30 Seconds with Justin

So since Gary, Ian and Steve have all been profiled, we thought we’d move on to the LifeGroup leaders. Here’s a quick 30 second catch up with Justin Jeffery.

1) Where did you grow up?

Johannesburg , on a small holding in Farmall.

2) Where did you go to school?

NOOITGEDACHT PRIMRY SCHOOL; AND PARKTOWN BOYS’ HIGH [Eds note: In caps too... I think he was trying to make a point ;) ]

3) Did you study at University? If so what did you study?

University of Pretoria and University of Zululand: Human Movement Science and Biokinetics.

4) Where have you/do you work?

I own my own practice. We operate out of Rivonia , Park Town Boys, Fed Group, and we do home visits. [Eds note: Justin does a lot of work with people who have been seriously affected by car accidents.]

5) How did you meet your wife?

At my house. Braai. Friend brought her along to a Springbok vs Engand rugby match. I can’t remember the score ;)

For more Jeffery charm, check out the video below of Justin sharing some thoughts on the Marriage Matters course.

6) How long have you been married?

In our seventh year. We were married in October 2004.

7) When did you become a Christian?

Brought up in a Christian household. I fully declared my love for Christ at a fairly young age. Not sure when, always been there and there abouts.

8) Book in the bible which you’ve been impacted by and why?

Isaiah – find the history and character of the book amazing. I can’t believe so much written so long ago parallels our life today.

9) A tough lesson you’ve had to learn in your faith?

Some people find Christians and our faith offensive.

10) Where do you hope LifeHouse Church will be in a year’s time? How might it be different from now?

Never given it much thought, but I would like it to remain family orientated and personal and hopefully situated on our destined land on Cedar road.

Fun Questions

1) Favorite holiday destination?

San Diego.

2) Best holiday you ever had?

Botswana 2008.

3) Country you would most like to visit?

Antartica or Southern Chile

4) Favorite movies(s)?

Rudy, and Braveheart.


5) Favorite Book?

The Shack, and any John Grisham book.

6) Favorite restaurant?

Currently Celestinos.

7) Favorite meal?

Mozambican prawns.

8) Favourite dessert?

Not big on sweets.

9) Best coffee shop excluding LifeHouse?

Gecko Lounge – Port St John’s Transkei.

10) Hours per week spent on Facebook? Be honest now.

One. 10 min per day.

 

More Love, More Power

I am Your son
You adopted me
You loved me so much
Your Son died for me
———————————–
Your love touches me
It touches me to my inner most
Changes me, I see others
as You see them
———————————–
On my knees I seek You
with all my being
I am before You
You strengthen me
———————————-
The battle is real
This battle will be fought
On my knees before You
Is the battle fought
———————————-
There is no end to You
Your love knows no end
Your storehouse is made available to me
On my knees I have access to Your provision
———————————–
In my heart You live
In my heart You dwell
You bring Your reign
You strengthen my heart
———————————–
You strengthen with explosive dynamic power
You are Lord over all areas of my life
Your love infiltrates my life
Your power to strengthen me
————————————
On my knees I seek You
On my knees I pray for revelation
To experience Your power
To know Your love
———————————–
Your love is stronger
Your love is deeper
Your love is higher
Than any sin I have done
———————————–
Your love is great
With Your saints
I am strengthened
We experience this great love

Life Groups

Our Lifegroups are growing! Darius and Kay have a group up and running in their new home again!

Our Life Groups meet on Wednesdays. The venues and contact details of the leaders and hosts are as follows:

BRYANSTON

Darius and Kay Agenbag

Contact: 082 802-7135 (Darius); 082 456 6102 (Kay).

Darius on Facebook.

Kay on Facebook.

Venue: 5 Balmoral Drive Extension 8 Bryanston. To see the address on Google maps, click here. Read More »

A Time Like Gideon’s

By Steve Whitford

God’s definitely highlighting something around the biblical story of Gideon and His desire to move supernaturally on behalf of His people.

Gary ministering at The Tribe

The Gideon reference has come up twice in two weeks for me. First off was at The Tribe where the Bradshaws and a small team of LifeHousers went to minister to Stu and Jen Agnew, and their congregation.

While praying that Sunday afternoon before the Tribe’s meeting, I thought about Gideon (Judges 6) as he is called by God and breaks down his father’s alter to Baal. The story continues with the Midianites coming to attack Israel.

While Gideon starts with 32 000 soldiers, God tells Gideon to let everyone who is afraid go, which results in 22 000 men leaving. Then God shows Gideon who He will select to fight the battle and picks 300 out of the remaining 10 000 men. Read More »

Time to Worship and War

By Steve Whitford

I’ve been feeling quite strongly that the Church and its people are entering some critical battles. It’s crunch time for many congregations, businesses, marriages and even people’s belief in God.

Amidst all of this, I’ve really felt God start to speak in the most amazing way. Firstly, I have had the below song – Burning Ones – on my heart for some time now.

The song is sung by Jesus Culture and while the words may be a little ambiguous, they’ve explained it nicely here. Read More »

Facebook Sharing

If you don’t know how to share content on Facebook, here’s a quick lesson. When LifeHouse posts something you like, you’ll see three buttons underneath the post — Like, Comment and Share.

While many understand what the first and the second do, fewer understand or use the third button — Share.

So on the Facebook page today there was a post that said: Read More »

I Don’t…

By Bronwyn Barlow

When you tied the knot, was it a figure of eight or a slipknot?
You either tie yourself into a for-good marriage (recommended) or you loosely shape some semblance of knot opting for the ‘light’ version of marriage (not recommended).

We may go into wedded bliss with the best of intentions, but reality bites folks… and so does your spouse – as do you (me too).

If it weren’t for pre-marital counselling, I know I would have been running with scissors into a marital Romantic Comedy. To be blunt, I thought marriage meant my guy had to make me happy and keep me happy. Not right? Ugh – the truth bites too!

Another thing that bites is that the devil (yes I wrote the devil on this page – it felt weird for me too for a moment) knows that marriage is the earthly representation of Jesus and the Bride He is coming back for. So naturally we have targets on our foreheads and when things go awry – as they do (and especially so when you’re getting ready for church or for life group, etc) – we stare bewildered at our partner’s impertinence, caught in the headlights of abundance-free life.

Here’s what we promised:
“I, John take you, Mary to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, and this is my solemn vow.”

And then we placed rings on each other’s fingers:
“I give you this ring as a sign of my undying love for you. I will honour you with my body and be faithful to you all my life.”

But when sickness comes, fear creeps in that our better-halves will lessen themselves and not want to stay around until death. Or the fear gets fulfilled by the reality that they do make a run for it.

So how can we scotch-guard our unions? There’s no Verimark product for this I’m afraid (but if there were they’d make millions). We do have prayer and a God, whose Son won the greatest victory for us. So that should perk you up. But it doesn’t end there. We have to work at our marriages. We made the vows and that is what they are – promises. < – there’s the full-stop.

Marriage Matters is a weekly marriage course that LifeHouse Church is holding in February and again in March. So if you want to spray something on your marriage spray this…

Listen to the first preach in our Love Intervention series, Death by Love, by Gary Bradshaw.

*LifeHouse Church meets at The Arena Royale, at the Broadacres Shopping Centre in Chartwell, north of Fourways, Johannesburg.

Love Intervention Poem

Love intervention

By Grant Morgan

We’ve lost what love is
We’ve made it something else

It’s not a Cupid’s arrow
It’s not a lemon meringue pie
Or my favorite toy

Love starts with God
God is love
Jesus on the cross
True picture of love

God loves us first
We were dead
We were unlovely
We were His enemy
But God…he loves me first

Love takes my failure
Builds me up
Encourages me
Gives me security

Corrects my wrongs
Leads me to forgiveness
Brings me to redemption
Takes me to obedience

I am His poem
He is writing on me
His grace He shows me

By faith…your grace is mine
Your vast grace is mine
More than just my weaknesses
Faith and Grace, Your way to live

By faith…I pull your grace into this world
I can change the atmosphere
Because of You

It is not just for me
But as You love me first
I love others

Religious Legalism

The following video has caused much of a stir in Christian world as it hits hard at religious legalism.

The criticism of the video can be read at http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2012/01/13/does-jesus-hate-religion-kinda-sorta-not-really/

The unfortunate thing is that the criticism levied at the video reinforces its message! The point of the video is about legalism and the damage it causes – its not a doctrinal discourse! I know the critical response is a humble one but I think misses the proverbial forest from the trees! Part of legalism is that it knit picks and looks for detail and Misses the heart! The problem is that the response is focusing on empowering grace while the video is focusing on acceptance grace. When we confuse methods and principles the gospel is dismantled. Of course there is much work to be done. Of course we obey! But, we do it from an assurance of our identity as sons of God and in the power of the Spirit and not in our own strength!

Mark Driscoll address religious legalism as only he can! Enjoy the clip!

Marriage Matters

Here is a great video on marriage!

If marriage is the ultimate picture on earth of Jesus and His Bride – the church, then Marriage Matters! When I look at the world today I see so few marriages that reflect this shadow. The biggest problem in marriage is the selfishness that we bring into it and the lack of understanding The Gospel.

It cost Jesus everything:

  • He left heaven and Hid father to come to project planet earth
  • He endured much physical, emotional and spiritual pain as he lived the perfect life, which he offers us in exchange for our sinful lives
  • He died the death that I should have died and to satisfy the justice courts of heaven that needed to punish sin
  • He was resurrected into new life so that you an me  can live out his life in the power of the Holy Spirit.
You see, Marriage will cost us time, money, emotion and energy and above all our wants and desires. It is only when we understand the cost Jesus paid that we are able to die to ourselves and live for the benefit of our spouse.
Come join us for intimate candle lit talks with your spouse on 3, 17, 24 February 2012 and 16, 23, 30 March 2012. Because your Marriage Matters!
Email Charmaine on admin@lifehousechurch.co.za for more information