " _milk_ " stages. What are your first steps? You must get to know God. How does one do this? Start by reading the Bible. I recommend you start in the New Testament, from the book of Matthew through to the end of the book of John. These are known as the books of the _Gospel of Jesus Christ_.

Nevertheless, you may still ask the question, " _Do I know the Bible well enough that I can converse about it with someone else_?" Do not be frightened if you are not fully knowledged in the Word. It starts coming with time; time reading and studying it. When you start asking questions or querying something in the Bible that you are not sure about, you are getting to know the _Word of God_. I too still have plenty to learn [although it may not seem so], but I do not shy away from it. Rather take in what you can each day and get to understand what the message is all about. Do not swallow plenty of the Word in at once, but small bites at a time. It will take you a while longer to get to know the Bible backwards, but at least keep on trying. You must keep on pushing yourself and commit to read the Bible each day – make time for it. The _Author_ of this book is the most mighty and awesome " _Man_ " that saved the population of the world from disaster and destruction – those who believe.

" **In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God." - John 1:1-2**

Were you knowledgeable in the ways of the world when you were born? Could you just start working after birth? No! It took you years of education and studying to reach the place where you are now. This is exactly what you will have to do when you become a born-again believer of Jesus Christ. You start at the beginning. Did you know that the Bible is the most sold book in the history of this world? At least this shows that people are not ignoring God totally, but that an interest in Him is evident, even if it is minute, like a molecule that is under examination with the use of a powerful microscope. Scientists study molecules. Christians or God's disciples study the Word.

God has allowed me to receive all this information [revelation] to be used in this book, my first. I thank Him all the time for everything that He reveals to me, and that it will one day help to save souls. Even if it saves one soul the angels in heaven will rejoice and the trumpets will sound merrily.

" **Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?" – 2 Chronicles 1:10**

The better you get to know the _Word of God_ , the better the chance you have of not falling prey to sin again. There are many out there claiming to be followers of God but they are evil 'spirits', only there to deceive you or implant rubbish into your mind. You will be able to detect these only when you truly understand the Word and what it really means. When you have reached the correct 'height' in your growth of the knowledge of the great Book, only then are you ready to take on the world's evil powers. At this stage in your life you will be so filled with the power of God that you can command mountains to move, by the strong faith within you – faith in Him. However, this is difficult for us normal worldly beings, where we do not always have that spiritual power that is needed to fight off evil and all the demons that attack us daily, throughout our life spans on earth.

The reason for this, the main reason, is that we are not as pure as Jesus Christ is. He was totally sinless, full of love for all His enemies and always out there trying to win their love back to Him. This is where we have never reached the height of pureness. He was and is, and will always be, the " _spoken Word_ " that we must use to live by. Without this knowledge we will never truly understand how much power and authority He gave us to conquer all evil here on earth, in His name. We will remain like blind mice roaming around, not knowing where to go or what to do. Only when He returns will we really get to know Him and understand His message He has been revealing to us throughout these centuries.

Your first new steps is therefore to grow in the knowledge of who God is and what He is to you. Part of the first steps is to grow in a relationship with Him which cannot be dented or broken by the enemy. The devil will never like you for taking that step in life. He would rather try and distract you or break you down. He would rather have you turn away from God and rather worship him. Satan is very deceitful! Beware of his cunning moves. You may not see them until it's too late. Some months after your birth you took your first steps. Your parents were overjoyed and they truly showered you with their love. In this same manner God will be filled with joy when you take your first steps in His kingdom. He too will shower you with all His love and blessings and joy.

" **For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God" – 1 Peter 1:23**

Do you understand the above verse? You are of imperishable seed, God's seed, because you are now a child of the living God. You will have an everlasting life after this worldly life, with Him whom you serve, praise,

honour, glorify and worship. You will not be a part of

those who will enter into eternal deaths because of sin and being followers of Satan. By studying the _Word of God_ , He will keep you linked to Himself with chords that cannot be broken. Hunger and thirst for His Word and the enemy will flee from you when he starts to see the power which is now residing within you. This will be your new first steps as a born-again believer. To become engrossed in the Bible and to get to know the Person you are worshipping and the Person who is ruling your new life. By now you should have found a Bible-inspired and Holy Spirit-filled church where you can fellowship with true believers.

Attend all services and other meetings where permissible and you will be filled with a much greater knowledge of who God is and how you must live your new life ahead. This is your new beginning. This is your road to the new destination you are aiming for – the Father's heavenly home where He is preparing many mansions with plenty of rooms for His followers, before they go home to be with Him. And if you can, join up with a reputable Bible college which teaches the truth about God's Word. If you are not sure where to go, start asking around amongst the members or partners of that church you have joined, or ask the pastor to recommend such an establishment to you.

" **The mind of the prudent is ever getting knowledge, and the ear of the wise is ever seeking (inquiring for and craving) knowledge" – Proverbs 18:15**

What does the above verse mean? Those with careful responsibility and sound minds are marked for great judgment. They will receive new revelations often when God " _speaks_ " to them. And walking under the banner of God's wisdom will bring you new knowledge through His Word and through those who preach and teach the Word. You will always be craving for more, thirsting for more of our Almighty God. Your hunger will be subdued by getting to know God more and more.

In my younger years as a child I never enjoyed eating vegetables, which is the case with many young children today. But as I grew older and more mature, I actually started to enjoy these "additions" in my plate. I now knew what they were and how much vitamins and power these vegetables gave to my body. I truly understood what it meant to live a healthy life. This is the same when you have God in your life. You start by hesitating what the Bible teaches you. You don't understand the truth that is written in it for you. But as you grow into "adult" status in God's Word, the more you will start to enjoy it. The truth sets you free! It becomes your nourishment for your soul, spirit and your body. You now enjoy this " _food_ " and it proves to you that it makes your life healthier.

Today I " _eat_ " and " _drink_ " from God's Word and it is changing my life continuously. I have discovered that my life is shining and that I am walking the life which pleases God. Your parents were pleased when you started to eat the vegetables. You had discovered the truth that these vegetables could offer you. This pleased them! Therefore, having the true knowledge embedded in our lives can help us remain on the path of salvation, the road of peace and love; God's love and peace. You will be able to distinguish between liars and their false doctrines and the real disciples who truly please God. Enjoy your new first steps and enjoy His blessings upon your life.

### Chapter 5

The Journey

You are now on the new journey with Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, enjoying His Kingship over your life, but along comes a few stumbling blocks. You may be asking why. The answer is simple. The devil is not happy to have lost another person on this earth to God. He has lost one more whom he cannot influence and whom he cannot use for his plans of destruction and disaster. The devil will make plans to attack you in every way possible. Be prepared for this part of the journey. Let me offer you some " _tips_ " which you may implement in your walk with God, which will help you fight the onslaught of attacks.

When you feel your life has suddenly turned from the climb to eternal life and is now rolling in a downward spiral, it is time to stop any attacks by the father of lies. The very first step is to pray. Pray often. Pray daily or whenever you have a free moment [tea times, lunch breaks, etc]. Why is prayer so important? Read throughout the New Testament books of the Gospels [Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John] and you will see that the Lord moved away from His disciples and people around Him, and went to a quiet place to pray – usually up a mountain. He kept His relationship with the Father bonded with strength through prayers. Prayer is of utmost importance in a believer's life. What is prayer? What does it mean to us? Let's find out. Prayer is an invitation into fellowship with God.

Through constant praying we are building our relationship with Him. We are getting to know Him better and understanding who He truly is in us. The more you pray the more you come closer to Him. This will make the devil move away from you. He will turn and run because the God you serve is for you and not against you. Prayer is a two-way relationship with God. We should " _talk_ " to God and we should also allow a time for " _listening_." God wants to talk back to us as well. If we do not allow that to happen we will miss out on the blessings He wants to pass on to us, the answers to our prayers. Prayer is a sovereign 'order' of God. This is a command from God. We must pray daily. When under attack, pray fervently and look what He can do for you.

He has given you the authority and power to overcome everything in the name of Jesus Christ. In His name demons flee. In His name the devil retreats. In His name miracles take place. In the name of our Lord we will always be overcomers, for in His name we are victorious. Victory has been given unto us through the authority and power of His name. Therefore, proclaim the name of Jesus Christ at all times. When you proclaim His name you are covered in His protection. He will never leave you nor forsake you because you belong to Him. Call out to Him and claim victory through His name. You are a child of the living God! Let me paint another picture for you.

You are planning a trip to the Antarctic. You are the expedition leader and you must plan ahead for this journey. Now the day arrives and the journey begins. Everything is going according to your plans and all is well. But someone is not happy. You succeeded in the planning of this journey and you are on the journey. This unhappy person tries to sabotage your plans. He tries to implant untruths in your mind, that this journey is worthless. This person tells you that you are wasting your time. You will never reach the Antarctic. This person is trying to entice you to follow his plans. This will make him the leader of the expedition. Instead of allowing this person to influence you, you use the contract you have to force him out of your plans. You have signed proof that what you are doing is allowed and that it has been cleared by higher ranking folks.

You use this power and authority given to you to overcome the situation. That's what we need to do to complete the new expedition we are on; the journey which will take us to the eternal home of our God. Nothing can stop you if you allow Jesus to lead you. God's Spirit is with you and His power and authority is given to you to overcome the devil. In Jesus' name victory is yours. Your journey will be successful and you will reach the end goal that has been planned. Now you know about prayer and the Name which has authority and power. What else is there which can be used for your defensive against attacks?

Claim the promises of God over your life. Throughout the Bible God has made promises to us. He is a God who will always keep to His promises. That I cannot say about mankind. People tend to break their promises they have made. I have failed here as well. Why do we fail and He never fails? We are humans and mortals. God is immortal and He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Therefore, His promises are true and real. He never fails! If He has promised you something [as written in the Word], He will keep it. And that's the truth.

Charles Spurgeon, the well-known British pastor, once said, and I quote; " _If you are not seeking the Lord, the devil is seeking you_." Don't wait until Satan attacks you before you start to plan a strategy of defense. At this point it may be too late. We must seek the Lord early, always aware that " _your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour_." [1 Peter 5:8]. So, before you start your day, seek God and enter into His presence. In Psalm 5 we read how King David expressed his need for God's help. He came to the Lord early in the morning, seeking His guidance and protection [Psalm 5:3, 8, 12].

Next, remember to have the Armour of God in place each day and to get your " _marching orders_ " from God. Cover yourself with His armour. With it you will withstand the attacks of the devil. What is His armour? Remember that the devil will seek any weak points in your life and use these to enter within and try to hurt you – his sole purpose on earth. Read Ephesians 6:10-20 and you will be given the description of His armour. But let me explain it in a simple manner right now. Let us look at the " _equipment_ " needed for this war against evil, and how it should be fitted.

The Belt – protects the productive organs and holds the garments. It is for the Truth. The Breastplate – protects the heart and other vital organs. It is for Righteousness. The Shield – protects the whole and offers confidence. It is for our Faith. The Helmet – protects the head and gives peace of mind. This is for our Salvation. The Sword – the weapon to destroy Satan; the Word of God. The Boots – protects the feet and gives willingness to go. It is for peace and sure footing. If you know all this and use it correctly you are a well trained soldier in God's kingdom here on earth, and a protected one as well. This that I have written in this chapter so far is all part of your journey with the Lord our God. Use these " _tips_ " and enjoy the ride.

What else takes place on your journey? What is there which lies ahead for you? Your journey will never be boring if you enjoy what God has planned for you. Now you may be asking what He has planned for you. Each person who is now a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ will have different plans mapped out for him or her. Not one will have the same plan, although many plans are similar. God's ways are not our own ways and His will is not our own will. There will be times when you question God's answers to your prayers or if you have received a " _calling_ " which disturbs you. Just like I questioned Him when He " _called_ " me to write a book. I felt that I was not able to do it. It was beyond my understanding and above my " _qualifications_." For a few years I ignored it – first time was in 2007.

In 2009/2010 I went through many trials and tribulations; financially, spiritually and emotionally [I started writing this book in September 2010]. My business started to fall flat in 2010. My life was in turmoil. I was losing touch with God. I was losing touch in the relationship with my first Love. Then I turned back to Him at full throttle and claimed back my victory which was mine to keep. Then I realized that He had never left me nor had He forsaken me. I had done it instead. Beware how you walk your journey after you are born-again. It makes a big difference in the manner by which you go through life. I left some openings in my life which the devil discovered and he went full steam ahead, trying to destroy me. I overcame by the grace and salvation which was mine through God's love for me, and much praying.

Therefore, obey whatever it is God wants from you. He knows best. Your life must be " _oiled_ " by the Holy Spirit at all times. Other steps in your journey are to commit to God totally. First comes the water baptism. Here you pledge your life to Him publicly. You go through a motion which symbolizes the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. When you are immersed in the water you " _die to self_." Your old self vanishes from your life. When you resurface from the water you are resurrected to the new life and a journey with the Lord our God. The new you is born finally. This is where your journey truly begins [Ansa and I did this together some years back].

Next is the Holy Spirit baptism. This is the new way in which you will communicate with God. You will start operating in the spiritual realm and not in the natural any longer. Why? Because God operates in this realm, as well as the devil. In this manner you will be more prepared for spiritual warfare – the best place to be with God. Now your journey enters a new dimension. When you start to communicate with God in His heavenly language many more things are revealed to you through His Word and through His " _talking_ " to you. The Holy Spirit becomes your Counselor, your Teacher and your Guide in your journey which lies ahead. He is your link into God's presence. He takes you into the Holy of Holies.

When one plans to take a holiday, you don't just get into your motorcar and start driving along. You cannot go without a plan. You cannot board an airplane and just fly to any destination without planning for it. You need accommodation somewhere. You need to know what you must take with for this journey. You may have to apply for a passport and a visa. You cannot just go without a plan. Our journey with Christ is the same. The more we get to know Him, the better we will understand what we need for this journey. Your life into the future will start looking rosier because you are following a God-given plan. His plans are better than our own plans. What else takes place in your journey? Let's look at your " _calling_ " and what it means. Maybe you have been called by God to go and become a missionary. Maybe you have been called to become a leader of a church. I am talking about the Church of Christ. We are His church. The building where you fellowship is only a building of mortar and bricks, a place where we congregate in His presence in a corporate manner. You and I are His Church. Maybe you have been called to start a new ministry somewhere in the world. Maybe you have been called to write a book like I was called. I can guarantee you this. He will call all His disciples for something somewhere.

Those who never felt called were stuck in their comfort zones. God won't punish them for that, but they may have missed out on many blessings which He wanted to pour into their lives. Obedience is very important to God. Throughout the Bible one reads what happened to those who disobeyed Him. Some came off lightly while others felt His anger many a times. Some died.

" **This is why I speak to them in parables. 'Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand' 'In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.' " – Matthew 13:13-14**

Go on your journey and always listen to His " _voice_."

### Chapter 6

What Are You Missing?

You now understand the _Word of God_ ; His knowledge has filled up your heart. But it still leaves a blank 'spot' in your life. Where to now? What is your next move? You are gaining knowledge and receiving wisdom day in and day out, but your life still feels empty. Something is missing! When you reach this stage in your new life with God, do you feel that emptiness, that " _hole_ " that needs filling up? Well, the answer came to me soon afterwards. I was still not a doer. I was only a pew " _warmer_ ," and this I had to change. The same may be happening to you and you will need to change this.

You still do not have any idea where to start, what ministry to follow or where the Lord needs you? You pray for answers but nothing happens, not immediately. At some stage you are beginning to panic. Does God hear my prayers? Are you still under some sin that you overlooked? I had to pray some more and seek advice, to re-assure myself of what I needed, to receive an answer from God. It was not an easy time in my life. Everything seemed to move into " _slow motion_ " action. Maybe you are going through these same motions right now. Go before the Lord. Remain in His presence until you receive His answer.

You must not just sit back and wait. No! Continue going to Sunday services, the home cell, and if you have commenced with it, the Bible school classes. I started to feel better. My days were slightly merrier and happiness was returning to my life, but not the way I really needed it. It had gone on for weeks. Then, the first small breakthrough came via my pastor [retired now]. He started pressing me to lead a home cell. I had to prepare for it every week, using the sermons as guidelines for teaching purposes. Here I became a " _doer_ ," not yet my best, but feeling better for doing it. I was getting involved in something and it was going to allow my growth to take place.

Maybe you need to " _hear_ " from God and become a " _doer_ " in your place of fellowship. Maybe your minister or pastor has been seeking you for something greater. You have declined the " _offer_ " because of fear of failure. With the Holy Spirit in you and leading you, you will not fail. I know. That's how I felt. The same happened when I was my pastor's prayer partner for three years, meeting him each morning early at the church, to pray around various topics or issues as we felt led to pray. Now it is something I do with great ease. Why? Because I'm Spirit-filled and led by Him who is with me.

That was part of my " _growing_ " stages in the beginning. Today I listen to what God calls me to do and I do it. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and lead you and you will find your first calling in your life. Later in years you will find that God was taking you through various " _growth_ " processes, training you and gifting you with more than you could ever imagine. Today I have many gifts which were previously hidden from me because of my stubbornness, and now I operate in them. Some gifts became my business and money earners. Only God can do that for us. And much of what I do in my business was not acquired through studies at colleges, universities or anywhere else. These gifts just " _birthed_ " within me. God blessed me.

How does one discover your gifts? Wait upon the Lord and He will reveal them to you. Some were revealed to me when I suddenly acquired knowledge about the internet, like website designing. It started as a hobby, a personal website about me and my family. Today it has to many other things which I do online; social media. Through this " _hobby_ " I have now earned money by designing websites for clients, from small to large corporations. I never studied web designing. It just " _grew_ " in me. Definitely a gift from God. And I can carry on mentioning about many more such gifts God " _gave_ " me. He is truly our Creator and King.

Maybe you have a gift for art. Use it to glorify Him, to reach the lost. Maybe you have some other " _hidden_ " gift which you do not use because it has let you down in the past. It may now be the time to use it. He is prepared to guide you as you commence with this " _unwanted_ " and " _frightening_ " gift. He will be by your side every day. Pray and ask for His advice on how to take this gift and run with it. Ask Him to help you with the answers to your questions. Allow Him to show you how and when to commence with whatever gift He reveals to you. His plans are far greater than your own plans. Alone we may fail miserably. But with Him involved we are victorious in everything He gives us to do. Just listen to Him and obey His calling on your life. Here comes another picture for you to see through your mind's eye.

You are a scientist and you have been working for months on a possible new cure for some or other disease or sickness which is spreading throughout the world. Your formulas look correct, yet the final product is not working correctly. The functions or responses you have been looking for are not there. You recheck everything once more. All looks right but nothing wants to work as it should. There is a final decision to make. Humble yourself and approach someone with more seniority than you in this area of work you are busy with. Maybe you can approach a world-famous and well-known scientist for help. Maybe he or she can offer you an answer to your dilemma. This scientist offers you the missing pieces of your puzzle. You are on your way again.

Years ago I was employed by a Satellite Tracking Station in South Africa. We were involved with an international organization and assisted in the launch and placement of a new satellite into its orbit in space. During this mission, which took a week or two to complete, another satellite was destroyed. Somewhere, those who wrote the programs and performed the calculations for the orbit of this satellite, committed an error in their calculations. They had not noticed another satellite in the path of the new one. The existing one was operating in the same frequencies as the newly launched one. Bang!

The old satellite received the signals transmitted to the new one and it was " _driven_ " out of its orbit and sent into outer space where it was destroyed by debris. What was missing? The correct calculations with the right answers before the program or script file was written. Those engineers had made an error and the missing information caused damages and a great loss due to another satellite being destroyed due to a miscalculation.

" **Who forbid people to marry and to abstain from certain foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and have knowledge of the truth?" – 1 Timothy 4:3**

Therefore, with thanksgiving, receive what God is planning for you. The Truth is already revealed to you and He is Jesus Christ your Saviour and Lord. And when you believe in everything He has planned for you, you will walk in victory. Let God reveal to you the hidden gifts which are already in your possession and which you have not yet used. Let Him bring these gifts to life. Each of us receive gifts in various measures according to our understanding. He will open up your understanding to these gifts already given to you.

" **But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things." - 1 John 2:20**

You are His anointed. You belong to Him now. Allow that anointing to flow in your life and His mysteries will be revealed to you. All this may sound strange to you now but allow His Spirit to operate in your life and watch what happens. You will suddenly find that you are interested in something which never interested you before. A gift is being revealed to you. Let Him lead you on this journey and discover what you have been missing. Being very faithful to God is sometimes difficult. It can become a test of courage or a test of your spirit and soul, and your heart is tested as well.

I know that feeling. I have been tested many times and my faith has failed me. It has taken me close to the gates of darkness. Nevertheless, I have been able to pull through, even if it was by the " _skin of my teeth_." I love God so much but my weak faith has allowed me to falter. This was much in evidence in my early years after becoming a born-again Christian. This does not mean that we are now safe and attacks will never take place. It is all around us. We live on the earth that " _belongs_ " to the father of darkness, the god of this world - Satan.

How does one know if your faith is steadfast? Do you just guess it or do you know it? Let us see what faith means. What does it offer us and how is this linked to our lives. Most importantly, is our faith true and strong enough? Is God happy with our faith we show outwardly to the people of this world? Can they test us too? Now this is something to ponder on. I too had to find out where my faith's strength lay. Was I living true faith, always believing that what God commanded me to do I would not allow myself to be pulled away from it? What does faith mean? What is faith? Let's find some answers and discover what you are missing.

" **Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." – Hebrews 11:1**

Faith in the thesaurus/dictionary means: (it is a noun) a religious belief. Complete confidence in a person or plan. A strong belief in supernatural powers that control human destiny. It is true. We have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Our faith in God will lead us to everlasting life, to eternity. And as disciples we can receive our knowledge and wisdom through the Holy Spirit, who lives in the supernatural. His powers are above all those in the universe. Faith is conforming to fact and therefore worthy of belief. This must be in your heart, your faith and life given to God the Father.

I have complete confidence in one Person. It is God Almighty, Creator of the heavens and the earth and all things upon it. His plan of salvation is the only plan for your life. There is none like it. _Salvation_ is the life for you and me. We place our trust and hope in God and accept Him for who He is although we have never seen Him face to face. Have you been missing this kind of faith in your own life? It is yours to keep. My faith was very low during 2009 and through the greater part of 2010, but the Holy Spirit has led me down Victory Lane and now it is stronger than ever before. I needed a new " _refill_ " of faith at that time. Is this you? Then give your life over to God again and let Him fill you up with a new rejuvenated faith, greater than that of a mustard seed, greater than ever before.

What else do we miss in our lives? What is missing in your life right now? Maybe you need to renew your relationship with God. Maybe you need to get closer to Him than ever before. Maybe you need to unburden yourself from the world's tests and trials. Maybe you need to link yourself to the Lord with " _chords that cannot be broken_." I had to do just that. And now I walk with a new dance in my step and a new song in my heart. This broke the devil and his sidekicks' schemes. He lost once more. Get your new dance and your new song through Him who saved you. Shout with joy and praise Him forever.

" **These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." – John 15:11**

Rejoice for God's joy is in you. Keep that joy alive through an unbroken relationship with Him. His joy will fill you to overflowing and it will take you into a new realm. Don't miss out today and forever!

### Chapter 7

Your Life Purpose

Along you go. Your life is now " _rock and rolling_ " for God. You are enjoying the ride because He is with you. Nothing is boring about it – it actually becomes adventurous. Some time into your future, maybe a few months or some years later you get stuck in a " _rut_ " again. What is your purpose in life? You keep asking this question over and over. Yet the answer seems lost to you.

You speak openly to people about your God and your salvation. You may be shy and not speak " _loudly_ " about this mighty and loving Jesus Christ who saved you. Maybe you feel you may say something which they may not believe. Maybe you think that your knowledge of the Bible is very poor; just general knowledge. Don't fret. Just go before the Lord your God and pray. Ask Him to reveal to you what He wants from you or what He expects from you in this new born-again life. There is one definite command that He gave His disciples and all generations that followed them.

" **Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." – Matthew 28:19-20**

This was His command then and it still is His command today. This is not only for His leaders who are in ministry, whether they are evangelists, teachers of the Word, pastors or ministers, apostles or whoever. No! He spoke to everyone. Remember, not only was His twelve apostles with Him but also others who were His disciples and followers. He commanded everyone who listened. That means that we who are called children of the Almighty God must obey this command.

You have been saved. You are now a born-again believer of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are enjoying life in His presence, filled with His power and love. People know you are different, especially old pals or colleagues, and your relatives. How? They have seen that you do not do any wrong or speak any wrong as was in your past life. They see the changes in your life – it is clearly visible to all. You radiate God through your lifestyle.

You have told them about your new life and how God gripped you from the " _deathtrap_ " of the devil. They have heard about your Saviour and Lord whom you now serve and glorify. Maybe that's it. But have you told them about the " _Gift of Salvation_ " which you accepted as the new way of life? Have you explained to them what this salvation means and what it does to those who accept Jesus Christ and who confess their sins and repent from them? Have you explained to them how they too can be saved? Have you told them about the eternal life hereafter, which leads to hell or heaven? This is what God expects from you.

This is His first command before He departed from this earth. I'm speaking about Jesus before He ascended into heaven. He commanded us to go out and proclaim and preach the Good News to all who are not saved. Remember this. Many call themselves Christians but they are not saved. The truth has eluded them and their lives are still in line with the ways of the devil. What else did He tell His disciples before He departed from this earth?

" **And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." – Matthew 28:20[b]**

By obeying Him and doing what He has commanded us to do, He has promised to be with us always, until we meet Him face to face. This also means that He will be with us when we go and preach His salvation message to the unsaved and lost. He will give us the wisdom and knowledge on how to approach people without fear. He will offer us His power and authority over all the sinners, even if they call themselves Christians. Even the Watch Tower Society are Christians, as are the Seven Day Adventists, but they only know half truths. There are many others like these.

They do not speak or pray in God's " _heavenly_ " language because they follow other teachings. They don't believe in the Holy Spirit and speaking or praying in tongues. This is God's true language. Just read the Bible and study it carefully. You will see that He poured out His Spirit over His believers. The one hundred and twenty disciples who awaited Him in the upper room were filled with His Spirit, " _like tongues of fire_ " that were present over each one's head in that room. They were baptized in the Holy Spirit and started to speak in " _other tongues_." His truth is the ONLY truth. Believe it and you are truly saved.

" **They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." – Acts 2:3-4**

And this is the truth for God's Word is the infallible Word. He is the Author of the Bible! All the apostles or disciples who wrote the various books in the Bible were led by God's Spirit or actually " _walked_ " with the Lord our God, or through visions or dreams, like John on the island of Patmos while in exile. God's Word is the truth, for Jesus Christ is this Word and He is the Truth of our salvation. He was here amongst us in flesh! Do you now understand that one purpose in your life is to evangelize. You must brave the fear in you and reach out to the nations around you. Remember that there are many " _nations_ " in your country. What do I mean by this? Look at all the nationalities who reside in your country. Don't they come from many other nations? Yes! Go and reach out to them and glorify your God forever.

What other purpose is there for you in this life on earth? There is one very important purpose that is common to each born-again believer. Now this has you thinking. What is common as a purpose amongst all believers of Jesus Christ? You must continuously work on your relationship with God. You must be linked to Him in such a way that the devil will not be able to break those " _chains_ " which link you both together. Many believers have fallen on the wayside and lost contact with God because their relationship became filled with cracks.

" **Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest command.' " -- Matthew 22:37**

There you have it. This is what God purposes from you forever. He must be your first love! Not your wife, not your closest friend, and not your possessions or money. No! He must be first in every aspect of your life. This is one purpose in everyone's lives who are His true followers. Now you may be thinking. How do you work around possessions and money, family and friends, husbands and wives, without them being first? How can you disregard such things first and place God first?

" **But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." – Matthew 6:33**

Let me paint you another picture for you to meditate on, to see in your mind's eye. You have been working for a few years at the same company. You have been promoted once or twice, and that's it. Your ladder up the chain has lost a few rungs. You cannot climb up the ladder further to improve your career in that company. What do you do? Do you start " _looking_ " around for another job, find another company where you may climb the ladder of success further? Or do you stay where you are and search for a way which will open more doors for you in your existing job? I would stay where I am, but I would look at studying further to improve my chances of expanding on my career in that company. Therefore, you go and study further and when you have succeeded in your new studies, you approach the company top-level management and show them what you have done. A year or two later and the doors start to open for you again.

Because you decided to remain in that company, due to loyalty and perseverance, you are now reaping from the decision you made. With God it is very similar. Because you have decided to become His true follower and a believer in Jesus Christ, all else will be given to you. You grow in your relationship with Him, your main purpose in life, then He opens up heavens doors upon your life and the blessings start to pour out. You start to get closer and closer to Him, understanding who He is and what He is to you, and His plans for your life. You are on your way up the ladder of success in His kingdom. This ladder will lead you to an eternal life filled with His everything, even His riches for today and when you meet Him in heaven.

Seek His kingdom and His righteousness, and seek Him in your life first and all else will be given to you. Your family, your possessions, your friends, etc. He knows exactly what you need and He is your heavenly _Provider_. But where is this kingdom right now? You believe in Him and you have faith in Him. You walk with Him in your daily life. Where is this kingdom then? His kingdom is within you. Jesus Christ lives in your heart, mind and soul. His Spirit communicates with your spirit.

Many think of His kingdom as heaven. Actually that's partially correct. His kingdom is here and now, within you already, the true believer and child of God. The moment you accept Jesus Christ into your life and you believe that He is risen from the dead, you accept His kingdom. Yes, heaven is also known as His kingdom but we seek Him now, today. Without Him we will not be able to enter into the eternal life in His heavenly home.

" **Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." – Revelation 3:20**

These words spoken by Jesus to His disciples tells it all. When He is allowed into your life He will come in and dine with you; He will feed you with His truth. His kingdom is within you immediately, now and forever.

" **There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." – Proverbs 14:12**

Although we may think that what we always do is righteous before God, it may lead us astray from what He truly purposes for us. We can be lost in a deceitful world filled with lies and false teachings. Even false teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ can lead us far from the truth. Therefore, pray and pray more, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you in the ways of God, to truly live a righteous life that pleases Him. Many people have made wrong choices in life and have paid the price. When I lost a fortune due to a partnership that went wrong in business, I was nearly financially ruined. Maybe it was God teaching me a lesson. Maybe it was a wrong choice I had made at the time. Maybe it was me who had moved away from His presence, leaving cracks in my relationship with Him.

Today I look back and see His hand upon my life. His plans are better than mine. His purpose in my life is of utmost importance compared to my own life purpose I have been seeking. His ways are not my ways and His plans are not my plans. He is Jehovah Jireh, my Provider and saving God. He is my King of kings and Lord of lords. He is what I cannot be, totally perfect and pure, sinless in every way. That's why I must seek His face daily, allowing Him to show me what His plans and purposes are for my life. He " _owns_ " me, just like He " _owns_ " you. Jesus purchased our sins on the cross, cleansing us forever. All we need to do is confess Him as our God and Saviour, and believe.

Allow God to fulfill His purpose for you and victory will be yours to keep, forever and ever.

### Chapter 8

The Two Bodies

Years ago, after accepting Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour, I started meditating while lying in bed one night. I was thinking about my life with God. He gave me this physical body to use during my life here on earth. Yes, it is slightly " _modified_ " after my near-tragic motorcar accident in 2001, but it is still the body which He offered me to live in. When I confessed my sins and accepted Him into my life, I received another body – the Body of Christ: His Church.

My body was made up of bones and flesh, marrow and muscles, blood and water, and more. His body was different. Each body has a purpose in our lives. Let's take a look at these two bodies and what they mean to us. One body is the Church which Jesus founded and the other is the body He gave us to live in. Wow! Both bodies are there to glorify Him, whether in our physical ways or in our spiritual ways.

" **Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water." – Hebrews 10:22**

The idolatry ways and the sin-filled ways of the world were our gods. Along came the Lord and He freed us from all that – as long as we allow Him to become our Saviour and King. We were cleansed of our sins through the cross. He purchased our freedom with His blood and body on that cross on Calvary. Our bodies were washed in His pure water. We were cleansed physically and spiritually by His saving grace. No more fornication or any other forms of sin was to come near us, physically or spiritually. He cleansed our hearts and minds, and through this we " _cleansed_ " our bodies – our physical bodies would not interact with any sinful natures again. We now belong fully to Him, our Saviour God. We would not be attacked in our bodies and minds and hearts by sin again – as long as we are, and remain, His followers.

We are now totally assured of His faith. We have faith in Him alone and believe in everything He is. His promises become reality in our lives, and our hearts and minds are transformed. Because of this joy and peace from Him, our bodies are healthier and we enjoy life even more.

" **And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence." – Colossians 1:18**

Here is another scenario painted for you to mull over. You are a motorcar enthusiast and you have decided to build yourself a hotrod for show purposes. First you shop around for a chassis and a body. These have to match each other or the project will be a disaster. Imagine taking a VW Golf chassis and you try and mount a Ford body on to it – this spells disaster. Later you find your match. A chassis and body that fit snugly to each other. Now comes the mechanical parts, the heart of the hotrod. You need an engine and gearbox which will allow it to run. Can you imagine placing a Chevrolet engine and gearbox into a Mercedes Benz chassis and body. Again, this will be disastrous. Everything needs to be in place and well formed, then the project is a success. All the right parts with the correct chassis and body. And you modify it, trimming the body shell and maybe pimping the body slightly. The engine and gearbox fit well and it runs well; powerful and great to look at.

As the above verse states. Jesus is the head of the Church which He founded. We are the body – not the plastered and concrete building we gather in; this a " _temple_ " or a place of worship. We are His Church! If He becomes our God and Saviour, we allow Him to polish us and to shape us into the creations He always wanted us to be from the beginning. And in following Him, we turn away from sin. We stop from living the " _vida loca_ " and start to realize that our physical bodies are important for this life on earth. In the same manner, when His Spirit is now living in us, we are " _lubricated_ " and well " _oiled_ " for His purposes. This project of His becomes a success story – we are now children of the Almighty God. We have been chosen by His grace. The two bodies become one in Him.

We now read that He is the head of the body, the Church. When we join such a body, we become part of God's overall body, His body of disciples. We are His " _saints_ " who must go out and save the lost. The Church is used to save the lost and return them to God. Here is where the new birth takes place. The newborn start to grow in His ways. They have come back from the dead, the sinful death of the world. He must become the _Supreme God_ in everyone's lives. He is to be all supreme over our lives. He was from the beginning. We ignored that.

He was the firstborn from the dead. Jesus was the first one to be born from death who gained victory over the devil. He was raised from death to win all people on earth over to Himself, to break the bondages of the father of lies. Christ is the head of the Church, His church which was " _built_ " upon His resurrection and victory over darkness. How were our physical bodies created? How were we made and why were we made this way? A question which many ask. Is there an explanation? Is there any answers to such questions? Let's look into this. Have you heard the saying, especially spoken at funeral services, which goes something like this; " _From dust we came and back to dust we go_." Sounds right doesn't it? God made us from dust, the sand of this earth. He formed us by His Word. When we die our physical bodies return back to their original form - dust.

Go and dig up any spot in a graveyard after some years have gone by and all you will find is dust. Our bodies decay and rot away. The coffin and our bodies get eaten up by termites. Maybe some bones will be found. But what happens to us if our bodies return to the ground? Our spirits and souls depart from our bodies and move on – eternal life beckons them. This is where the Body of Jesus Christ will be forever and ever. An eternal life in heaven in a new body. That's right. Our earthly bodies remain behind but we will " _travel_ " further.

" **Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires." – Romans 6:12**

Because of the attractions of lust and desire in this world most of us use our bodies to sin. Our physical bodies are just as important to God. When we become born-again our mortal bodies must never be used for evil desires again. Our mortal bodies must be showing the evidence of God's presence. We should be more radiant and " _alive_ " and living healthy. God offered us these bodies for such a purpose – to be able to live in this world, to glorify Him and to move across the nations to preach the good news of the _Gospel of Jesus Christ_. If we were transformed into spiritual bodies when we were born-again, how could we reach the other mortals on earth?

" **Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." – Colossians 3:15**

Here we are taught about the other body, the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our hearts are physical, but also seen as emotional. Our soul rules what comes from the heart and controls our minds. But if we are all members of His Church, we are one with Him, all His bride. As members of His Church we will be blessed with peace. We should therefore thank Him for such a blessing. We belong to a body which has the power and authority over sin – the Church of our Lord Jesus. He is the Saviour and Redeemer of our sins.

" **Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit." – John 3:6**

Worldly things attract the mortal body to worldly ways. God's Spirit will attract our spirits to heavenly things. One body is mortal while the other is spiritual, which is where our God resides – He is alive in us but resides in the spiritual realm. Remember one thing though. The devil also lives in the spiritual realm as well. He has no physical body. He uses mortal bodies to perform His evil deeds. He is like the man who tries to build a hotrod using a chassis and bodies and other components from different makes and models. It is a total mismatch! The project is a mess and it is disastrous to drive, never mind to go and show-off with it. That's the devil! He comes to kill, steal and destroy. He has no other purpose with mankind. His " _projects_ " will always be failures. With Jesus Christ in us, we become new projects in His eyes and He " _builds_ " us according to His plans and ways. Success, peace, and great joy come with it.

God made us in His image for one purpose only. We are to glorify Him and exalt Him forever. Many people are misled in believing that our earthly bodies are the image of how God made us for Himself. No! These bodies are " _loaned_ " to us while we are living on earth only. His image is our spirits. These spirits and our souls [our minds and hearts and emotions] leave the mortal bodies.

These move on into the eternal life after the physical death of our mortal bodies, into " _new bodies_ " He gives us. If our mortal bodies had been made in His image we would all look alike. Why? Because God is one image and not millions of images. But our spirits are all the same – for He is spirit. We were made in His image. Our spirits react according to our souls; the emotional side of our hearts. These instill good or bad in our hearts and these decide whether we live in sin or are God's children, the born-again believers.

" **Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness..." – Genesis 1:26 (a)**

If you read Genesis chapter1 you will discover something unusual. After God created the earth and the heavens, He made all the animals and birds and living creatures as well, from the dust of the ground. Then He decided to make man; both. Do you understand this? We were first created in spirit form, in His image and likeness, both male and female [Genesis 1:27]. Later on, reading Genesis chapter2, we discover something new. He then decided to make man from the dust of the earth – a physical body which would be more appropriate to rule over all the creatures of this world. For these creatures were made in mortal forms already.

Later, seeing that man was alone and that no creature could be his partner, God made a woman from one of his ribs – she too was now in a mortal form. What a revelation! How mighty is our God! What a Creator! No engineer or scientist will ever be able to do that, no matter what their IQs are. Only God could have such power and authority to have done what He did. Show me the best scientist or engineer in this world that can create as God has created, that can transform anything as God has transformed us? I don't think such a person exists. Yes, maybe there are those who are gifted and have attained great knowledge in many areas of science in this world, but they are NOT God. He is the true Creator and the King of this world and the heavens around us.

The earth is so small in this universe that it is invisible to a human eye, if we could stand over this galaxy and look down. What a mighty God we serve! I tremble with the understanding of this Power and Authority who rules us, who created everything.

Therefore, enjoy both your bodies and be pleasing to our Creator God. Amen.

### Chapter 9

The Transformation

Reading the previous chapter, one gets to understand some sort of transformation which takes place. We are mortals, but after death on earth we return to the spiritual realm; we are transformed. But there are other transformations which take place in us when we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour and Lord. This is what will determine whether we enter into heaven and are with God forever, or whether we enter and get a ticket directly to hell.

I have done some research in the past few years and statistics show that 80% or more of South Africans are " _Christians_ "; belong to the Christian denominations of the world. But this does not mean that they will all go to heaven. You may be a Christian by your " _birthright_ " but it does not mean that you are a true follower of Christ. Ouch! This must be hurting you now. Maybe you feel I have insulted you. Then please bare with me and allow me to explain the difference of world Christians and born-again Christians, God's true believers. You can check up on these statistics worldwide and you will come to the same conclusion I have come to.

Since my life-changing experience [1997], I have personally come across many so-called Christians and the various lifestyles they lead. Many do good works and live " _clean_ " lives, while others go to church on Sundays and attend every other odd happenings during the week, yet they live in sin. The lusts of the world are still their main attractions. Please don't feel insulted. Maybe you have never been taught the truth and have never come to understand God's true faith in you and what real salvation means. I am going to guide you with some lessons about the differences between true Christians and worldly Christians. Let's begin...

" **For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." – Romans 3:23**

And this is the truth. Here we get to understand how mankind lives. We are all sinners. Not just some here and there. All! We were not born sinners though. We were born into sin. What does this mean? We are born as innocent babies and we grow up. Now you may be saying that this does not make sense. Let's go back to the beginning of times. Adam and Eve sinned because they ate of the forbidden fruit from the tree of _Knowledge of Good and Evil_. Eve ate an apple after being told a lie by the serpent [known as the devil], from this tree in the middle of the _Garden of Eden_. Then she enticed Adam to do the same.

He too ate of this apple. This made God very angry because they disobeyed His direct command. This is where sin was " _birthed_ " and they were expelled from this beautiful garden. Mankind became knowledgeable of all things and the devil led them into sin; new desires and lusts took over mankind's lives. You are born into sin, not born a sinner. Do you understand it now?

Everything becomes a god to you and our living God disappears out of your life, never realizing you did it. You are born from good parents. You may have attended church services. Yet you live the ways of the world. Other religions were misled by the devil as well, and they too lost the ways to the one true and loving God. As I have stated before, not everyone will enter into heaven and be with God in eternity. Again you are thinking. This cannot be true. You are thinking but how is that possible? I know God and go to church. I listen to the preachings and I live a good life. I am good to people around me and I give to good causes. This alone won't allow you to enter into heaven. There is more. Let me explain even further.

" **At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' " – Matthew 25:6**

Here's the story of the ten virgins. Five had their oil lamps filled and lit them for the coming of the bridegroom. They had additional spare oil to keep their lamps burning until the time arrived to meet the bridegroom. The other five were foolish. They only had enough to fill their lamps once, before the bridegroom appeared. Their lamps died before he appeared. They had no additional spare oil with them. Only the five virgins whose lamps had enough oil, plus spare oil to refill them, went to the wedding banquet. They could find the way there. The other five found the doors closed to the wedding banquet and were unable to attend it. They arrived late.

Read Matthew 25:1 – 13. You will see that the bridegroom told " _off_ " the five virgins who arrived late and they found the doors closed. What did he say to them when they asked him to open the door?

" **But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.' " – Matthew 25:12**

This is the kind of response that you will receive if you are not ready. Ready for what? I'm sure this is what you are now asking yourself. This is the response from the kingdom of heaven – from God our Creator. Many " _make believe_ " Christians [as I call them] will not enter into the kingdom of God in heaven because of their sinful natures still attached to their lives. No sinners will enter into His kingdom! And that's the truth. You may have attended church services all your life, praised God during these services, lifted up yourself to Him during these times, yet you will not enter into heaven.

Why? Because of sin which is still a part of your life. Let me give you an example. And this example is actual reality because I have seen it happen before my own eyes. A Christian goes to church on Sunday morning, attends the service and takes it " _all in_." After the service he or she goes home and awaits friends to arrive for a barbeque [South Africans call it a braai]. Now the partying begins and the booze comes out. Vulgar language follows this and some dirty jokes as well. Is this Christian a born-again son or daughter of God or a sinner? He or she is a sinner! This relates to the virgins who were foolish and never prepared themselves for the coming of the Bridegroom known as our Lord Jesus Christ. They will never enter the wedding banquet in heaven. They forgot the additional oil for their lamps – living the pleasing life God expected from them.

The true believer who has given his or her life to God, who has repented from their sins, who now truly confesses Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord, and lives truly the life which pleases God, they will enter into heaven and be with Him. They go to church, worship their loving God, glorify Him above all else and go home to await friends. They too will have a barbeque, but they will drink juices or cold drinks, will tell great clean jokes and speak with clean hearts. Is this a true Christian and real believer or a sinner? They are known as God's children. Their lives and the lives of their families are all about God. He is always first in their lives. They will enter into His kingdom in heaven. Their lamps are burning continuously. They have spare oil for their lamps [their lives]. The " _world_ " Christian will find the door to heaven closed. They will go to hell!

I used to be one of those Christians too. Then I discovered the truth and my heart was filled with remorse for the life of sin I was leading. In 1997 this changed. I became a born-again believer and true follower of our Lord Jesus Christ. My new life began at that time. And what a life it has been! My life is now totally in His hands and I belong to Him fully. He is first in my life, my family second and my business last. I now have my priorities right.

Muslims know about Jesus. Their " _bible_ " speaks of Him, but only as a prophet, not God. They have Mohammed who is their " _saviour_ ," and they believe in him. Only one thing is wrong here. He is dead and lies in a grave, dust to dust. They also know and believe that Jesus is alive, that He rose from the dead. Then why would a profit come to life again and not their " _saviour_ " too? Strange, isn't it? The Hindus have their beliefs and worship a " _higher power and authority_." But ask them if their god has performed miracles and healed people? Ask them if they believe in eternity? They are living a lie. There are other religious groups who worship cows, the moon or the stars, etc. I worship the true and living God, for He is alive and rules my life. I am a living testimony of His grace and mercy.

My life was transformed after I accepted Jesus Christ as my only and true Saviour and Lord. My mindset was transformed when my life changed. This changed my heart and the way I live. I am now totally transformed to live according to His will and ways. Are you? Has Jesus transformed your life yet? Are you a true believer and real Christian? Have you died to your old self and started a new birthed life where He is the Ruler forever? I died to my old ways. This is like purchasing a house. You purchased it because it has value, is located in the right area – plenty of potential. But it needs a bit more to make it look great. You make plans and prepare to change it. After the renovations are completed it is transformed into a beautiful place, your " _mansion_." In the same way, we are transformed by God and He enjoys the " _final product_ " we have become. He is overjoyed!

### Chapter 10

The B.i.b.l.e.

What comes next? After you have discovered the truth and you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and loving Saviour, how will you be assured that you will enter heaven one day? This is a question in many a person's heart. Let me take you on a journey which will teach you the b.i.b.l.e. Why is it written in this manner? This is what it stands for – " _biblical instructions before leaving earth_." You will discover many things which pleases God and these will be guidelines in the lifestyle you should follow and how you should live before leaving earth; before death knocks on your mortal door.

" **This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them;..." – Hebrews 10:16**

Yes and yes! This is what we need. His instructions on how to run our lives. These instructions will be given to you when you walk the walk and talk the talk. Amen. God has made a covenant with those who become His true followers, a promise He always keeps. You will get to know who He is and how He wants you to live your life. He will instill in your heart His laws and commands, His statutes and His will. As your heart is filled with much more about Him, the better you will live; a joyous and peaceful way that only He can offer you. You will discover a new way of living, a way you never knew before. He will become " _alive_ " in you in a manner you cannot understand, but you will believe everything because it is His instructions for you; His teachings that offer you new knowledge and new wisdom. Are you ready to receive some of this now?

" **They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read" – Nehemiah 8:8**

Knowledge of the Bible is the " _best medicine_ " mankind can receive. Without it we will be lost, and this spells disaster. For us to be true disciples of God, get to know His laws, the Book of Knowledge - the Bible. I am still receiving 'knowledge' from the Word every day of my life, and I will continue studying, through various means, this Word. It will increase my wisdom as I " _live_ " these laws in my daily life. Let us look at these biblical instructions as set out in the Bible, God's living Word.

Where does one begin? Do it right and start in the beginning. How does one read any book or manual? Where do you start? From the first chapter of course. You have given your life over to God. You are living the life He is preparing for your new journey. Are you truly? What about His laws and all His commands? Are you living out each and every one of them? Let's look at the Ten Commandments firstly; His first instructions for your life. Some of them may have been mentioned in previous chapters in this book, but let's study them more closely. Yes, there are many commands and laws, but we are living the New Testament ways today. Yet, there are Old Testament laws and commands which still count today, apart from the New Testament laws and commands. These will be discussed here.

" **You shall have no other gods before me." – Deuteronomy 5:7**

This is His very first command to the nations of the world. Moses had gone up the mountain at Horeb where God made a covenant with His people. On returning to the Egyptians at the bottom of the mountain, Moses was instructed to tell God's people what His commandments were. And His first one was that we have no other gods but Him; no other idols are allowed. He IS the only God we should praise and worship, whom we should glorify above all else. He is the God who brought His people out of slavery, who freed us today.

" **I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery." – Deuteronomy 5:6**

This verse above also relates to our freedom through His only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who saved us through the cross. Our slavery is the sinful life we have led. Here God freed His chosen people from Egyptian slavery, the Israelites. Our God is a jealous God whose wrath will come upon us. You will not misuse His name for whatever reason. Don't make a vow using God's name without keeping it. Never make promises before God if you cannot keep them. You will be judged for such an error. Keep the Sabbath day holy as God has commanded you to do. Today we see the " _Sabbath_ " as our Sundays, when we should attend services and worship Him in every way. It is a day of rest. It is a day set aside for your time with God. He has commanded this. Rest before Him.

Unfortunately, the times we live in today have changed. People have been able to do whatever they wish and governments have allowed businesses to operate on this day and people therefore do not attend church services. Some do once in a while. Why can we not be like any of the other religions for that matter, who actually close their businesses to worship and pray before their gods? Many special Christian days were removed from our calendars as holidays. Such as Ascension Day, as an example [in South Africa]. On this day all Christians should close their businesses and go to a church or gathering where the masses can praise and worship God. Yet we do not do that. Maybe we should get a " _wheel into motion_ " and set the example.

" **Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you,..." – Deuteronomy 5:16**

By doing this God will keep one promise He has spoken. You will live a long life in the land He has given you. What does this relate to today? You will be blessed in many areas of your life. He will take you on a journey which you will enjoy forever. Another command is that you will not commit murder. That counted then and it still counts today. Murder is either a life term in prison or the death penalty, depending on which country you live in. God does not allow sinners into heaven. Next, we get this one. One must not commit adultery. And this too counts for today.

Unfortunately, that's one of the biggest causes of divorces taking place worldwide. Younger generations form a big part in this type of sin. Another one – one shall not steal. Crime, especially theft is a major concern worldwide. In some countries it is worse than others. And so I can go on. Read through Deuteronomy chapter 5 and you will discover the Ten Commandments as laid out by God. He imprinted these on stone in the Old Testament, using Moses because these were of utmost importance to Him, then and now. Today these are still very important in a true believer's life.

" **These are the commandments the Lord proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly... and he added nothing more...." – Deuteronomy 5:22**

God is not to be mocked in any manner! He means business and these are all which sends sinners to hell. To spare yourself from going that route, you must turn to Jesus Christ. Take hold of Him and let Him become your King and loving God. Redemption comes through the cross where He died for us – He took all sin upon Himself for mankind. That's where salvation was given to us to receive, and it is still active today by His grace. He offered us victory to enter into an everlasting life, starting on this earth and into eternity. Where are you failing? Let's do further studies and find more laws or commands set out by God that we should obey. I will not be touching on each and every one found in the Bible, but on some that will open your eyes to see where truth is His domain.

" **These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts." – Deuteronomy 6:6**

That's where you start with your righteous lifestyle which will please God. It must grow in your heart. Whatever you speak forth from your mouth and act using your body comes from within your heart. This will reveal who you are before our Almighty God. Nothing will ever be hidden from Him. I still fail here. Why? I try to live the righteous life but our human nature responds at times due to situations and " _bang_ " goes righteousness out the door. We are saved because of God's grace! It does not mean that we must make slip-ups along the way. This teaches us that we still have a long way to go to fully please God. _Salvation_ must grow in all the facets of our lives – in our minds, souls and spirits. Our bodies will live according to these. This means you still have a long way to go if this is the portrait of your life right now. Let's continue...

" **See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it." – Deuteronomy 12:32**

This is really serious and important. Do not make up your own laws or commands which you see befitting your lifestyle. Here God is very strict in what we must do or how we should live. It's all about Him and only Him! If anything differs from this then we are actually " _pushing_ " God aside and becoming gods ourselves. I know of a medical doctor in Pretoria who proclaimed that he is a god. He says that through his practice he heals people and makes them well. There is no God? He is living outside the truth and salvation is far from his heart. The future will tell.

Ahijah, the prophet of Shiloh, spoke to Jeroboam and passed on a message from the Lord. It was some commands that he had to follow. The people were worshipping other gods and this made God angry, but filled with compassion. God wanted His people to worship Him, therefore made a promise to them. And by this Jeroboam would be made king over ten tribes. This was during the time that Solomon was reigning as king. Because of salvation offered by God, through grace, Jeroboam had something coming to him. To become a king.

" **If you do whatever I command you and walk in my ways and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and commands, as David my servant did, I will be with you. I will build you a dynasty as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you." – 1 Kings 11:38**

King Solomon, David's son, had turned away from God and His wrath was going to destroy his kingdom and everything he reigned over. King Solomon wanted Jeroboam dead but he fled from him. God intervened because He had always loved David. Look at the above verse again. What do you see? God's wonderful promise. And this promise is ours as well. If we obey everything He has taught us and live such righteous lives, He will be with us. If we seek Him first above all else, if we seek Him and worship only Him, He will pour great blessings upon our lives. What a God we serve! Yes, He is strict in what He expects from us, but also compassionate because we are not perfect and pure like Him. We can only try each day and improve our lives to please Him more and more.

" **But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." – Matthew 5:44**

Most people grow up understanding that they can love other fellow humans except those who have done them harm, maybe had persecuted them. God says differently. We must love them and we should pray for them. This means that we should pray that they too seek salvation and turn to this mighty God we serve. What a command; just like going out and making disciples of all nations. Even here we will face persecutors and yet we should preach the _Gospel of Jesus Christ_ to them, that they see the truth and receive this free " _Gift of Salvation_ " and live new lives. Wow! God sure knows how to place us in the middle of it all. But He knows best, and that's why He is God.

" **No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other. You cannot serve both God and money." – Matthew 6:24**

The worlds' populations today. Everyone seeks one thing – status and this usually comes by the amount of earthly riches you possess. Many people make their earthly riches their gods and God is shelved. This is the work of the devil. He will do anything to keep the world population from knowing the true God who reigns. This is because the devil wants everyone to worship him. Money is the same as worshipping other idols. This leads you no where. This will only lead you to hell. Have you received this salvation gift which God is offering you? Why not take that step today. He loves you. And so do all His followers on earth.

" **Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." – Matthew 22:37**

Let's therefore prepare ourselves and live by these " _basic instructions_ " before we depart from this earth. Go on a journey of seeking the greatness of God and allow Him to teach you how to walk this journey leading to His heavenly home. Follow His b.i.b.l.e. and await for the eternal life in His presence one day. Enjoy the trip!

### Chapter 11

On Your Way

Read throughout the Bible and your b.i.b.l.e. will be revealed to you through many verses. We live according to the New Testament now because Jesus Christ came to earth as flesh [human] and died on the cross for our sins. This was the time when He made a new Covenant with us. The old was now a "ghost" of the new. It did not disappear completely but was rewritten [if one can call it that]. Just like you make a will and have it stored by a bank or attorney or someone who has the authority to prepare it for you. Later in life you marry and the will gets changed slightly. Then comes children.

Once again you have it changed. Everything that was in the old testaments are still included in the latest one, only which some changes and " _modifications_ " were made – new amendments were made. This means that the past, the present and the future will be a part of what the last testament has stated in it, plus more.

And life goes on. You are on your way. You now understand _Salvation_ and everything implicated by it. You now understand the truth and you may have already accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord. If you have not done this yet, look into your heart and look back upon your life until this day. What do you see? Living the " _vida loca_ " or maybe worshipping yourself instead of God. Which is it going to be? I personally turned away from the wild sinful life in 1997 and since then it has been a new ride, a joyous ride. It has not always been smooth though. I have gone through many trials and tribulations, but I know that at least I'm saved and living the life worshipping a true and living God, the One who loved me first.

You too could be on your way in this new life. Not always easy, not always great at times, but the final result will be awesome. Eternal life beside our loving God; not eternal hell in Hades, that burning and torturous lake, with Satan, that nasty serpent. Let me offer you some more truths of what lies ahead for you if you walk with Jesus in your life, your new journey ahead.

" **I will invite everyone who is victorious to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne." – Revelation 3:21**

Victory Lane is the way forward! Only through Jesus Christ will we enter into the presence of the Father, and only then can we receive all His blessings and riches. Jesus overcame death and He gained victory over the devil to show us that He is the mightiest; our true God. Who else can you worship? Who else can you praise and ask counseling from? Who else can protect you like He can? No one has ever been able to answer those questions without some doubting. God is the true Creator of everything, including us.

" ' **I am the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the end,' says the Lord God. 'I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come, the Almighty One.' " – Revelation 1:8**

The _Son of Man_ revealed Himself to the apostle John, while in exile on the island of Patmos, because of his preaching of the _Word of God_. John was worshipping in the Spirit when he was lifted up into heaven where much was revealed to him. And once again he was told that God was the first and the last. He was Ruler from the beginning and would be Ruler forever. The world's beginning and end is in His hands. He has all power and authority over the entire universe out there, including our tiny earth, and us who live upon it. Are you ready for the day when He returns to collect His sheep – His true followers and children. Is He your God and Saviour yet?

You are on your way. To where? That's a big question which will need answering today. On your way somewhere but where? Do you know? Are you very sure of your salvation? If not, why not? Did you understand what I taught in this book? Did the truth pierce your heart yet? Many questions, but only one answer will count. That answer is " _I do!_ "

" **Then I saw an angel come down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand." – Revelation 20:1**

What do you understand in this verse? One day God will lock up the dragon, that sly serpent known as Satan. With him will also follow all his followers, into the " _sulphur-fire_ " lake known as hell. God will rule forever and ever. Can you visualize this in your mind and heart? If you follow the devil's ways you will be on your way to hell. The other option is my favourite. If you accept Jesus Christ into your life and you allow Him to lead you into a new life, you will be on your way to His great home, a place called heaven. Which will it be?

" **The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." – Revelation 22:21**

These are the final words written in the Bible. This is the last verse of the New Testament. And we know, that by His grace we have been saved. Amen. If you are now ready to accept Jesus Christ into your life today, then pray the following prayer with me.

" **Father God. Today I have discovered the truth and today I want to receive this new life. I come before You and I repent of my past sinful life I have led. I confess on this day that Jesus is my Saviour and Lord. I believe that He died for me on that cross and is risen from the dead; all my sins were taken away. I believe that He is my King and loving God. Today I want to walk in this new life, into a greater future. I give myself to You and ask You to forgive me, a sinner. This I pray in Jesus' wonderful and mighty name. Amen."**

Today you have become a born-again believer and child of our loving and Almighty God. You have made the right choice and you are on your way to a new future, now and forever. Next, find yourself a God-fearing, bible-believing, Holy Spirit-filled church where you will be amongst brethren who worship our true God. Join one and allow yourself to be taken on a new journey of great growth, and discover who your saving God is. Start a relationship with Him and lock on to Him with " _chords that cannot be broken_ " and praise Him, worship Him and honour Him forever and ever.

Welcome brother/sister into His wonderful kingdom. Enjoy the new journey ahead. Race the race and reach the finish line with your head held high. Great rewards await you. Amen.

You may contact me and tell me of your decision you made. I look forward to hearing from you.

_Salvation_ is the ONLY way to heaven and God. He wants you to have it today. Accept it. Amen...

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About the author...

Nelson is a born-again believer of Jesus Christ, a normal family man who runs his own business in Krugersdorp, South Africa. He was led by God to write a book, but he disobeyed Him. After many trials and tribulations, he eventually started writing a book in 2010, September.

By obeying God, glorifying and worshipping Him above all else, God favoured him and started to bless him and his family. Nelson turned to God and started to do as he heard from God, and the end result was this book, his first. He is a true believer and great follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is his Saviour and Lord.

Nelson runs a FB page and blog online. Ezekiel Ministry on FB and Men of Power Ministry blog via Blogger, and he fellowships at Real Life Church [AOG] in Krugersdorp. He and his house serve the Lord together. His son and daughter-inlaw are in fulltime ministry in the same church. He wants to see the world saved for Jesus Christ. Amen.

All my books, are available online as eBooks. My books are...

Salvation Is The Life

Living In Victory – praying your way into heaven

The Hunter

