Why celebrate?

By Dave Walker | December 22, 2020 | Comments 14 comments

There’s only one cause to celebrate, this year

As 2020 draws to a close, there’s hardly cause to welcome 2021 with any sort of joyful anticipation.

Many, suffering ‘lockdown fatigue’ are being more lax about the precautions set in place to stop the spread of Covid 19, and infections are soaring. In a malevolent twist, the virus has taken advantage of this and mutated to a more virulent form. Death, suffering, bereavement and fear are trampling our planet.

Until this year, Christmas, for many, has merely been a prelude to welcoming the New Year. Perhaps God is urging us, now, to focus on the real reason we celebrate, for if we do that, we can look to the future with optimism.

If God can be compassionate enough to come to earth and identify with us to the extent that He feels our pain, shares our joys, demonstrates the true heart of God and then represents us before the Father to take our punishment, He will surely see us through this turbulent time if we will entrust ourselves into His loving, capable hands.

So, let’s celebrate the real Christmas story, and let the Prince of Peace speak into our hearts.

Real Christmas

God gave His Son that all the world
Would have the chance to be with Him.
His glorious presence now was curled
Within the confines of a womb.

His gift to Man took history
And pulled its course away from Hell
Unfathomable mystery
A love that has no parallel.

And now to celebrate His gift
Throughout the world we also give,
With presents for our families
With parties, food and talk of love.

Yet often in this crazy world
We give our gifts, not knowing why
We break the bank to buy the best
We worry it won’t satisfy.

We party with our families
We eat and drink and stay up late
But if in this we exclude Him
There’s nothing left to celebrate.

It all becomes an empty show
That merely gets us deep in debt
And all the feasting and the hype
Can’t heal our pain, nor our regrets.

For though we share our human love
Forget our woes with food and wine
Our loneliness requires a heart
That’s grateful for a love divine.

We need to know a God who cares
Who wants us all to worship Him
To celebrate the way He’s made
To rescue us from all our sin.

If we party, give our gifts
Ignoring Him who’s paid the way
Then ‘Happy Christmas’ is just words
Whose meaning fades with Boxing Day

For always when we celebrate
A God who came to be with us
The next act hovers in the wings
A Saviour hanging from a Cross.

It’s He who rolled away the stone
Conquered death and rose again
Ascended to His heavenly throne
And lives within the hearts of men

It’s not His birth that gives us joy
But why He came — what it was for
That’s why we’re grateful, celebrate
The Baby on a bed of straw

My new book is coming

By Dave Walker | October 23, 2019 | Comments 0 Comment

Listen to your heart

THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME

Here I am again, back to the familiar where nothing’s changed. I see I left a shirt on the bed and crockery drip-drying by the sink.

It seems incredible that this place — this home — should be just as I left it, when God’s light is rampant on earth. And I’ve been part of it. What a journey! It was a spur of the moment decision, but the best I’ve ever made. I teamed up with Theo, and we just decided we’d take a road at random and see what village it led to.

The wiry old man sitting outside his house had half a dozen children playing at his feet. That gave us an opening.

“Are those your grandchildren, old man?” I asked.

His face softened and his eyes brightened as they wandered, first to them and then to us.

“All of them,” he said.

Theo joined in. “Children are so trusting.”

The laughter lines creased around his eyes. “They come to me with anything.”

“Did you know that’s the way we must enter the Kingdom of Heaven?”

The old man stiffened; his face suddenly hard. “Trust God like the children trust me?” He looked at the ground, frowning. “No. You see, I’ve had experience, which these children haven’t had.” His eyes misted over. “I know what it’s like to pray to God and have a silent heaven.”

It was my turn. “Will you tell us about it?”

He stood up. “Come. I’ll show you.”

He opened the gate and ushered us into his home, leading us to a room at the back. On the way, we heard cries and the pounding of heels on the floor. He opened the door a fraction and bade us look. In the middle of the room tied to a pole that was fixed to the floor was — what was it — an animal? No, although like a crazed beast, its eyes burned with fury, the head swayed back and forth and the heels drummed up and down, up and down while it wrenched at the ropes holding it to the post. It was barely recognisable as a young girl, tormented and crazed by a thousand demons.

Closing the door, the old man took us to his sitting room. “That’s Lydia. I’ve prayed to God day and night for my grandchild, but He’s not listening.” The tears glistened on his lined face. “Can you see why I cannot trust Him as a little child?”

I glanced at Theo and saw his face shine. “Sir, God has heard your prayer. His timing is perfect. He wants you to know about His Messiah. He’s come to save us from our sins and deliver us from the oppression of the Evil One.”

He told him the good news of Jesus, the Messiah. On finishing, he said, “Now, take us to Lydia.”

It was our first taste of the power Jesus gave us. With screeching and a stench that filled the house, the demons fled. Lydia’s eyes softened, her face transformed and she spoke to her grandfather in a voice as sweet and clear as a mountain stream. “Thank you, Grandpa for praying so earnestly for me.” She smiled as she held the weeping, trembling old man. That evening we preached to a packed house. Lydia, had waltzed around the village in a dance of joy, spreading the good news. The Kingdom of God permeated the whole village as we stayed at the old man’s home preaching, teaching, healing the sick and driving out demons in the Name of Jesus.

Then we moved to the next village and the scene was repeated as we used Jesus’ strategy, staying in people’s homes and ministering from there. (Luke 10:7) We’d never experienced such power.

Finally, after filling village after village with the light of God, we reported back to Jesus. “Even the demons obeyed us!” we exclaimed with excitement. The other seventy disciples had similar stories. (Luke 10:17)

But Jesus warned us, “Don’t get carried away with the power I’ve given you. Remember from whence it came and rejoice that God has chosen you to be with Him.” (Luke 10:20) It was a sober lesson. I admit, the power had gone to my head a little.

And now, my little home, it’ll be good to sleep in my own bed with familiar things around me, but then I’ll have to say goodbye to you. You see, there’s a Messiah who has no place to lay His head (Luke 9:58) and I’ll be following Him wherever He goes.

As a Little Child

By Dave Walker | October 7, 2019 | Comments 0 Comment

Seeing through the eyes of a child

Whew, what a week! We have our four year old grandson with us and it is hectic. I’d forgetten what it is like to have a little child in the house.

But it’s fun, and full of lessons about our walk with our heavenly Father.

For one thing, everything around him inspires wonder.

As adults we get so used to the miracles that surround us each day that we miss the wonder of it all. Yet the intricate way in which the weavers in our garden weave their nests, the tiny buds that form on branches, long bare and barren through the winter months, the way a little insect knows to scurry away as I put a finger near are all wonders of God’s creation.

Even though there might be scientific explanations for all these things, it in no way detracts from the marvel. The laws themselves, dreamed up by God from nothing, should inspire awe.

Then, my little grandson’s every second sentence is punctuated by “Why?”

“Why does this come apart?”

“So we can clean this bit and not the bit with the engine.”

“Why?”

“Because water will stop the engine working.”

“Why?”

And so on ad infinitum.

But without a clue about electricity, how does one explain about water shorting the works?

It makes me realise that God probably has the same problem with us. How often, with our very limited understanding of the true nature of things, do we ask the question “Why, God?”

That probably explains why He seldom answers the question, but graces us with His presence, His comfort and His love. As I say, in God in the ICU:

“There is a deep mystery in suffering. Nowhere does God say He will protect us from it. What He does promise, however is that He will walk with us through it.. Many people, having experienced great suffering through bereavement, persecution, financial hardship or illness testify that those were the times they felt closest to God.”

That’s usually how He answers our question, “Why?” and sometimes (often, actually), I just have to do the same with my grandson.

How Does God Heal?

By Dave Walker | September 18, 2019 | Comments 0 Comment

The interaction of love, medicine and miracles

I suppose it’s because we can go to a doctor without any reference to God, that some people think of healing by doctors as some sort of alternative to God’s healing. I have heard people say, “I’m not going to a doctor. I’m trusting God to heal me.”

I’ve also heard others say, “Well, the doctor hasn’t done much, I’ll just have to pray.”

It’s as though doctors and God are in some kind of opposition.

The fact is, God is responsible for all true healing. As we walk in love, acknowledging His hand in our lives, we can participate with Him in our healing. An attitude of love, medicine and miracles are all part of God’s healing process. I write more extensively on this in Prayer, Medicine and Miracles, but want to write about it now because I’ve had direct experience of God intervening in my life through medicine.

My wife and I were due to go to a picturesque town in the Cape for a four month break house-sitting for my daughter. She hadn’t asked; it was an idea that came from nowhere as I awoke one morning, when I knew she’d be away.

Shortly before we were due to leave, I experienced a slight ache in my arm and a bit of breathlessness while jogging. Had we not been going to a fairly remote village, I probably would have ignored it, but because we would not be near sophisticated medical facilities, I thought I’d better get it checked.

Within a week, I was in hospital having a stent put into a major coronary artery which was close to blocking.

I have no doubt God put the idea of house-sitting in my mind to precipitate me into seeking a medical checkup for a minor complaint which, had I ignored it, could have killed me with a heart attack.

In His love, He used hi-tech medicine to fix my problem without major surgery.

God deserves the glory for all true healing.

When we see Him as responsible for all healing, we can avail ourselves of everything at our disposal

This includes diet, exercise, alternative medicine as well, of course as prayer.

In fact, prayer can enhance any other aspect of healing. In one instance which I describe in Prayer,Medicine and Miracles, I was asked to take over a patient in ICU who was deteriorating. I did not change any treatment, but started praying with him. He immediately improved and recovered.

Of course, it doesn’t include methods that go against the Word of God (psychic healing, transcendental meditation or methods that pay homage to other religions). These might produce physical results but leave you spiritually oppressed/bankrupt, which is not true, holistic healing.

Even if a doctor is not a believer, you can trust God to use him. There are instances in the Bible where God has used unbelievers for His purposes.

It depends on where you put your focus. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and trust Him to heal you in whatever way He wishes (and He does wish it for you.)

Nothing is impossible for God.

Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise. (Jer.17:14)