Sunday, September 26, 2010

Saturday in Aspen

For those of you that have never heard of Aspen, Colorado, it's the place where Harry and Lloyd, in 'Dumb and Dumber' (1994), set out to find on there epic road-trip.
Aspen is also the holiday retreat to the who's-who of the USA, especially in the winter, when it turns into a picturesque ski resort.

We took a drive from the Springs, into the mountains to catch the leaves of the Aspen trees changing colour and spent the day ambling around the same-named town, doing it little justice with my snap-photography.

I hope you enjoy the pictures and come to realise that our God is the most creative and majestic, everlasting one there is!

12 090 ft above sea level: Photo by Jordan Wegele



Aspen town with ski-slopes in the background


The road we had just come on:Photo by Jordan Wegele

The real reason we took the trip: Coloured leaves

Awesome bikes refurbished - being sold for $ 490!!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Sowing and Reaping #1 and a cool video link

The kingdom law of sowing and reaping is probably one of the most powerful laws that govern existence. It supersedes nearly every other conceivable element of mankind, both physically and spiritually. To put it plainly: there are natural and spiritual consequences to all we say and do!

Galatians 6:7-8 "7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life"

This may seem very simple, but in fact, if understood properly it can have a profound impact on the decisions you make and the reasons for making those decisions. For example: If I make a decision to study hard for my test, it will probably mean that I do quite well in the test. Doing well in the test could mean me graduating top of the class and being able to have options as to where to go from there. I sowed the time to study and therefore I reaped the privilege of having several sought after options to choose from.

The same thing happens spiritually: If God has given you a vision. It is no use sitting on the vision and expecting it to just happen. One must sow towards the vision. Invest time in understanding the direction you are heading in, learn all you can about it, have a positive attitude towards it, be willing to serve in similar areas without expecting compensation. This is Godly sowing and the word promises that in due course you will reap the fruit: a fulfilled vision and a purpose-filled life.

Remember: YOU DETERMINE THE SIZE OF THE HARVEST BY THE AMOUNT YOU SOW! 2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.


I am not saying that we must get stuck in a works mentality again, I believe the word is telling us to be cognisant of the effects our actions have and to never undersitmate a seed that is sown, both negatively and positively!
This may be the beginning of a series of sowing and reaping teachings, if God lays more on my heart. I believe we are just scratching the surface of the way God operates!

Click on this exclusive video link to see the goings on inside the CBC break room !

Don't click on the image, click on the purple writing!










Saturday, September 18, 2010

Dawn breaks in Colorado


A dawn-run in the Rockies: I had some time to take a few cool pics, while catching a breath. Enjoy






Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Just a thought

"God is always, all good, all of the time"


Sunday, September 12, 2010

September 11 - A big day in the USA

So yesterday was September 11, a day most Americans and most of the world remember for the infamous events that took place in New York and Washington all of nine years ago, now. We were able to rustle up some tickets to the biggest event, in the Springs, commemorating the disaster, football. The Air force Academy Falcons, on their home ground, took on the BYU Cougars from who-knows-where! This being my first college football game (college football is nearly as big as NFL in some areas of the USA) I was quite excited and also being September 11, it promised to be a spectacle for the Air force game!

Two F-15's did a fly-by, there were war-veterans being interviewed and fireman from ground-zero in New York were on hand to be honored and paraded. Marching bands, cheerleaders and the biggest stars and stripes flag you ever did see, all made they day an event of American proportions!

Regarding the sport itself: It's not bad, not as much blood as in rugby, but it's much longer, so you get value for your money! The teams are huge, up to 43 playable players in a team, and they play running-subs depending on the play the coach has decided on. But this isn't about explaining the game, you've got to figure that out yourself, it's about the experience! So see the pics and enjoy!

Air force squadrons on parade before the game
An average sized U.S flag

One group of cheerleaders: Rather them than me!




The two F-15's flying over before the game
This play led to a Falcons TOUCHDOWN!

Falcons won - of course!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

The first week

The first week on campus at bible school has been awesome. Beyond expectation, is a good description I suppose. Before you venture into something new there is always a pre-conceived idea of how it should/ must be, but I have found that to pre-conceive God or to expect certain things from Him always sells short His ability to super-abundantly exceed those very assumptions. However, the more expectation we place on Him, the more we allow Him to come through for us: I think that's called faith!

Andrew taught on knowing God's will for your life, yesterday, something everybody I have ever come across wants to know. He approached in a novel manner through looking at Romans 12:1 - 2 :

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God"

We first have to be living sacrifices, before we can start the transformation of our minds and stop conforming. In other words: Forget what He wants you to do and focus on what He wants you to be. His vocation or line of ministry, for us will ,therefore, be secondary to being that living sacrifice. You will never have to ask God to use you again, because you will constantly be usable. Being a living sacrifice implicates a lifestyle and continual commitment to putting God first in your life.

This will lead to your mind being renewed and thereby knowing His good and perfect will for your life! What an encouraging truth!

Below are pictures of Andrew teaching in the main auditorium and a picture of some CBC students ...


Andrew Wommack
I know what you're thinking: Some old people! Yes, not all students are young!
!

Thursday, September 9, 2010

CBC days 2 and 3

The week so far has been melting pot of people, teaching and administration. I am meeting new people everyday in class and through housemates etc. Everyone here has a story, everyone here has background and everyone here has found grace to a certain degree or another. This is the common denominator amongst the people I meet: The definite understanding that 'it's already been done' and that it is by grace through faith that we are saved and not by what we have or can accomplish. (Eph 2:8-9)

Lectures have not quite started yet, but we have had praise and worship every morning and during these times I have really felt God's reassurance about decisions made and pending ones. It's the easiest thing in the world to worry about something; in fact worry comes naturally to some of us. So it has been refreshing to let God just wash His peace over me and affirm His word and His promises. This is the same for all of us - we need to make room for His promises to become a reality in our lives. His blessings are there for the receiving, we just need to position ourselves, by faith and not doubt His faithfulness!


Today's picture is from my friends Shayne and Marna's wedding, one month ago. A pretty awesome picture, so had to put it in! (Click on photo to see its entirety)


Tuesday, September 7, 2010

First Day at CBC

The first day at CBC went well. We had Andrew Womack teach for two hours straight (some peoples dreams came true) on discipleship. The entire school was together and he was setting the foundation for the year and the vision he has for the school for the year. The core of his message was that it wasn't just good enough to make converts and get people saved. We have to disciple them into maturity in order for them to be able to produce after their kind and change the world.

Discipleship is a very familiar concept to me, but Andrew approached it like I've never heard it before and used Jesus teachings (the toughest ones) to make his point. One statement he made, was this: "If the church were discipling people properly, there would be no need for institutions such as CBC", something to think about. However, my question is this: What are we discipling people into? Are we discipling them into the good news of the gospel, or into the the precepts of the law?

Get to know the good news and then disciple people into it, as many people as you can!

Otherwise, registration went well and received all my books for the entire years study. Paid my full year in advance, so cheese and crackers it is for the next 10 months! There are many people here from all over the USA and the world. Ninety percent of the people attending CBC don't live in Colorado!

Below are some pictures of the college and another crazy 'housemate t-shirt'!

Me and housemate Dan outside CBC on my first morning



Another housemate t-shirt ... they just keep getting 'better'

Monday, September 6, 2010

After hours ...

Today was a holiday in the USA, Labour Day, something South African labour has been taking every day for the past month! This, however, meant that there was a day to explore before school starts tomorrow. My housemate, Basil, and I went up the 'Incline' today. Which, is a 3 mile hike straight up the Rockies. Vertical! See the photos and make up your own mind. The air is already thin up here, but another mile up and it gets ridiculous - they breed us tough in South Africa, so I pushed through and the view was worth it ...

Still smiling at the bottom
Basil not letting the steepness get to him


At the top at last - someone turned off the oxygen supply!

 Army guys training before shipping out to an undesclosed location next week
The Rockies!

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Newer isn't always better, but in this case it is ...!

A new season of blogging has dawned. No longer the flashy sights and sounds of the 2010 World Cup, but rather the insightful looks at what the most important person in the world is doing in and around me. Having landed in Colorado Springs to begin my first year on the CBC campus, it has slowly become reality that, not only is something I have dreamed about for the major part of my life busy unravelling, but also that it could be the beginning of an entire new way of life for me.

God hasn't called me to bible school to become more religious or critical of other beliefs. He has called me here for the soul purpose of meeting Him, through the word that is taught here, through the people that are circulating here and through the beautiful surroundings. Never before have I been put in a position of one hundred percent reliance on Him. The situation I find myself in, however, is both challenging but also very necessary at the same time. Challenging due to the fact that my faith is being stretched, but necessary because learning to trust God doesn't come from always trusting your own potential!

This, hopefully, sets the tone for the posts to come and also the general theme the blog will be taking handling over the next while. Check out the pictures below from my first few days here. These were all t-shirts worn by my housemates over the last 48 hours, all independent of one another!

A new day, a new place, a new challenge ... same God!

Lifeguard: Mine Walks on Water
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No need to translate!
Until next time!