NAC Melkbosstrand Congregation

22/06/2026

22/06/2026

The Word for Today
Matthew 5:20

For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Righteousness means having a right love for God leading to a right relationship with Him and with other people, producing right actions. It is not OK to simply be living your life according to a set of rules and laws to please God, which is what the Pharisees did. Their weakness was living the laws outwardly, but not allowing God to change their hearts and attitudes inwardly. They made sure to look good on the outside and acted piously, but they were far from living the kingdom life, a life pleasing to God. God is concerned about our hearts as well as our deeds, because our hearts show where our real allegiance lies. Our faithfulness to Him is a condition of the heart, not obedience to a set of rules and laws. We need to *live* a life of faith, practicing what we preach, and displaying the nature of Christ living within us. This is righteous living. In Jesus’ sermon on the mount, He was saying that His listeners needed a different kind of righteousness altogether out of love for God, and not mere compliance with a set of legal or conformative requirements. Our righteousness must come from what God does in us, not from what we can do by ourselves. It must be God-centred, not self-centred. Godly inspired, not worldly inspired, seen from God’s eternal perspective, not from our limited, earthly perspective. It must be based on reverence for God, not on approval from others. Doing God’s will, and not stubbornly doing our own thing. It must go beyond keeping the law to living by the principles behind the law. We should be just as concerned about our attitudes that people don’t see as about our actions that they do see. The pureness of our hearts and the way in which we apply the Living Word to our daily life is where His Word comes alive within us. This is the difference between knowing and living, between understanding and doing, between hearing and applying. Don’t just follow the rules, live the lessons. Take what is taught and make it come alive. Live consciously, allowing the Spirit within you to lead your thoughts, your words, your actions, and let the Word of God change you from the inside out, bearing witness to His presence within you. Don’t be a dead fish; only dead fish go with the flow. Be alive, awake, and actively pursue the will of God, living as He wants you to live, loving as He loves you, and forgiving as He forgives you. This is righteous living.

Have a blessed day in Christ. 🙏🏻🦋

17/06/2026

The Word for Today
Hebrews 11:3

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are invisible.

We believe in God, the Father, the Almighty, the Creator. Faith starts with believing in God’s goodness and truth - that He is who He says He is. Faith culminates with knowing that God will do what He promises. When we believe that He will fulfil His promises even though we don’t see them materialising yet, we demonstrate true faith. Believing that God exists is only the beginning. But God will not settle for mere acknowledgement of His existence. He wants our faith to lead to a personal, dynamic relationship, where we accept His will, change our lives in acceptance of His word, and believe in the saving grace of His Son’s sacrifice for humankind. True understanding of faith follows commitment to God. We cannot hope to understand God through our human intellect and reason alone. God has given us minds, which should be developed and used to their fullest. To ignore intellectual growth is to live a stunted and naive life, a life without enlightenment. God wants our trust and our faith, even whilst we ponder and wonder about so many matters that are mysterious to us. God has spoken to us in the person of Jesus Christ. It is our belief in Him that drives us to want to change our nature, to live as He lived, to love as He loved. We do not believe in a void, nor leap into the dark. Faith is reasonable, though reason alone cannot explain the whole of it. Use your mind to think through your faith, but leave room for the inexplicable works of God. He is the Creator of all things, every living creature. He alone is able to create with such precision and perfection. He created you and I, and He created the soul within us. He created the various realms within which the souls find themselves, both amongst the living and the dead. He is your Father, the one who knows everything about you - your circumstances, your needs, your concerns, your desires, every hair on your head, and is active and busy in your life, creating that which serves you best. And He says to you and I - Do not be afraid of whatever the future holds, because I am in control. Just trust and believe in Me. Take care of your soul, just as you take care of your natural body. Do not focus on what you see; our eyes can be deceptive. Focus on the invisible God, the God who is able to create anything and everything, the Almighty God who has the power to change your circumstances, to bring new life to that which appears to be dead, and The Father who loves us unconditionally. God is understood through faith, and our faith comes alive when we walk in trust and in belief, not by sight. It is by faith that we understand, by faith that we walk, and by faith that we grow in our belief in the saving grace of God - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Have a blessed day in Christ. 🙏🏻🦋

15/06/2026

The Word for Today
Isaiah 43:18-19

Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

God will make a way! He always does. To those who trust in Him and believe in Him, He will make a way. All it takes is faith like a mustard seed, having no fear in your heart, and belief. He brought the Israelites out of Egypt, parted the Red Sea, brought them through the desert because of their distrust and lack of faith, but still made sure they were protected, had food to eat and water to drink. And still brought them to the Promised Land and performed the miracle for them to possess it. He made a way for David against Goliath. He restored what Job had lost, He stood by Jonah, even though he tried to run away from doing God’s calling, He made a way for Gideon with 300 men, He stood by His Son throughout His life on earth, and throughout His crucifixion. What an awesome God we serve! He reassures us that He *will* make a way. Not only that, but He says, “I will do a *new* thing! I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert!” Not an adjustment to what is, but something *new*. What He wants to do for you is what He has in store for you, not what you think He should do. Parting the Red Sea was impossible, until it was done! You and I need to be ready. Our foundation needs to be rock solid to support the work that God wants to do on top of it. He wants to build roads in the wilderness of your life, where you do not even see the possibility of a road, because the way seems so blocked. He wants to let the waters of life flow for you and your loved ones, creating an oasis in the desert, where currently it looks barren and growth appears impossible. When we consider the majesty and might of God, the Creator, and witness all that He has done throughout history, and believe in it, what do we have to fear? God *always* has a plan, and it always surpasses what we could possibly imagine with our limited human minds. Jesus (and Peter) walked on water, He healed the disabled, raised the dead, was crucified, died, and was buried. He arose from the dead and ascended into heaven. What makes you think that you are beyond His help? Do not fear! He is busy creating something new, a road in the wilderness and a river in the desert. Step out in faith, knowing that the road is coming, and your path will be clear, because He will build it for you. Trust the process, His process, and believe as you walk every step with Him by your side.

Have a blessed day in Christ. 🙏🏻🦋

12/06/2026

The Word for Today
Nehemiah 8:10 (part)

Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

We serve in the joy that Christ is near us. This is where our strength and our joy comes from. Nehemiah was a true servant of God. He received news that Jerusalem’s walls were in a state of disrepair and that they desperately needed to be rebuilt. It brought him great despair, and he prayed and pleaded with God for help. God moved, and he left his job in the royal courts of the king of Persia, with the king’s blessing and authority, and left for Jerusalem. There he faced opposition, threats, lacklustre behaviour, uncertainty, even from those within his inner circle. But through it all, he used his God-given skills, as well as the skills of management he learned in the king’s courts, to organise and structure. All the while, trusting God for guidance, protection, and strength. He rebuilt the walls and gates of the city in just 52 days! Nehemiah did not just accept a seemingly impossible task from God. He did not just speak words of encouragement and relay a message. He knew what needed to be done, he convinced the people to do the work, and he stood firm in the face of all the conflicts he faced from all sides. He was a man of character, persistence, and prayer. A brilliant planner, organiser, and motivator. He stood calm in the face of opposition, and he was capable of being bluntly honest with his people when they were sinning. Ezra, as the sent spiritual leader of the time, worked together with Nehemiah to lead the people back to God. They needed to take action, because words would not be enough. It is not enough to know what the problem is, to analyse it and understand it, but then not have the courage to do something about it, to do what needs to be done. When we walk with the Lord, under His direction, we can accomplish seemingly impossible tasks. Real service for God has 2 parts - talking with Him (praying with a pure heart), and walking with Him (taking action). Whatever is broken, needs to be repaired. It is not OK to see the damage, and to ignore it. It takes courage and trust to know that when you do the work, God stands by you and can achieve the seemingly impossible. There are no triumphs without troubles. As members of the body of Christ, we all play a vital role in building His work. But when cracks appear, we cannot just paint over them. Cracks need to be opened up, plastered, sanded, and then painted over. This is the work we need to do, with love, and with trust in God’s helping hand. He forces us to look within, to see our shortcomings, but to know that with Him, we receive all the strength we need, both to persevere, and to complete the task He lays before us. Don’t be dismayed, but trust the vision He lays in your heart, and have the courage to set matters right. ‘Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength’.

Have a blessed day in Christ. 🙏🏻🦋

05/06/2026

The Word for Today
Philippians 4:9

The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Life application of the Word of God is where we see growth in our souls. It is not only hearing the Word and being in agreement with it. It is in applying it in our lives and changing our ways accordingly. It is in hearing, absorbing, meditating, and then doing. It is not enough to hear or read the Word of God or even to know it well. We must put God’s teaching into practice. This is where spiritual growth takes place, where the Spirit of God comes alive. Only dead fish go with the flow. This is not who we are and how we live. It is easy to listen to a sermon being preached, with a beautiful message, and that’s all it remains - a beautiful message. It is easy to read the Bible, to understand its message, but it needs to lead to different and changed living, otherwise its impact is complete lost. It is easy to debate the meaning of a passage, to dissect a sermon, to discuss a powerful message, but it means little if it is not lived out in our lives. Exposure to God’s Word is not enough. It must lead to obedience and changed lives. I love God, but not my neighbour so much. I want success, but I do not tithe. God wants all to be saved, and He brings them into our paths to hear His Word through us, and we push them away, for whatever reason. It is not our grace, but His, that saves. As our word yesterday encourages, stand secure on the sure foundation that is Jesus Christ. Be unshakeable in your faith, no matter what comes your way. And don’t be afraid to live the Word, no matter the judgement you face. What you have learned, received, heard, and seen, these do! And the God of peace will be with you!

Have a blessed day in Christ. 🙏🏻🦋

03/06/2026

The Word for Today
Isaiah 28:16

Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whomever believes will not act hastily.”

Jesus Christ, the chief cornerstone, gives us security. When building anything you need a strong foundation. You cannot build on anything but a strong foundation. You cannot be in a hurry to build either, because if you don’t give the foundations enough time to settle, you will end up with major problems and big cracks in your building. The foundations and building need to withstand all types of conditions and threats if it is to last and continue to offer protection to its occupants. The same applies to our spiritual life. But here we are *given* the foundation, if we choose to accept it - Jesus Christ. God loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Build on this sure foundation! But to some, who refuse to accept Him, He has become a stumbling block, a ‘rock of offence’. Is Jesus your strong foundation or your stumbling block? It is a question each of us has to answer for ourselves. We need a strong foundation to build our spiritual life. Jesus Christ is the cornerstone that holds His church together. It is the foundation on which God builds His work of redemption and salvation. Through Him our sins could be forgiven. We live His gospel in our lives, putting into practice what He taught and still teaches today through His Spirit. His love is unchanging and unconditional, regardless of what we do. He knows our faults and our failings and is still gracious to us. His grace covers all of our sins, restoring our peace, happiness, and joy, eclipsing all the evil of this world. His authority is complete - “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” He fulfils His promises, and will return to fetch His bride, the faithful believers who believe in Him. When we trust and believe in this foundation, we have nothing to fear. Absolutely nothing. No worries about the future, no need to be discouraged or anxious, no reason to be confused about whom to trust or where our help will come from. Trust in the foundation, the bedrock on which He builds His church. Rest assured on this foundation, and stand strong in your faith and belief in Him and His power and willingness to help. Faith and belief is not a matter of tradition. It is not doing things because that is the way it has always been done. It is aligning our lives with the gospel of Christ and following wherever He leads. The building will take shape as He sees fit, if we let Him. He knows what materials to use, how to reinforce certain areas, when to break down and rebuild, and He knows the finished product, because He is the architect and master builder. As the cornerstone, He is our rock on which we stand. Build your life of faith with Him as your foundation, and stand secure in Him. With Him, no storm that comes your way will ever defeat you. You stand on the sure foundation of Jesus Christ! Trust in it!

Have a blessed day in Christ. 🙏🏻🦋

28/05/2026

The Word for Today
Acts 3:6

Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”

This man had been lame since birth. He was placed at the gates to the temple so that he could beg for alms from those who entered there to pray. It was his greatest opportunity for success. When Peter and John walked by him, he asked them for money. But Peter gave him something much better - the use of his legs - ‘And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength’. We often ask God to solve our small problems, but He wants to give us a whole new life and help for *all* our problems. God may say, “I’ve got something even better for you.” Ask God for what you want, but don’t be surprised when He gives you what you really need. Why limit God? He is the Creator of everything that exists, and is capable of doing the impossible. Don’t let your human mind limit what He is able to do for you. Jabez prayed and asked God to bless *him* - ‘Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!’ So God granted him what he requested’. He was bold in his request, believed what he prayed, and asked out of a desire to best serve God. And God gave him all that he asked. The lame man was completely healed, something he would never have imagined possible. But in the name and power of Jesus Christ, by His authority, this man was healed. God has so much more that He wants to give us, if only we would ask. We battle with our problems, our challenges, our illnesses, our financial worries, and so much more. We pray and ask for help, and then we pick up where we left off, not really surrendering and believing that He will help. In the middle of the drought that we experienced in Cape Town a few years back, many prayed for rain, but how many took their umbrellas with them? Ask for what you want with a pure heart, with a pure desire, believe that He will give it to you, and then trust in His timing. God is saying to us today, “Stand up and walk!” Don’t overthink it, don’t question it - *STAND UP!* God will give you all that you need.

Have a blessed day in Christ. 🙏🏻🦋

27/05/2026

The Word for Today
1 Corinthians 3:16

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

The church is a living community inspired by the Spirit in which the Spirit of God dwells. Paul had issue with the church he had established in Corinth. The members had split into factions, pledging loyalty to different teachers. Paul taught them that he had laid the foundation of the church in Corinth, and others built on top of that foundation. There are those who plant the seeds, and there are those who water, and then those who prune, and those who pull out the weeds. All have a role to play in the work of God, none more or less important than the other. It is when we work together in unity with Christ that we build that which is sustainable and built for eternity. It is when we allow the Spirt to inspire what we build that it stands strong against the evil of our time. Nothing can shake it and cause it to collapse. Egos and pride need to be put aside, acknowledging that it is by the grace of God that we are able to build and to grow strong in our faith, not of our own merit. All gifts are needed, and none are more important than the other. All are equal in the eyes of God, and all play a valuable role in building His church. No one’s place is ever questioned, and no one is ever pushed off to the side. We celebrate with those who use their gifts to there fullest in the work of God, and acknowledge that we also need to make full use of our own gifts in service to God’s community, without competing or comparing with the gifts of others. God’s Spirit dwells within us, and if we give Him room, and allow Him free rein to guide our decisions and direct our path, we will always be exactly where God desires us to be, and never question His decisions. He will nurture the Spirit within us, revealing His will for our lives more and more as we grow in Him. Just like an Olympic athlete competing in the 100m, who trains for hours and hours to run a race of just under 10 seconds, so too must we hone our spiritual gifts and talents to be spiritually fit to walk the path God lays before us with confidence and trust, knowing what comes from Him versus what does not. The Spirit discerns, and we need to trust the Spirit of God that dwells within us. It dwells in all of us! The Spirit of God who dwells within us brings about steadfast love for God and our neighbour, no matter what happens in life. This brings about unity. There is no judgement, no condemnation, and no competition. Only oneness. It takes ALL of the members working together to build in the work of God. When building a house, there is the architect who drafts the plans, those who lay the foundation, others build the base, there are plumbers, electricians, bricklayers, roofers, plasterers, tilers, all with their special skills and talents. It takes all of them, working together, to complete the build. None more or less important than the other. We need to use our God-given gifts to build God’s community, to build His church, and to stand together in oneness. He will take care of the rest, and crown our work with His glory.

Have a blessed day in Christ. 🙏🏻🦋