MUD HUT GALLERY

Wise Wealth 

Excerpts from "Wisdom Hunters" by Boyd Bailey

“A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.” Psalm 49:20

• The wealthy wisely seek to understand God’s game plan for their gold. They prayerfully come up with a plan, and then commit their actions to the Almighty. Then He brings success to their financial plan (Proverbs 16:3). 
• Plans without prayer are perturbing and miss God’s best. Actions committed to Christ carry out God’s game plan. To gain understanding is to frame your financial discussions with an eternal backdrop of motivation. Wealth is a stewardship not to be taken lightly. It is a belief that the Lord’s blessing is much larger than life, and is leveraged for the Lord today. 
• Understand that finances are finite. You have a window of generosity that will close one day. Don’t wait until your riches grow wings and fly away (Proverbs 23:5) to some other faithful soul who understands the insignificance of “stuff” to your Savior. Riches are like hailstones; they fall from Heaven in different sizes, garnering our attention while rattling on the tin roof of our trust. But after a while, once it draws attention to itself, it melts away into the silent ground, gone. The same is true with our “stuff”. It can be here today and gone tomorrow. It is wise to give aggressively what you have today instead of hoping to give what you may not have tomorrow. 
• Missionaries need malaria medicine now. Orphans need homes today. Growling stomachs need more than gruel immediately. Churches are waiting to receive the necessary start-up capital in order to be built. Humanitarian work and the Gospel will spread exponentially, as the wealthy collaborate with Christ, and obey. Run the risk of liberating your wealth for the Lord. It is His to give. 
• God has made us to be kind, not beastly, in our view of wealth. Animals are driven by self-preservation and instinct. But we are children of our heavenly Father. He is gracious and generous in bestowing His good gifts (Matthew 7:9-11). He uses wealth for His ways; so you are wise to do the same. Sanctify your “stuff” for your Savior. Look to the Lord for where and how to save, invest, spend, and give. 
• Beasts perish with little purpose. You graduate to be with God. At your commencement with Christ, you want to be found financially faithful. The wise use of wealth supports eternal initiatives. Wise wealth does not intimidate, nor is it intimidated. It prayerfully releases riches for God’s Kingdom. It is all about investing in and executing the Almighty’s agenda. Wise wealth wraps itself around God’s redemptive plan through faith. It understands and applies God’s generous game plan.

ON PARENTING...

MARRIAGE

Love...commitment...plans...adventures...building...preparation...together...forever...through good times and challenging times...until death do us part

PARENTS

New life...sacrificial love...nurturing...learning...joy...laughter...tears...pain...heartache...growth...adulthood...independence...interdependence...wisdom sought...wisdom shared...letting go...trust in God...realisation of lifetime, unselfish commitment to "family"...laying down your life...caring...loving...praying...supporting...pain...heartache...always present...sometimes absent...always knowing...often confused...choosing words...choosing silence...watching... waiting....worrying...wanting the best...backing off...painful observance from the shadows...helpless...praying...trust in the Father who gave his Son...

LOVING UNCONDITIONALLY!  

 

"FAMILY"....FORGOTTEN BASTION OF SOCIETY

SOCIETY IN TURMOIL!

Disturbing tv images of young teenagers running rampant in peaceful suburbs of London trashing, looting and burning in an orgy of mindless destruction are shocking! The victims are aghast at the raw anger and blatant disregard for law and order...police observe from the sidelines making brief ineffectual forays into the masses while dodging bricks and bottles from pimply faced youths laughing and swearing in their faces! Politicians rant and rave while wringing their hands and threatening tough measures while decent law-abiding citizens wander in shock amongst the broken, burning debris of once model suburbs....for years a most British facade of respect and dignity cloaking the festering, simmering time-bomb of anarchy! 

Years of appeasement and compromise....the gradual erosion of God-ordained values and morality enshrined in the institutions of family and marriage....the glorification of freedom and individual rights without personal responsibility....lack of accountability etc etc etc....WHAT NATIONS, GOVERNMENTS AND INDIVIDUALS SOW WILL SOMEDAY HAVE A DAY OF RECKONING AND REAPING!

Slouched in the surreal comfort of cosy homes across the globe, gazing through slick, packaged windows of foreign lands as human tragedy and mayhem flicker into our safe worlds, we wring our hands and cry out with indignation and anger wondering....questioning....depressed and deeply disturbed at the raw primeval images and the sad state of the human condition.

Isn't it tragic that the self-styled "experts" of social engineering who have served to mislead and deceive the policy makers of nations for years....watering down traditional values and norms while elevating "human rights" above individual rights and responsibilities....isn't it a sad indictment of the human psyche that the future of nations, societies, neighbourhoods, families and individuals have been sold down the putrefying river of compromise and murky, grey counterfeit "values"?

This is not the celebrated "brave new world"....THE answer remains Jesus, hope of the Nations!



   

FRACKING DISASTER...A CALL TO ARMS!

This is the content of a short speech given on Friday night in Cape Town by Lewis Gordon Pugh OIG (a.k.a. the Human Polar Bear) about the proposed fracking for gas in the Karoo, by Shell. He received a sustained standing ovation !

Ladies and gentlemen, thank for the opportunity to address you. My name is Lewis Pugh.

This evening, I want to take you back to the early 1990's in this country.  You may remember them well.

Nelson Mandela had been released. There was euphoria in the air. However, there was also widespread violence and deep fear. This country teetered on the brink of a civil war. But somehow, somehow, we averted it. It was a miracle!

And it happened because we had incredible leaders. Leaders who sought calm..  Leaders who had vision. So in spite of all the violence, they sat down and negotiated a New Constitution.

I will never forget holding the Constitution in my hands for the first time.

I was a young law student at the University of Cape Town. This was the cement that brought peace to our land. This was the document, which held our country together. The rights contained herein, made us one.

I remember thinking to myself - never again will the Rights of South Africans be trampled upon.

Now every one of us - every man and every women - black, white, coloured, Indian, believer and non believer - has the right to vote. We all have the Right to Life. And our children have the right to a basic education. These rights are enshrined in our Constitution.

These rights were the dreams of Oliver Tambo. These rights were the dreams of Nelson Mandela. These rights were the dreams of Mahatma Gandhi, of Desmond Tutu and of Molly Blackburn. These rights were our dreams.

People fought ­ and died ­ so that we could enjoy these rights today.

Also enshrined in our Constitution, is the Right to a Healthy Environment and the Right to Water. Our Constitution states that we have the Right to have our environment protected for the benefit of our generation and for the benefit of future generations. Fellow South Africans, let us not dishonour these rights. Let us not dishonour those men and women who fought and died for these rights. Let us not allow corporate greed to disrespect our Constitution and desecrate our environment.

Never, ever did I think that there would be a debate in this arid country about which was more important ­ gas or water. We can survive without gas....  We cannot live without water.

If we damage our limited water supply ­ and fracking will do just that we will have conflict again here in South Africa. Look around the world. Wherever you damage the environment you have conflict.

Fellow South Africans, we have had enough conflict in this land ­ now is the time for peace.

A few months ago I gave a speech with former President of Costa Rica.  Afterwards I asked him "Mr President, how do you balance the demands of development against the need to protect the environment?"

He looked at me and said : "It is not a balancing act. It is a simple business decision. If we cut down our forests in Costa Rica to satisfy a timber company, what will be left for our future?"

But he pointed out : "It is also a moral decision. It would be morally wrong to chop down our forests and leave nothing for my children and my grandchildren."

Ladies and gentlemen, that is what is at stake here today: Our children's future. And that of our children s children.

There may be gas beneath our ground in the Karoo. But are we prepared to destroy our environment for 5 to 10 years worth of fossil fuel and further damage our climate?

Yes, people will be employed ­ but for a short while. And when the drilling is over, and Shell have packed their bags and disappeared, then what? Who will be there to clean up? And what jobs will our children be able to eke out?

Now Shell will tell you that their intentions are honourable. That fracking in the Karoo will not damage our environment. That they will not contaminate our precious water. That they will bring jobs to South Africa.

That gas is clean and green. And that they will help secure our energy supplies.

When I hear this ­ I have one burning question. Why should we trust them?  Africa is to Shell what the Gulf of Mexico is to BP.

Shell, you have a shocking record here in Africa. Just look at your operations in Nigeria. You have spilt more than 9 million barrels of crude oil into the Niger Delta. That's twice the amount of oil that BP spilt into the Gulf of Mexico.

You were found guilty of bribing Nigerian officials ­ and to make the case go away in America - you paid an admission of guilt fine of US$48 million.

And to top it all, you stand accused of being complicit in the execution of Nigeria's leading environmental campaigner ­ Ken Saro-Wira and 8 other activists.

If you were innocent, why did you pay US$15.5 million to the widows and children to settle the case out of Court?

Shell, the path you want us to take us down is not sustainable. I have visited the Arctic for 7 summers in a row. I have seen the tundra thawing.

I have seen the retreating glaciers. And I have seen the melting sea ice.  And I have seen the impact of global warming from the Himalayas all the way down to the low-lying Maldive Islands. Wherever I go ­ I see it.

Now is the time for change. We cannot drill our way out of the energy crisis. The era of fossil fuels is over. We must invest in renewable energy. And we must not delay!

Shell, we look to the north of our continent and we see how people got tired of political tyranny. We have watched as despots, who have ruled ruthlessly year after year, have been toppled in a matter of weeks.

We too are tired. Tired of corporate tyranny. Tired of your short term, unsustainable practices.

We watched as Dr Ian Player, a game ranger from Natal, and his friends, took on Rio Tinto (one of the biggest mining companies in the world) and won.

And we watched as young activists from across Europe, brought you down to your knees, when you tried to dump an enormous oil rig into the North Sea.

Shell, we do not want our Karoo to become another Niger Delta.

Do not underestimate us. Goliath can be brought down. We are proud of what we have achieved in this young democracy ­ and we are not about to let your company come in and destroy it.

So let this be a Call to Arms to everyone across South Africa, who is sitting in the shadow of Goliath: Stand up and demand these fundamental human rights promised to you by our Constitution. Use your voices - tweet, blog, petition, rally the weight of your neighbours and of people in power.

Let us speak out from every hilltop. Let us not go quietly into this bleak future.

Let me end off by saying this - You have lit a fire in our bellies, which no man or woman can extinguish. And if we need to, we will take this fight all the way from your petrol pumps to the very highest Court in this land. We will take this fight from the farms and towns of the Karoo to the streets of London and Amsterdam. And we will take this fight to every one of your shareholders. And I have no doubt, that in the end, good will triumph over evil.

AS FOR ME.....I'M BOYCOTTING SHELL!

HANDS & FEET

I guess the horrific devastation and images of destruction and human misery have prompted many bloggers to express deep feelings of empathy towards our fellow human beings in Japan. We are mesmerised as the surreal images beamed across the world explode into our our cosy, safe cocoons...jolting us out of our daily apathy as we count our blessings...feelings of helplessness as we realise that we are powerless to help.
Like many, it is a time of introspection and self-assessment...how significant is my safe middle-class life really? What opportunities for involvement in needy communities closer to home do I conveniently ignore? Am I truly making a difference? Who is my neighbour...do I really care?

IF WE ARE THE BODY

The following song by "Casting Crowns" has always struck a deep chord within me...challenging and convicting! It is directed at Christians and questions the effectiveness of the "Church" (the "Body" of Christ) in making a difference in a desperate world:

It's crowded in worship today

As she slips in trying to fade into the faces
The girls teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they know

But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way

A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat and quietly sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgement glances
Tells him that his chances are better out on the road

Jesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the body of Christ

Jesus is the way

(James 2:1-9; 1 John 5:19-21)

A friend of mine, Chris Wienand, recently wrote an excellent post in his blog challenging us to use our hands and feet to get involved (Chris, I hope you don't mind me sharing this?): 

Japan - our response?

...I have been so impacted by the images as they have come out of Japan. None of us who have not gone through something like this, can know the sheer devastation that it has on the soul. To have experienced an earthquake of that magnitude is traumatic. It is difficult to describe for those not in an earthquake zone. The absolute sense of fear as the earth groans her own travail and you feel out of control, an initial sense of disbelief and then wondering if "this is it"...Then to see the ultimate but not virtual reality, as the wave powers its way to dominance destroying all in its wake. Watching it is like watching a deeply chilling horror movie - yet this time it is real... I just cannot get my mind around it. Sure, these are signs of the 'last of the last days'. Sure, they are ecological reminders of the earth writhing and groaning, waiting and watching for her creators return - the end of the age. Sure they are tragic reminders of the smallness of our humanity. But they are moments for the church to respond with deep humility not judgement. A nation is grieving and they need to know of our love. A nation is traumatized and they need to know of our prayers. A nation is limping and they need to know of our generosity. A nation is brought to her knees and she needs to know of our partnership in life - she is not alone. Christians our response can include:

Prayer for those in authority, for comfort, for the gospel to permeate these broken lives-with love, Financial gifts, to empower those who are working there to feed, clothe the hurting, Servants who will give of their time and labor to work shoulder to shoulder with the locals, Businesses to adopt a kingdom heartedness to help rebuild the economy of the areas affected, Pastors to go and minister to the hurting Cities that will adopt a Japanese city in partnership and hope.

Our gospel has hands to serve and feet to go. It has a heart to love and a mind to rebuild. It cannot simply be business as usual in our gatherings this morning - can it?

(http://chriswienand.blogspot.com)

We shy away from getting our hands dirty, we count the cost of involvement mumbling our excuses, some legitimate but many, quite frankly, weak. I, like many, initially respond to social challenges and needs with sincere heart-felt determination to get involved and make a difference...and yet all too often the daily cares and pressures of life dull the vision and I continue on the treadmill, same old same old!

The book I'm reading on the awful events in Rwanda in 1994 has a moving description of a young Belgian Red Cross worker sharing practical compassion and human kindness in the shocking conditions of a displaced persons camp:

We smelled the camp before we saw it, a toxic mixture of feces, urine, vomit and death. A forest of blue plastic tarps covered an entire hillside where 60 000 displaced persons from the demilitarised zone and the RPF sector were tightly packed into a few square kilometres. When we stopped and got out of our vehicles, we were swarmed by a thick cloud of flies, which stuck to our eyes and mouths and crawled into our ears and noses. It was hard not to gag with the smell, but breathing through the mouth was difficult with the flies. A young Belgian Red Cross worker spotted us and interrupted her rounds to guide us through the camp. The refugess huddled around small open fires, a silent ghost-like throng that followed us listlessly with their eyes as we picked our way gingerly through the filth of the camp. I was deeply impressed by the young Belgian woman's calm compassion as she gently administered what aid she could to these desperate souls? It was obvious that she could see through the dirt and despair to their humanity.
("Shake hand with the Devil": Lt Gen Romeo Dallaire)

Do I see the "humanity" in my neighbour? Am I truly God's hands, feet and words in my community? What cost is there in non involvement....what reward in involvement?

DAY BY DAY

Life right now is a daily test of faith, perseverance, routine, keeping hope alive. It's been almost 6 months of unemployment and the daily grind of job hunting...applications...marketing business ideas...interviews...waiting! It's a time of small steps, some forwards and at times a step or two backwards. It is difficult to find the "fun" in life and it is all too easy to succumb to depression and dark thoughts! The strength and comfort of my wife, friends, my God and His Word which breathes new life into a weary spirit has been priceless. Keeping one's focus and remaining positive and optimistic in thought, words and actions is a challenge and test which I confess I have failed all too often. After each visit to the dust bowel of despair, the hands of faith and hope reach out and I stand strong again, ready to enter the battle again and press on towards the goal and the hope which we have within us. The elusive "open door" IS there, waiting for me to enter...of that I am certain. The closed doors thus far serve only to bring me ever closer to God's moment of opportunity, in His timing. I pray that I do not miss it and that I am able to discern and recognise His open door when it beckons before me!

The following devotion by Oswald Chambers from his timeless classic, "My Utmost for His Highest" is so pertinent and I share this with you in the hope that it will also speak powerfully to someone going through similar challenges:

"...in much patience, in tribulation, in needs, in distresses" (2 Corinthians 6:4)

When you have no vision from God, no enthusiasm left in your life, and no one watching and encouraging you, it requires the grace of Almighty God to take the next step in your devotion to Him, in the reading and studying of His Word, in your family life, or in your duty to Him. It takes much more of the grace of God, and a much greater awareness of drawing upon Him, to take that next step, than it does to preach the gospel.
Every Christian must experience the essence of the incarnation by bringing the next step down into flesh-and-blood reality and by working it out with his hands. We lose interest and give up when we have no vision, no encouragement and no improvement, but only experience our everyday life with its trivial tasks. The thing that really testifies for God and for the people of God in the long run is steady perseverance, even when the work cannot be seen by others. And the only way to live an undefeated life is to live looking to God. Ask God to keep the eyes of your spirit open to the risen Christ, and it will be impossible for drudgery to discourage you. Never allow yourself to think that some tasks are beneath your dignity or too insignificant for you to do, and remind yourself of the example of Christ in John 13:1-7