Grahamstown Christian Centre - Church on the Hill

20/10/2022

A poem written by Di Smuts.

30/12/2020

Under the current Level 3 lockdown measures, faith based meetings are prohibited, other than funerals. This means that there will be no meeting on Sunday 3rd and Sunday 10th.

25/10/2020

A testimony of the goodness of God.

25/09/2020

24/09/2020

Thursday 24th Sept:
*The Return SA*

As part of the 10 days of Prayer and Fasting for SA, today's devotion focusses on *Idolatry and Worldliness.*

*"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15, ESV).*

After examining our own hearts of any hidden idolatry, let us ask the Holy Spirit to show us what is presently grieving Him within the Body of Christ and then move onto the evils that are rampant on a national level. Wait to hear what specific sins concern the Lord so that we can subsequently confess and repent of all our iniquities.

May we suggest you conclude your time of devotion by praying that the Church of Jesus Christ in SA will return to its FIRST LOVE, a noteworthy statement made by Jesus to the Ephesian church (see Rev. 2:4).

Shalom and love, Tim and Sarah

22/09/2020

Salt and Light

If you were to cook 3 cups of rice, would you add 3 cups of salt to it?
Certainly not!
So, in every preparation of rice, the rice always outnumbers the salt, yet a little salt makes a huge difference/impact in the overall outcome.

Col 4 v 6. "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

In the room in which you currently are, look up at the ceiling...
What is the size of the bulb compared to the size of the room? It is probably a ratio of 1:5000.
Yet, darkness flees the entire space once the small bulb is switched on.

Matt 5 v 14 - 16 "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

If we are the salt of the earth, and the light of the world, then we have the ability to make a difference.

Sometimes we may feel outnumbered or overwhelmed at the sheer magnitude of evil and wrong-doing in the world and we may feel powerless. They may be the majority and we the minority but little does not mean insignificant. We are significant. Our presence should make a BIG difference.

They are the rice of the world, and we are the salt of the world..
They are the room and we are the light.

Let us through love be the salt and light in someone's life today!

Have a blessed day!

Tess

19/09/2020

19 September
Fast Day 21
As we as a church come to the end of our fast, let us reflect on this fasting time. Fasting has given us a time for more prayer. Fasting has demonstrated the depth of our desire when we are praying for something. It shows that we are serious enough about our prayer request to pay a personal price. Fasting releases God’ power - Satan wants nothing better than to cause division, discouragement, defeat and doubt. United prayer and fasting has always been used by God to deal a decisive blow to the enemy.
Often in the Bible, God’s people fasted immediately before a major victory, miracle or answer to prayer. It prepared them for a blessing!
• Moses fasted before he received the Ten Commandments (Exodus 34:28)
• The Israelites fasted before a miraculous victory (2 Chronicles 20:2-3)
• Daniel fasted in order to receive guidance from God (Daniel 9:3)
• Nehemiah fasted before beginning a major building project (Nehemiah 1:4)
• Jesus fasted during His victory over temptation (Luke 4:2)
• The first Christians fasted during decision-making times (Acts 13:2-3)
Fasting is not a means of seeking God’s blessing, as much as it is a means of **seeking God.* May we continue to seek Him first in all we do. We pray that this time of fasting has been an opportunity for us all to restore the power of prayer in our lives and establish a closer relationship with our Lord and Saviour. Let’s not lose that! 😃Keep looking up! 💖xx Harold and Karen

18/09/2020

18 September.
Fast Day 20.
Luke 6:46-48 "And why call he me, Lord,Lord, and do not the things I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and forth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man who built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock."
The common people loved to follow Jesus around and loved him. His teachings were fascinating and unique and the people waited expectantly to see miracles. The rabbi's would quote other rabbi's as " authorities" but Jesus Christ was truly the only authority. When the leaders opposed Jesus they always came second and the people loved this.
Jesus once asked the people why they called him Lord but didn't obey him and his teaching?(6:46). Good question.
The teachings and actions were so refreshing they can fascinate us but Jesus did what he did to show his lordship over all powers and he taught what he taught so people would willingly and obediently submit to his lordship. We need to stop being familiar with our Lord and start following him with the respect he is due. Meaning we have to be obedient to what he says.
Jesus Christ expects obedience in every area of our lives but especially in our relationships with others. As disciples and Christ followers we are to obey his lordship and follow his commands in respect to other people.
The teachings of Jesus Christ I terms of how we respond to our enemies is nothing short of radical: " But live ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind into the unthankful and to the evil."(6:35). The people in Jesus' day prayed for the destruction of their enemies and took revenge against those who attacked first. Today, to react violently and viciously is seen as the norm and most often condoned and seen as the appropriate response. BUT JESUS CHRIST CALLS US TO DO GOOD TO OUR ENEMIES. Easy? I don't think so!!!!
To be a disciple of Christ is to submit to the lordship of Jesus Christ and be obedient to his commands about relationships. It's not enough to bear Christ's name, to be astounded at his miracles, to bask in his eternal love or to call him Lord unless you are obedient as to how we deal daily in the grind of dealing with the unloving and the unlovable.
For the last 2 days if our fast my challenge is to treat people as you know how Jesus would have treated them and allow his love to flow through you. We are blessed to be a blessing, never forget that. TREAT JESUS CHRIST AS THE LORD THAT HE TRULY IS.
Love Cheryl and Hilton

17/09/2020

17 September
Fast Day 19

In this time of fasting, and often in the past, I have admired the dedication that some other religions display in their daily routines, traditions and rituals.
To mention but a few:
We all know how many times a day the Muslims pray, how particular the Jewish people are about the details when they have feasts and celebrations and how some of the eastern religions make meditation and reflection part of their day.

Whenever I have thought of these, a sense of guilt often washed over me due to my lack of spiritual discipline when compared to others. But always, without exception, the Holy Spirit has come over me at that moment and reminded me that, due to the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross for my sins, I am more free than any other religious person will ever be *because I have a relationship with the living God! It's not a ritual, routine or tradition….*

I am free because he chose to take my sins upon him. I am free because I can never earn his love since he loves me despite my sins.
"because anyone who has died has been set free from sin."
Romans 6:7

I am free because he has given me life to the full.
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
John 10:10

I am free on this earth because the Creator of the Universe is my father, making me an heir to his throne.
" If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise."
Galatians 3:29

I am free because he made only one of me and he made me in his image, meaning I don't have to try to be anybody else.
"So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."
Genesis 1:27

I AM FREE BECAUSE JESUS LIVES IN ME.
" I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Galatians 2:20

May you experience his freedom today, despite all the onslaughts of the day.

With love from Walter and Natasja
!

16/09/2020

16th Sept. Fast Day 18
*Acts 1:10-11 "They were looking intently up into the sky as he was ascending, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. Men of Galilee, they said, why do you stand there looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way that you have seen him go into heaven."*

Let us, during this time of fasting and prayer, humble ourselves before our God and Saviour and call out to Him on behalf of Israel, that they as a nation, will acknowledge that Jesus is the Messiah that they rejected so many years ago and that they would repent and believe on him.

I recall in the early 1970's, after the return of a number of Pastors from visiting Israel, that one of them had met a priest of the Greek Orthodox Church, who told him that due to the constant need for repairs to their church, situated on the Mount of Olives, they had approached geologists to examine the area, to find out the cause of the problem. Their findings revealed that there was a flaw in the mountain running from east to west near the church, which was causing the structural damage to the church.

This was an amazing discovery, as in the book of Zechariah 14:4 it says, *"On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem and the mountain will be split in two, from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half south."**

This ,dear brothers and sisters is just one of many prophecies concerning Israel, and Jerusalem in particular that have been proven to be true. May God bless the land of Israel, may He keep them, may He cause His face to shine upon them, may He be gracious unto them and grant them peace. Amen.
Love Phyllis and Selwyn.

15/09/2020

Fast Day 17:
**The Fig tree*
28. "Now, learn the lesson from the parable of the fig tree. When Spring arrives, and it sends out its tender branches and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is soon to appear. 29. So also, when you observe all these things progressively taking place, you will know that He is coming near, even to the door!... 32. Concerning that day and exact hour, no one knows when it will arrive, not the angels in heaven, not even the Son - only the Father knows. 33. This is why you must be waiting, watching and praying, because no one knows when that season of time will come... 35. So I say to you, keep awake and alert - for you have no idea when the master of the house will return; in the evening, at midnight, at four o'clock in the morning, or at dawn. 36. Be alert, for he's coming suddenly and may find you sleeping! And what I say to you, I say to everyone - be awake at all times" (Mark 13:28-37, TPT).

Let us take heed to the words of Jesus. The time of His appearing could be imminent, hence this call to be ready and waiting expectantly for the most momentous event in history to occur.

Israel's role in these End Times is a focal point. Keep praying for the peace of Jerusalem. Shalom, Tim and Sarah

12/09/2020

Fast Day 14
Fasting is a discipline that many of us have yet to master. A discipline requires practice and we shouldn’t beat ourselves up if we fail to fully achieve what we have set out to do at the beginning of the fast. As with any skill, the more we practice, the more success we will have. Through fasting we are seeking to know God more intimately, to recognise his voice more clearly, and to allow Him to correct, teach and empower us.
“O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you;
My soul thirsts for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory,
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name, I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
With singing lips my mouth will praise you.”
Psalm 63: 1 – 5
In this Psalm, written by David when he was in the Desert of Judah, he expresses his hunger and thirst for God. As we deprive our bodies of (certain) food and beverages, may we be reminded of how necessary it is for our spirits and souls to be nourished daily with the Spirit and Word of God. Have a blessed Saturday 🙂Rose