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KwaSizabantu Youth Conference December 2005
9 Dec 2005, 19:00
"Come let us build" - Rev Erlo Stegen

Neh 2:17 Then I said to them, “You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.” (from BibleGateway.com - Passage Lookup Neh 2)

This text has deep meaning. Nehemiah encouraged the people to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, which were in ruins. However, today Jesus invites you to build the walls of your life. Jesus said, "Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest".

The Jews in Nehemiah's day were in deep distress. Today we live in very bad times too. Almost a third of girls at school fall pregnant in KZN, SA. In fact, it's gone so far that those who live promiscuous lives, try to hide their shame and disgrace by scoffing the others who keep themselves pure. No enemy has caused such distruction as this disease, AIDS, has caused.

There was a certain girl in America, Allison, who grew up in a rich, respectable family. One day she visited a restaurant and the waiter was a very handsome young man. It was love at first sight. So she visited the restaurant more often to meet with this young man. One day her parents left for a weekend and she remained at home. They had hardly left, when she phoned the young man to come over. He brought candles, champagne and 12 beautiful roses. That night it was like Christmas. But strangely, it wasn't as wonderful as she had thought. Not long afterwards she fell ill and after extensive testing without being able to find the problem, the doctors tested for AIDS, and the result came back, HIV+. Her parents were devastated. They couldn't believe it. She soon became very sick. However, she acknowledged her sin and decided to go throughout America and warn the young people not to make the mistakes she had made. Most laughed at her, but a few took it seriously.

Another story is told of two friends, Karie and Debbie, who were in a concentration camp during WWII. At first they regularly met with others for prayer. At each prayer meeting they prayed for their freedom. But Karie realised that it was as if God was not present. So she went apart and studied the Bible on her own. As she studied the Bible, she realised that it was more important with God that she was in right standing with Him. So she sought after God with all her heart and did not attend the prayer meetings anymore. Eventually her best friend, Debbie, confronted her and gave her a severe scrubbing for not attending the prayer meetings. However, this only drove her to seek God more earnestly and eventually she made a complete surrender to God, saying "Lord I've complained about everything I've lost - my parents, family, children, home, freedom, but I never knew You. My desire today is to know You, even if I should remain here for the rest of my life". Once she surrendered herself to God she experienced such a freedom she's never experienced before. Then she understood what was important to God. She thought she was free before they were put into the concentration camp, but never knew that she was bound and in prison, for she did not know God. Now that she knew God, even though in a concentration camp, she was truly free.

When Paul and Silas were imprisoned they sang praises to God. They couldn't contain their joy, even though bound and whipped. See what the Gospel does and how it truly sets free. Afterwards God sent an earthquake and the prison doors opened. The guard wanted to kill himself supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul called to him and stopped him. Then he fell on his knees and asked to be shown the way of salvation. So he and his household were saved. This is what the Gospel does when it transforms a life. You are no longer controlled by your circumstances, but are lead of God and He alone is your delight. His pleasure is your only delight and His displeasure your only fear and sorrow.
Christianity is often despised because of hypocrites, but true Christians are like these men. They are the head and not the tail, as God promised. They were physically in prison, but their spirits were free. Jesus said, he who sins is a slave of sin - you sin even though you don't want to sin. But when the Son sets you free, you're free indeed.

Going to church is not enough. You must have a meeting with God.

Another lady was diagnosed with AIDS. She saw her body being destroyed. She started to read the Bible and teach her children. They grew tired and asked their mom to stop. She carried on on her own. She was heavily burdened. She became weaker by the day. What would become of her children, she thought. One day as she walked in the street she was overcome with sorrow and she fell on her knees in the middle of the street and cried to Jesus to have mercy on her. People passed by and looked strangely at her, but she carried on until she had finished praying. She felt urged to go for an HIV test again. The result came back negative. The doctors thought they had mixed the blood samples and left it at that. A month later she went back for another test and specifically asked the doctors to take care not to loose or mix the blood samples. Again the result came back negative. Again she went for a third test and the result was negative again. She just couldn't believe that she was healed even though she knew how she had cried out to God. She came here to KwaSizabantu and cleansed her life of all sin before God. She picked up weight again and became quite plump, but she was not ashamed for she went around telling people how Jesus had healed her.

He who is in Chist Jesus is a new creature, the old had passed away.

Last edited on: Monday March 19, 2007     E-mail us at: mail@ksb.org.za          Return to KSB Home page