Did Public Support for the Government Strike die?

As sad as it may seem, I agree with Zapiro's assessment.

How I organize my desktop

THE MOST COLOURFUL PLACES IN THE WORLD

My hometown, Cape Town, boasts one of the finalists for the new seven wonders of the world - Table Mountain. I found this article show casing some of the most colourful places in the world, and guess what? South Africa features prominently. The original article can be read HERE. Enjoy!

Man-made or created by nature, some of the world's destinations are truly blessed with colors. Be it northern lights glittering in the sky, exotic birds, or gaudy neon signs, our globe is a vivid melange of shades and tints that have the power to revive your senses and wake up your imagination.

Here are some of the most colourful countries on earth:

South Africa

The colorfulness of South Africa goes beyond imagination. Each season brings an amazing spectacle of colors from hundreds of variations of greens during spring to maroon, fire brick and carmine reds in the fall. Located at the southern end of the world, the country has it all: turquoise waters and white sands, amazing safari destinations, majestic mountains, fertile valleys and abundant wildlife where every animal and plant shimmer with plenty of various colors and shapes.

Fall in South Africa. By geoftheref

Helmeted Guineafowl. By Arno & Louise

The wild flowers of Namaqualand, South Africa. By Martin Heigan

Morocco

It's all about blue in Morocco. Different shades of the color from cyan to ultramarine can be found throughout the country, from denim tiles to azure waters of the Mediterranean Sea and greyish-blue waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Of course, there is much more to Morocco's palette than blue: golden glittering sand dunes turning pink during sunset, warm reddish and yellowish spices that fill up the local markets both with amazing scent and brightness and vibrant Moroccan cities packed with any color you can imagine.

Hostel in Morocco. By Ignacio Conejo

Desert in Morocco. By andywon

Tile wall. By mhobl

Colombia

Colombia is a country of magic scenery where lush green coffee hills, azure waters of the Caribbean coast, pastel buildings of colonial towns and wild vivid nature create a unique bright palette of thousands of colors. With its stunning landscapes, unspoiled places and majestic vistas, the country is truly becoming one of the most rewarding destinations in South America, attracting more and more travellers every year.

Cartagena in Colombia. By Flowery Luza

By lastquest

Coffee area in Colombia. By Ben Bowes

The Netherlands

It goes without saying that a country that considers bright orange its national color must be somehow devoted to colorful lifestyle. The Netherlands is a land of funky houses where each door (or entire house) can be painted in a different shade, hectares of flower fields, golden long beaches and bucolic vivid landscape. No wonder, Holland has been a home to world-renowned painters such as Rembrandt, Vermeer, van Gogh and Kooning.

Millions of bulbs. By Patrick Mayon

Crocs store can be found everywhere in Holland. By Ferdi's World

Houses in the Netherlands. By

Peru

It is not only people that make Peru one of the most vivid places on Earth. Varieties of bright traditional clothes decorated with different patterns worn by many Peruvians during national festivals or on a daily basis add extra colors to the country's image, but it is also the exceptional nature of the country that creates such an amazing color spectrum. Picturesque stretches of mountains, volcanoes, beaches and jungle mixed with flocks of exotic birds and colourful wild plants make Peru one of the world's most colourful destinations.

Festival in Peru. By Mannover

Peru. By dachalan

The abundance of macaws in the Tambopata, Peru. By Bill Swindaman

Norway

Considered by many the most beautiful place on earth, Norway is a country of natural wonders. The magnificent nature dressed in different colors depending on her moods, seasons and latitude has been a magnet for travellers, photographers and artists from all over the world that come here to admire the power of Norwegian vistas and landscapes. From splendid fjords sparking with all shades of blue and green to magical northern lights glittering in the sky, Norway is a breathtakingly beautiful and fascinating country to travel to.

Norway. By aha42

By Feffef

By localsurfer

India

Anyone who has been to India must admit that it is a country made of colors. Everything seems to be colourful here - the streets, the food, the people, the landscapes. Apparently, beside their aesthetic aspects, the colors play an important part in the Indian culture, religions and consciousness, where each of them has a symbolic meaning and stands for different virtues, emotions or deities.

Pilgrims on the way to a Hindu temple. India. By Rajesh Kunnath

Facial decorative colours. By Matthieu A

Japan

Be it the pulsing neon signs of Japanese cities, colorfully dressed crazy-looking youngsters occupying streets of Tokyo, or the pink carpet of cherry blossom that covers the entire country during spring, Japan is home to trillions of hues. From historical temples, remote villages, and exotic islands in the south to snow-capped mountains in the north and bustling modern metropolises, a visit to Japan will fill your head with unforgettable colors and vivid memories.

Shinjuku in Tokyo. By Sraws pulled at random

Harajuku's teenager. By Leishangthem

By zsh323

MIDWEEK DEVOTION

This devotion was written by Andries Combrink, pastor of UPCSA, Centurion West.

Devotion

Sin cannot control you

And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:3c-4)

Sin cannot control us. Although we struggle with sin, we have the victory, because we are in Christ, and also because God is at work in us. It is not only because Jesus carried the punishment for our sins on the cross that we are able to live in freedom. God is now at work in us. Sin cannot control us because God is at work in us in order to change us.

What God wants to give us now is clearly stated in Romans 8:29, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son.” Part of God's work in us is to change us to Christ's likeness. God desires for us to be more and more like Christ, and that we would live our lives more and more like Jesus lived his. That is what it means to live not according to our sinful nature, but according to the Spirit.

Living according to Spirit means that we live our lives in complete dependence upon the leadership of God. We see this clearly in the life of Jesus.

In John's gospel, we hear Jesus continually teaching that he lived by dependence on the Father's guidance and his power. John 5:19, “Jesus therefore answered and was saying to them, `Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of himself, unless it is something he sees the Father doing: for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.'” Jesus lived by his dependence on God's leadership in his life. And so must we.

We cannot by the law work our way to acceptance by God. We will always fail if we try. The law is performance based. It encourages us to work harder, depending on ourselves. But living in Christ is exactly the opposite of trying to please God through the law. Living in Christ means that everything I do comes from God, and not from me.

Jesus frees us from the obligation to try to be perfect by depending on our own strength. Jesus sets me free to live by the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

To live according to the Sprit means that we consult with God about our choices, values and concerns. Living according to the Holy Spirit means that we give up trying to do it on our own because we rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us. The Spirit liberates from self reliance. The Spirit makes God our highest priority as we receive the gift of loving God so much that we concentrate on pleasing him. Not by keeping the details of a law, but by belonging to him and living in a renewed relationship with him.

By Christ's death on the Cross, he has freed us to only belong to our faithful Saviour.

HOW TO BECOME A FAMOUS BLOGGER

GAY HERMENEUTICS GONE WRONG

My friend, Riaan Dippenaar, yesterday sent me this humorous email, purportedly sent by a prof James Kaufman to dr Laura Schlesinger, famed American radio host. Apparently, she said in one of her shows that, as an orthodox Jew, she stands by the Old Testament view that homosexuality is an abomination in the eyes of the Lord. Kaufman's apparent response was to address the issue of Scripture quotation from the Old Testament as a way of showing the flaw in this way of reasoning.

I'll be providing the email soon, but bear with me for a few moments.

My inquisitive mind sprang to work and I Googled prof Kaufman, only to find that indeed he DID NOT write the email. Yet, the widespread circulation of the email, accompanied by his name and faculty details made him, in his own words, famous. It seems that this specific email is doing the rounds for the past ten years. You can read prof Kaufman's official reaction to the fact that he did not write the email HERE.

But the sordid tale doesn't end here. It would also seem that Laura Schlesinger did not utter the now infamous words. She emphatically denies referring to the Old Testament in quotation and also did not condemn homosexuality. By way of contrast, she is supportive of an organization of parents and friends supporting gays and lesbians. You can read all about it HERE.

Now for the real issue. I am not taking sides in the homosexuality debate. This is not my focus. The focus of this post is the way people abuse the Bible by quoting single verses from its intended context, leaping generational ages and making the principle contained in the verse generally applicable to another context as an exercise in linear reasoning. Add to this the judgmental attitude of superiority because the argument now stands on the Word of God, and you get a breeding ground for fundamentalist legalism. It is no wonder that people become skeptical of Christianity as a religion.

Obviously, I won't be addressing the issue of what the alternative should be in this post. Suffice it to say that the problem is people and the way they interpret the Bible and not the Bible as such.

The email not written by prof Kaufman because dr Schlesinger did not say what the letter implies, bears light to the dangers of straight-lining the Bible from 2500 BC into 2000 AD by way of deriving generally applicable laws and principles for living. Read it and weep.

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination ... End of debate.

I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Laws and how to follow them.

1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of Menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15: 19-24. The problem is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it?

6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination, Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there 'degrees' of abomination?

7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle-room here?

8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14) I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I'm confident you can help.

Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Your adoring fan.

How Do I Know God’s Will for My Life?

Written by John Ortberg

Read the original HERE.

I was at commencement at a Christian college this weekend, and it reminded me of the question millions of young people are asking this time of year.
We never grow out of that question: Who is operating out of a wisdom surplus?

But the vast majority of people start at the wrong place.
When I finished college, I desperately wanted to know what I should do next. Find a job? Go to grad school? Where? In what field?
I prayed until I was exhausted (and God was probably a little tired of it too). I was ready to do whatever. Just send me a postcard. Put it in sky writing. But I would have gotten more clarity with a Magic 8 ball.
For a good reason.
Which I did not understand for many years. And its this:
God’s main purpose for you is not what you do. Its who you become.

If I always told my kids what do to–wear these clothes, take this job, marry this person–they might do what I say. Their circumstances might even turn out OK.
But they would not grow into excellent persons.
To grow into an excellent person, you have to make choices, exercise judgment, take responsibility, and learn.
There is no short-cut for this.
So, if I want my children to become excellent people–my will for their life will often be: “You choose.”

God knew that I would grow if I had to make choices in ways I would never grow if I got a heavenly postcard.

“God’s will” is not a way of escaping the anxiety and responsbility of making decisions.

I had a friend–a really bright guy and great New Testament scholar–who was convinced it was God’s will for him to marry the girl he wanted to marry because a certain song played at a certain moment on a certain radio station.
It wasn’t God’s will. It was just a Barry Manilow marathon.
Sometimes a Barry Manilow marathon is just a Barry Manilow marathon.

How do I know God’s will for my life?
–Live this day in an open, repentant spirit.
–Understand that living in God’s will often means I must make decisions.
–Pray constantly, regularly asking for wisdom in small moments, without placing pressure on God to give any particular kind of response.
–”Let your life speak”: Parker Palmer wrote a wonderful book by this title from an old Quaker saying; if you look at the trajectory of your life with simplicity and openess certain patterns will emerge that will help you understand your shape and gifts and longings
–Have wise, godly people speak into your life with love and truth
–Be willing to make mistakes and learn from them quicker rather than slower
–Have a mind immersed with great thoughts from Scripture
–Practice making decisions and learning from them all day long
–Live in freedom and joy. Trust God that He can guide you into His will without your obsessing over it.

Children 'at risk from pop charts porn': Top producer Mike Stock blasts his own industry

By Ben Todd

The man who helped launch the career of Kylie Minogue yesterday condemned modern pop culture for 'sexualising' youngsters.

Mike Stock, one third of the legendary pop factory Stock, Aitken and Waterman, said: 'The music industry has gone too far. It's not about me being old fashioned. It's about keeping values that are important in the modern world.

'These days you can't watch modern stars - like Britney Spears or Lady Gaga - with a two-year-old.

'Not suitable for children': Lady Gaga in concert in St. Louis, Missouri, last month

'Ninety-nine per cent of the charts is R 'n' B and 99 per cent of that is soft pornography.'

He continued: 'Kids are being forced to grow up too young. Look at the videos. I wouldn't necessarily want my young kids to watch them.

'I would certainly be embarrassed to sit there with my mum.'

Mr Stock, 58, pictured below, was behind the rise of Miss Minogue in the late 1980s when she stormed the charts with I Should Be So Lucky.

In the accompanying video, she wore a simple black cocktail dress. The lyrics were similarly innocent.

In contrast, 24-year-old Lady Gaga, who burst on to the scene two years ago, has regularly used crude metaphors in her lyrics as well as posing in revealing outfits.

Mr Stock believes that today's children are being 'sexualised' as a result of images put out by the pop industry of stars such as Lady Gaga.

He said: 'Mothers of young children are worried because you can't control the TV remote control.

'Before children even step into school, they have all these images - the pop videos and computer games like Grand Theft Auto - confronting them and the parents can't control it. Talking to mothers' groups, they were saying that even they have lost faith in brands like Disney.

At risk: Mike Stock from famous 1980s production team Stock, Aitken and Waterman says children are now being 'sexualised' by pop

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1301974/Mike-Stock-Pop-charts-porn-putting-children-risk.html#ixzz0wYcLOFWw

WHAT’S UP WITH ALL THE BUZZ WORDS?

I attended a meeting with some pastors the other day. Our meeting overlapped with another meeting that a few of the persons who was involved also attended. They were still closing down their previous meeting and happened to discuss some aspects of their agenda. It struck me that they were totally stuck in buzz words. They were aiming to form new tribes, fuse alternate discussions and overall getting a new viral vibe going.

I felt like a total outsider.

To be honest, I was an outsider, as their meeting had nothing to do with me. But I am also involved with the certain type of ministry of which they were the management grouping. As such I was left feeling really stupid. I don’t know what they meant when they spoke about tribes, viral vibes or the fusing of discussions. It almost sounded as if a bomb is about to explode somewhere. Now I know some very important thinkers currently on the scene also use these phrases, and act as catalysts of the movements my colleagues were speaking about.

Yet I was feeling slightly irritated. Why do we have to invent funky new catch words every time we try to serve people in a fresh way? Why did it leave me feeling excluded because I couldn’t understand what they were talking about? And why did I feel so stupid because I haven’t picked up on the words yet?

I wonder how ordinary people must feel about the church and her language.

We are so stuck with creating our own semantics that we are constantly writing the fifth Gospel. This Gospel maintains its own secret language, Christianese. If you’re an insider you’ll know what I’m talking about. I mean, soteriologically, the church must explain its hermeneutical views in ecclesiological terms and subtsantiate this liturgically. We should create fellowships and worship together to empower the reception of more of God’s blessing. Ordinary people wouldn’t know I just said we must understand how God saves people by reading the Bible from the perspective of the church and make it practical during church services and small group meetings.

I know we cannot escape from insider language. Yet we could do well to make sure our words and mannerisms isn’t unintentionally exclusive or estranging. And by speaking in cliches we’ll only add to the confusion of people who are looking for God and finding stale jargon.

MIDWEEK DEVOTION

This devotion was written by Andries Combrink, pastor of UPCSA, Centurion West.

The Spirit challenges us to choose true life

Last week we learned about the contrast between the natural sinful mind of man and a mind that has been changed by the Spirit of God. (Rom 8: 5 – 7).

This brings us to a challenge in verses 8 – 12.

Rom 8: 12 – 13 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

This challenge is also a contrast. It is a contrast between two choices. The first is is to pay to the sinful nature what we think we owe it. The second is to live by the Spirit.

Today we are bombarded by the untrue saying, that we need to pay ourselves first, before anything else and that we owe it to ourselves and deserve it. We buy the lie that implies that if we are completely sold out to God's Spirit, we are not going to experience the same degree of happiness, as when we live selfishly.

The result may be that we are trying to live for Jesus, yet we are at the same time trying to live most of all, for ourselves.

But if we are living by the Spirit, we are challenged to make two commitments. Firstly we need to put to death the misdeeds of the sinful human nature. Then secondly we need to aspire to wholeheartedly giving ourselves in thought, in energy, and in ambition to live by the Spirit.

The first commitment we have to make is to put to death the deeds of the old unsaved person. It means a radical (“put to death”) rejection of all practices which we know to be wrong. It results in a daily repentance, a daily turning away from all known sins. Jesus said, “If your eye offends you, pluck it out! If your hand offends you, cut it off!” This is a tough word from Jesus, and then he says: “It is better for you to go into heaven with one eye than into everlasting damnation.”

You do not owe your sinful nature anything! The Devil has tricked us into believing that we cannot live without self indulgence. But God has said, “I have set you free. You can and you will live an abundant life by walking in my Spirit.

We do not owe the old lost person we used to be, anything, but we owe the Lord a debt of love and gratefulness we cannot pay even if we continue to worship and serve him for all eternity.

Someone said that the opposite of love is not hate, but apathy. An attitude of, “I really do not care”, a complete disinterest in what the Spirit desires for as to aspire to.

The Spirit desires that we sincerely say, “Lord, I am yours. My time is yours. My talent is yours. My budget is yours. My family is yours. Everything I am is yours. I want to serve and love you, because I want to be 100% yours.”

May God give us such love because he has set us free from the bondage of the old mind and changed our minds to love and serve him more than anything!

Be blessed as you use the freedom Christ afforded you by his death and resurrection to be sold out to God, as his grace, mercy and fellowship remains with you, today and always.