Category: Be Inspired

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me (John 10:14).

Shepherds and their sheep have deeply intimate relationships. Jesus our good shepherd knows us by name and guides us through life’s valleys and mountaintops. When we run the other way, he goes in search of us! His relentless love pursues us. Our good shepherd laid down his life for us, knowing the details of all we would think and do. He didn’t redeem our ideal lives – he sacrificed himself to redeem the actual life we are living today.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” With these words, Jesus is not only revealing a truth about who he is, but how he feels about us. He knows and loves our whole story. Sheep are utterly dependent animals. They physically cannot rest until all their needs are met. In the comforting presence of Jesus we can relax and let go of our fears.

Prayer: Jesus, we thank you that you are faithful to supply all my needs. Help me to see how you providing for me today, and make me aware of how I can share your love and provision with those around me.

 

By Michelle Fleming

 

Dear Fellow Servants of Christ

Praise be to the Father, who by the power of his Spirit has blessed us with a gift of life to see the dawn of 2019! Time is a gift of grace. It allows us to start again, to try again, and to yearn for tomorrow. The start of each day, each week, each month or each year must always remind us of God’s grace. We can rejoice in the new opportunities that a new year presents, and the hope it engenders.

Margaret and I saw the dawn of 2019 under the Namibian skies of the Caprivi strip. We joined Pastor Lascan Sikosi, the National Ministry Leader of Namibia, and the Namibian pastors for a three-day conference. The first day, we had a church service with the local church members. It was followed by anniversary celebrations of GCI Namibia, complete with a birthday cake, which we all shared, followed by Communion. The rest of the conference consisted of pastoral and leadership training.

Thank you for the prayers for safe travels. After almost two days of driving, I experienced a bout of motion sickness on arrival in Namibia, and had to see a doctor. Fortunately, the problem cleared quickly, and I was ready for the meetings the next day. We had great weather with rain, which started the day we arrived. Please pray for the members in Namibia. Unemployment is a huge problem. Many rely on subsistence farming in the villages.

Congratulations to those who have passed their exams last year. May your 2019 plans come together. I want to also congratulate Lorna Laister, our National Children’s Ministry Coordinator, who has completed her Bachelor of Theology degree with UNISA. In the future, all GCI pastors will be expected to have minimum academic qualifications. This is a huge achievement by Lorna. Congratulations from all of us!

Shalom,
Takalani Musekwa

“We Are GCI Series” is a collection of videos where various GCI family members are highlighted.
In this episode, GCI President, Dr. Greg Williams interviews newly appointed GCI Superintendent of North America, Michael Rasmussen. Mike shares a little about his story and how he plans on moving the vision of GCI “Healthy Church” forward in his area of supervision.

Most of us are not strangers to traveling, whether it be a daily commute or long-haul travel. Our trip to the U.S. Conference in October lasted 20 hours with several stopovers. Upon arrival in America, we were in a rush to get through the airport. As we hurriedly emptied our pockets and removed our bags for security, my backpack passed through the X-ray machine but something was detected so it was stopped and brought back. The staff motioned for me to bring it over for inspection and asked me, “What’s in your backpack?” As it turned out, it was an unsuspecting stapler that caused the delay.

With life often compared to a journey, it would be good to regularly evaluate what we carry with us. What is in our “backpack” says something about our values, priorities, and aspirations. There may be things that should be there but aren’t. At times, we may be carrying things that are nice to have, but not really necessary. We may also be unsuspectingly taking along things that delay us by distracting us or weighing us down.

Hebrews 12:1 comes to mind, “therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…”

We can be weighed down by physical baggage, in terms of too much dependence on people or material things. It can be emotional baggage – like resentment, discontent, envy, and insecurity. It could be spiritual baggage – like guilt, legalism, self-righteousness, or sinful habits we refuse to confront. Sometimes these are clearly evident to us. Sometimes though, further introspection is required to come to terms with what is in our “backpack”, and what we should or shouldn’t take along.

At the crossroads of another year, let us rest and reflect on what we have been carrying with us. Allow God to search our heart and detect what does not belong there. What are the things we should not leave and live without? In this journey, let us make room for what matters – the joy of salvation, hope for the kingdom, boldness for the gospel, and passion for God and for the people he has called us to love. Happy travels!

Prayer: Lord, in this life we all go through, you are with us all the way. Let nothing hold us back, or weigh us down, but rather, refresh us, and help us fix our eyes on you. In Jesus name, Amen.

By Eugene Guzon

Click on the image below to learn about GCI-India elder Franklin Paupens.

On January 6, the Garwood, NJ, congregation honored David and Hinka Gilbert on their retirement after 34 years of pastoral ministry. We all love them and thank them for their dedication and loving service in Christ and pray they experience every blessing possible as they follow Jesus into this new chapter of their lives.

At the same time, the new pastoral team was installed by Randy Bloom, east regional director. The team includes John Adams, Richard Brothers, and Robert Tyson, Jr.

And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ (Philippians 4:7).

The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, is speaking of inner peace, contentment that comes from God and is found in Jesus Christ. When Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians, he was imprisoned, yet as with many of his letters, his greetings began with grace and peace. This was not Paul’s grace and peace, but rather, it was from God and that which is found in Jesus Christ.

Jesus promised to leave his peace with us, saying we would have troubles in this world. Peace is not the absence of troubles. Paul faced extreme adversity during his life, yet he learned to be content. Paul’s desire to know Christ was above all else. He had a focus and such passion for knowing Jesus, he was willing to suffer the loss of many things. As inspired by Paul, may we focus our thoughts on Jesus, daily learning more about his life, his death and the power of his resurrection. Paul shared this with such joy, may we also share the joy of knowing Jesus and live in the peace that is found in the knowledge of him.

Prayer:
Lord, we pray for the peace of God to be with us and in us, a peace that transcends human understanding. Help us Lord to fix our eyes on Jesus and not on our troubles, and to pray always with thankfulness.

 

By Daphne Sidney

GCI Ripley Honors Former Pastor, Celebrates New Leadership

On December 9, Linda Nichols-McCarty was installed as lead pastor of the Ripley, WV congregation. Randy Bloom, East Regional Director, officiated. Don Hussel was honored as he retires from pastoral ministry.

Choose God’s Choice

You did not choose me, but I chose you (John 15:16 NIV).

If God has a will for us, does it threaten our human rights? Surely, we have free will. Theologians and philosophers have discussed these subjects endlessly.

God, of course, also has free will. He cuts to the chase in dealing with our dilemma about whether to choose him. He first chose us, before any of us were born! No one forced God to supply “his glorious grace, which he has given us freely in the One he loves” (Ephesians 1:6). It was entirely God’s own choice.

God expressed his free will by sending his Son to die for us.

A “no brainer” is a phrase used to indicate an obvious choice – so obvious that we need not think about it for long. Our response to Christ’s sacrifice may seem like a “no brainer”, but it becomes a stumbling block for many. The desire to hold on to our own free will is so strong. We see accepting God’s will for us as an assault on our freedom. But it isn’t. God’s choice is about making us free. It is about fulfilling our own unique human potential that he chose for us from the foundation of the world.

Choose God’s choice for you.

Accept Jesus.

Prayer:
Great God, thank you that you chose me in Christ Jesus. Help me through the Holy Spirit to live every day in acceptance of your will.
In Jesus’ name, Amen

By James Henderson

Click on the image below to meet GCI Pastor Marty Davey.