South Africa Ministry Training – South African Christian Leaders Institute student Juanita Van Heerden is called to bring God’s love to those victimized by human trafficking. Time Magazine online wrote, “The sex trade is fueling human trafficking in South Africa with experts estimating that 30,000 children are being trafficked every year. Half of them are under the age of 14.”
Juanita is 28 years old. She is bold for Jesus. She is receiving South Africa ministry training online at CLI. She has received her Christian Basic Certificate and is now taking more classes for more advanced ministry training. She has given her life to this calling. She so appreciates the opportunity to receive advanced ministry training.
“South Africa ministry training is available to me online and it will equip me to share the gospel with people who have been trafficked to South Africa from all over the world, who have never heard of Jesus before. And in receiving this valuable training, I will also know more about the Bible in-depth, and will therefore be able to answer questions to newly converted Christians who have many questions about the Bible.”
I asked Juanita what sparked her calling to work with those harmed by human trafficking. She wrote, “I will tell you though what sparked the flame in my heart to go in this direction. But beware, it is not a nice story, and I pray that you will be able to take the good from this. If you are sensitive I advise you not to read ahead” She detailed for me the plight of a child who experienced such cruelty.
Juanita explained the nature of ministry to those so poorly treated. She said,
“Ladies who work on the streets and brothels are very scared to admit that they want to get out, because their pimps threaten to kill them and their families. Fear is the main weapon they use against these girls and women. When women are either rescued or escaped from trafficking situations, and get to a shelter, a very long process starts. Men who have mistreated them and used them only for their own advantage have lied to them for so many years.”
Her story makes me so motivated to offer South Africa ministry training to help people in this beautiful country.
Juanita loves her training. She said, “Through the teachings and readings, I am taught (and will be able to teach others) how certain stories from the Bible apply to our life today. I will preach liberty to the captives! Halleluiah!”
South Africa Ministry Training Is Available Free for Anyone with Internet Access
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Can anyone be changed without a touch from GOD?
And these went with Him a band of men whose heart’s GOD had touched” 1 Samuel 10:2.
According to this verse no man can accomplish GOD’s WILL without being touched by HIM.
To touch generally means to make a physical contact with someone or something. In so far as GOD is being Spirit how does that touch occur? A touch from GOD deals both with the physical and the spiritual, the changes produced by this touch take place within one’s spirit and are reflected on the outside.
The conversion of Paul is a very relevant example for the understanding of GOD’s touch as much as it illustrates the definition given higher up. GOD touched Paul both physically and spiritually. Acts 9:28 relates the story of how Paul who was formally Saul has been converted by GOD’s touch of both his spirit and his sight. Just as the band of men was submitted to GOD’s will after being touched by HIM, Paul experienced this same divine touch.
Anyone who desire transformation, who is yearning to work for GOD , who seek for healing, who strives to obey Him faithfully cannot fullfill neither one of these desires without recieving a powerful touch from GOD. Therefore we ought to be ready and position ourselves in order to receive this DIVINE TOUCH.
The word touch contains five letters. It refers to one action but each letter symbolises an attribute of GOD’s DIVINE TOUCH
I) The touch of GOD T-ransforms
A) The touch of GOD brings forgiveness of sins to those who repent and believe. It also brings cleansing and power to those who yield themselves totally to GOD.
B) The transforming touch of GOD renews everything concerning us: We recieve a NEW LIFE in JESUS CHRIST, a NEW HOPE of everlasting life, NEW DESIRES and NEW ACTIVITIES
2 Corinthians 5:17 declares «If any man be in CHRIST, he is a new creature”
II) ….O-rdains
A) A considerable number of Christians are unsuccessful due to the fact that they do not work for GOD. For some, witnessing to those who are unsaved in order to gain their soul for CHRIST, is a task reserved to Ministers only.
B) However the touch of GOD Ordains all Christian into GOD’s service. We all are mediums which could be used by GOD to share a smile, a helping hand, a prayer.
“I have …ordained you that ye should go and bring forth fruit” says JESUS CHRIST himself in the book of John 15:16
III)…. U-unifies
A) A great aggregate of denominations fail, for the people forming part of them work in division, they are torn apart thus, they work in different directions.
B) Therefore the touch of GOD brings harmony and love and enables us to accomplish HIS will in “the unity of the spirit” (Ephesians 4:3)
“How good it is for brethren to dwell together in Unity” says David a man after GOD’s heart Psalms 133:1
IV) ….C-onquers
A) Much Christians quit too easily, they lower their arms and give up whenever they’re persecuted, rebuked or whenever they fail to get their own way.
B) Whereas the Touch of GOD gives us courage to conquer, CHRIST provides us with the strength which enables us to persevere and endure.
Romans 8:37 “We are more than conquerors through HIM that loved us.”
Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through HIM that strengthens me.”
V) ….H-eals
A) A great many of people have never experienced divine healing due to lack of faith. In fact we cannot suppose that we can please GOD or even receive any blessing from HIM if we don’t first of all trust HIM. Paul statement in Hebrews 11:6 is the best example to illustrate this argument: «By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death.”
B) The touch of GOD allows physical, mental and spiritual healing. We can have this Devine experience by reading HIS word, praying unto Him, believing in HIM, accepting and obeying HIM. Matthew 9:29 says: “Then he touched their eyes saying, “According to your faith be it done.”
Matthew 8:3 “And JESUS put HIS hand and touched him.”
GOD’s touch is essential in any and every individual’s life. The Bible declares that no man can come to GOD if he isn’t draw by the Spirit. In other words this signifies that its GOD touch that saves us and gives us eternal life. No man can accomplish GOD’s will if he isn’t first touch by GOD. Experiencing the touch of GOD enables us to understand who He is and gives us faith in Him.
Topical Sermon – This topical sermon was submitted by a student at Christian Leaders Institute. Topical sermons are one of the types of sermons that are taught at Christian Leaders Institute.
Topical Sermon – How God truly sees your heart.
Topical Sermon Audience – I belong to a very small congregation of about 10-20 men and women with about 5 children. Where I am a Minister in training.
Topical Sermon Content
Today we are going to talk about how God truly sees your heart. Do you have the love of God in your heart? Or are you going through religious practices thinking your impressing God. Let’s visit is your heart right with God? Or is your heart deceitful with God?
Jeremiah 17:9 the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
The heart is deceitful above all things: it deceives in the business of religion it makes a person believe that their holy and a righteous person. The heart will make him feel that he is already on his way to heaven when he is far from that. The heart will trick you in to becoming self-righteous; you will begin to compare your outward conduct with others.
Making you feel like you are a better religious person than they are, and that you are more holy in Gods eyes than they are because
1. I go to church every Sunday
2. I make bible study every week
3. I make prayer meeting every week
Not saying that these things are not important because they are, but if you are doing these things out of habit and not because God is in your heart and because you truly love God, you are mistaken and you have been deceived by your wicked heart with it wicked imaginations. Where is your heart with God? Why here today? Are you coming to church because you love God or are you here to see what sister Mary wore today? Or did you come to find yourself a nice christen woman or are you here because you love Jesus? Why are you here? Where is your heart with God?
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
1. Angels do not
2. Satan can not
3. The man that is still in the flesh does not know the plague of his own heart.
4. Only the spiritual man can know the things of his own heart, the plague of it the, the deceitfulness and wickedness of it. Even the spiritual man doesn’t know it all only God knows it all.
God is the only one who truly sees the heart and all of its wicked imaginations.
Proverbs 6:18 “An heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,”
The heart is either desperately wicked or pure. God will judge our hearts, not our deeds. These wicked imaginations here in this scripture are speaking of people who imagine evil things which will cause trouble for other people.
People like
1. Osama bin Laden
2. Saddam Hussein
3. Adolf Hitler
These are all people with wicked imaginations. We also see in this scripture that an evil person is eager to get into all kinds of mischief. Their Feet are quick to run to mischief. Where are your feet running to? Are they quick to run to sinful things or are they quick to run after righteousness? Are they quick to go to a party where there will be drinking and ungodly music? Then your feet move real slowly when it comes to Sunday morning. Where are your feet running to? Are you running to the righteousness of God I know I am. How about you? When we choose to do these things our hearts get further and further form God?
Matthew 15:8 these people draw near to me with their mouth, and[a] honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
In this scripture Jesus Corrects the Pharisees and Ministers to Gentiles.
“And honoureth me with their lips”:
1. They called him to be their creator and there sustainer;
2. They made their boast of him, and of their knowledge of him,
3. as the one only living, and true God, and as the God of Israel;
4. They brought their sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, even the fruit of their lips, unto him,
5. for their many peculiar mercies, privileges, and favors, as a nation, church, and people,
6. They did this with much seeming sincerity and affection.
“But their heart is far from me”: They had no true love to God, nor faith in him, nor fear of him; they were not at all concerned for his presence with them, or for communion with him, or for his honor and glory; their hearts were in the world, and after their covetousness; they made religion a tool to their secular purposes, supposing gain to be godliness; sought the applause of men, and contented themselves with bodily exercise
God does not want us to be like a robot going through all the formalism. He does not want us to talk a good belief in Him, but to truly believe way down deep in our hearts. As I have said so many times before, we must be in love with Jesus, not just obeying Him when it looks good. He wants our hearts to be stayed on Him. Where is your heart with God? Are you honoring God with your mouth as well as your heart or are you too proud to serve God.
Deuteronomy 8:14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
The spirit of pride in the heart will cause you to forget the Lord your God. You get so proud that you believe your way is better than Gods. You begin to believe that you do no sin because of the pride in your heart. You get so proud in the heart that you think you do not need forgiveness. We too like the children of Israel forget what God has done for us. God sent his only begotten son to die on the cross for our sins. Those sins that you are too proud to get on your hands and knees and ask forgiveness for. You have to let go of the pride in your heart and remember what God has done for you. Jesus said “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Until you confess the name of the Lord Jesus Christ you will not see the kingdom. Is your heart truly with God the father, God the son and God the Holy Spirit? When God looks deep in your heart what is he seeing?
I want you to look back with me on how god truly sees the heart.
1. God sees the heart as desperately wicked.
Causing you to become self-righteous and believe that you are righteous in Gods eyes when you are far from that.
2. God sees the heart has wicked imaginations, that are quick to run to mischief
Are you quick to run to mischief and slow to worship God.
3. He sees your heart is far from him
Do you talk a good game for God but when you leave church on Sunday you won’t live by his word the rest of the week.
4. He sees your heart as becoming so proud that you forget about the lord.
You get so proud in the heart that you start to believe I got this, what do I need God for? I am doing fine, forgiveness for what; for your sins and my sins. God did not create a perfect man or women, pride sets in our hearts and we tend to forget that we are not perfect. Until you get down on your hands and knees and repent and call the name of Jesus you will not enter the kingdom Amen.