KwaSizabantu Youth Conference
10 Dec 2002 - Day 5

2002/12/10 - 19:00
"The rottenness of the heart" - Joseph Chauke
Jer 17:9 & 10

Here we read how deceitful the heart of man is. In Sotho it is translated "rotten". How does one see that something is rotten? It is full of worms. God sees the worms in the hearts of boys and girls and therefore he gives this invitation to reason together with Him about your sins. In Mk 7:20 - 23 we read about those worms in the heart of man.

Here in the picture we see how the heart is full of sin and the Holy Spirit, like a dove, seeks to enter. The Bible says that when the Holy Spirit comes, He convicts the people of "sin, righteousness and judgment". Do not harden your heart when He speaks to you. In 1 Cor 6:19 we read that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. People do not want to smoke in church buildings, for they respect them. Yet they draw the smoke into the true temple of God - their body.

We also see the picture of the peacock here, representing pride. The Bible declares that "pride comes before a fall, and a haughty heart before destruction". Pride is the foundation of all sin, yet in our time sexual immorality has even overtaken it. In Is 14:12 - 15, Lucifer was thrown out of heaven because of pride. Nebuchadnezzar was humbled to become like a wild animal, because of pride. Herod was eaten of worms alive, because of pride. Some are proud about their education or beauty, but God will humble those that exalt themselves.

In the 1940's there was a certain girl that was very proud of her beauty. She would not even wear the same dress to church twice. One day she made herself ready for church and only entered when the final benediction was given. She was so full of pride, that she thought the people stood up for her. She went and sat in her seat, and as all the people left they noticed that she just remained behind immobile. God had struck her and she had died right there.

Do not leave God's presence without reasoning with God about your sins. God extends His invitation of grace to you now, lest He should turn to you in His anger.

2002/12/10 - 15:00
TNT & CFT presentations

2002/12/10- 10:00
"Come, let us reason together (2/3)" - funeral of Michael Daniel Sokhiri by Erlo Stegen
Is 1:18 - 20

(The morning service was the funeral of a young man from Sudan).

This invitation from God, to reason with Him about our sins, shows us His grace. He extends His grace to us now, but the time will come when He will be our judge, and the time of grace have passed. Jesus said, "I must work while it is day". In Isaiah we read, "Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near." Do not think that you can find Him in your own time.

Duncan Campbell was a musician in Scotland. He played the bagpipes as a young man. He was famous for his musical ability, and was invited to many concerts. One day, as He was playing at a concert, He saw Jesus crucified for him. His heart broke, and at the interval he went to his friend, Trevor, and told him that he has made up his mind to follow Christ. Trevor responded that he is not ready yet. Duncan went home and told his parents. They were delighted. He made his decision for Jesus, putting his music behind him. He became a preacher, and God worked mightily through him in revival power. He died as a man of God in the Lord. (As a boy I heard him preach and my heart's desire was to have that Gospel he preached - the real thing and not some frothy stuff of lukewarm Christianity). His friend, Trevor, became a successful businessman. On his deathbed a minister came to see him, and spoke to him about his soul. He responded that he could not give his life to the Lord any more, for he had let the opportunity of grace pass the night Duncan spoke to him.

A certain lady from Tugela came to KSB for help. God spoke to her on her deathbed to come and make her life right. Others brought her here, and it seemed as if she became better and would not die anymore. She did not use the opportunity God gave her. Suddenly her sickness came back with deadly force, and she died while crying for mercy to the chairs and tables.

You need to make your life right with God, while there is still opportunity. Do not play around with sin. God saw sin so seriously, that Jesus had to die. Deal with your sins in particular and not generally. God has promised that "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness".

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