Report from Africa #6
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We walked into Emmanuel Church on a special day for South Africa. This past Sunday was Heritage Day for the country.

Many of the church attendees wore clothing to signify the tribal heritage of their family. There was a spectrum of colors, designs and styles. Pictured with Cathy and myself is one lady whose heritage comes from Swaziland (on the left) and another who has a background of Zulu (on the right). Cathy joined many other ladies by wearing a Siswati wrap.

The joy of the experience was to open our Bibles to Revelation 7:9-10. John the writer looked and saw a multitude that no one could count. They were from every nation, tribe, people and language standing before the throne and in front of the lamb. (NIV) At that moment the multitude was praising God and the lamb. We shared those words in each person's original language for a small slice of heaven in front of the throne. It was nice to note that every nation and tribe would be represented before God.

We have been reminded again of the deep thirst Africans have for the Word of God. Yesterday I taught inductive Bible study methods to nearly thirty pastors. At the conclusion of the lesson the elder pastor came up and took my hand. He then lifted it to his face and placed a kiss on my hand. A special recognition of the value he saw in the Bible study time.

Thank you for sending us to serve missionaries and Christian leaders in Africa. It has been a great joy.

Cathy and Danny Sartin
www.deeperstillmissions.com

Many see the Word of God. . .few perceive!

Proverbs 7:18 (NIV)
18 Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning; let’s enjoy ourselves with love!m

Love has been twisted and distorted around the world today. That which God designed and gave as a gift in the sacred boundaries of marriage has become warped beyond recognition. But the truth is that Greek has four words for love. Storge, philia, eros and agape are all part of the love described in the Bible. Today we focus on the word for love called Eros.

Eros
Definition:  Love and passionate desire, romance and sexual desire of couples.
Characteristics:

1. It is a highly emotional love, the most fragile of all loves.
2. It carries a strong desire to always be together. Separation is never seriously considered.
3. It is the most jealous of all the loves.
4. It gives equal value to falling in love and being in love.
5. It occurs periodically throughout our life.
6. It must be supported by outside forces because it will not last.

Dangers:

1. It can become an immediate hatred when it feels betrayed.
2. It would rather be unhappy with someone than apart from them.
3. When it is taken for granted it becomes outraged.

(The previous notes are from C.S. Lewis’ book The Four Loves)

C.S. Lewis wrote his book The four loves after the death of his beloved wife. His sensitive description and inter-locking dependence that each of the words has on one another is fascinating. Hollywood has attempted to distill all love into the mold of Eros. Yet it is the most volatile of all loves.
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• EROS Ἔρως
• I.    Eros is passionate love or desire and also the Greek god of love (frequently but not always the son or companion of →Aphrodite, other candidate mothers including Eileithyia, Iris and Nyx). As so often in Greek (and Roman) religion, in this case as well, the deity and his domain coincide terminologically (‘Person-Bereichdenken’), because the Greeks drew no sharp distinction between the passionate desire and the deity who brought it about. In the Bible, Eros does not occur as a deity or demon, but in the two passages where eros is mentioned (Prov 7:18 and 30:16 LXX), itsdangerous and insatiable character is emphasized.

 
The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, is where we find the use of the word Eros. It is describing the direct proposition from a prostitute to a man on a journey. The adulteress has a disarming reassurance about being perfectly safe in their escapade. It would take someone like Joseph to resist such an appeal. His wisdom and integrity surfaced and he rejected the appeal of Potipher’s wife in Genesis 39.

We hope this short treatment on Eros will prompt you to read The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis.

Cathy and Danny Sartin
www.deeperstillmissions.com
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m  See Ge 39:7
  The New International Version. (2011). (Pr 7:18). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
 
LXX Septuagint
Van der Horst, P. W. (1999). Eros. In K. van der Toorn & B. Becking (Eds.), Dictionary of deities and demons in the Bible (2nd extensively rev. ed., p. 304). Leiden; Boston; Köln; Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge: Brill; Eerdmans.

​Copyright © Danny Sartin. All Rights Reserved.
Bible Nuggets are written for pastors, youth leaders and missionaries who desire to go deeper still in God’s Word. 

Re-Prints: Deeper Still Missions devotionals are protected by international copyright laws. To request reprint permission contact the offices of DSM. Permission is granted and encouraged to forward this post in its entirety to others without making any changes or deletions.

One of the tactics of Deeper Still Missions is to “pitch our tent” in the lives of missionaries and those who affect their life. Over the last seven years we have become close friends with Ken and Sharon Scriminger in the escarpment area of Mpumalanga. He serves on Ronas Marule’s board of directors and has planted eight churches on the escarpment. Pastor Ken is one of the humblest men I know. I asked his permission to write this report and include the picture.

Encouragement in ministry takes many forms. But nothing is more challenging than when a ministry family experiences a tragedy. Last week Ken’s son-in-law, Marcus, was killed in an automobile accident. He left his wife and ten-year-old son.

We attended the funeral and graveside to love and care for our dear friends. Just a chance to hug their neck and whisper those words, I love you. Feeling their heartbreak, listening to their stories and meeting additional family members.

Cathy and I had never been to a traditional African funeral before. It had elements foreign to Americans concerning death. They lower the casket into the ground and family members begin by filling the grave with a single hand full of dirt. Once all the immediate family has taken a moment to say goodbye and drop their hand of dirt on the casket, then friends and neighbors began to shovel the dirt into the grave.

A group of ladies stood close by and sang hymn after hymn. They sang Portuguese, Shangaan, English and various other dialects. The heart-felt sound resonated over the hillside as everyone buried Marcus. It was a very touching scene. Pictured is the grave of Marcus.

Cathy and I stood under a small shade tree in the hot African heat. Unknown to us was the grave right beside us. It was the grave of Ken’s brother and nephew who had been killed also in an automobile accident back in April. They were buried together.

We seldom know the issues affecting the life of a ministry person until you come alongside and live with them for a while. Then you see and feel the issues that press on their heart, mind and soul.

1 Thessalonians 2:8 (NIV)
8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of Godt but our lives as well.u

Thank you for helping us come to Africa over these years!

Cathy and Danny Sartin
www.deeperstillmissions.com
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 t  See Ro 1:1
u  2 Co 12:15; 1 Jn 3:16
  The New International Version. (2011). (1 Th 2:8). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

A Kingdom Leader is fully aware of his/her need to grow. But spiritual growth takes a leader to places and experiences that are difficult and sometimes confusing. Our gap between knowledge and understanding is very daunting!

Comprehending an experience with Jesus requires us to slow down and consider what he has done and is doing. What is really going on from God’s vantage point?

 When is the last time you took time to evaluate the truth that God wants you to grasp? Are you able to see the connection between your daily life and God’s message to you? Have you recognized that God very often sends someone on your path to enlighten you? Is your mind closed to the special messages Jesus has for you?

The disciples struggled to accept the truth that Jesus shared. He said that he would die and rise from the dead. This did not sink into their minds and hearts. It did not fit their religious training and knowledge of the future Messiah.

Luke 9 (NIV) 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master,s it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)
 
Unable to comprehend the words Jesus shared he took them a step further and invited them to a discussion in heaven. It was an experience they could not forget! Yet, their innocent thinking was stretched far beyond any limits they understood.
 
What about you? Is your gap between knowledge of Jesus and understanding wide?  Do you grasp his personal messages? Or is the gap an abyss?  Does God the father need to say directly to you. . . listen to him?

Consider your leadership from His perspective today. We are praying for you as we send this thought.

Cathy and Danny Sartin
www.deeperstillmissions.com
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s  See Lk 5:5
  The New International Version. (2011). (Lk 9:33). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

​Copyright © Danny Sartin. All Rights Reserved. Photos taken by Cathy and Danny Sartin in Africa.
Kingdom Leadership is written for missionaries and ministers serving our Lord in various parts of the world.

Re-Prints: Deeper Still Missions devotionals are protected by international copyright laws. To request reprint permission contact the offices of DSM. Permission is granted and encouraged to forward this post in its entirety to others without making any changes or deletions.