Fleeing the Enemy! Our travel last month placed us in a unique place in the world and was a crucial experience for Cathy and me. We met so many people who have been running from the ravages of ISIS, Boko Haram, Al Qaeda and Al shabaab. Their individual stories of survival broke our hearts and made us more aware of the turmoil going on in our world. Pictured above are some destroyed boat shells and thousands of life preservers used by those escaping the chaos in the Middle East. You would recognize that each boat shell has all the interior supports and items removed that help make a boat safe and stable in the water. Smugglers put their lives at risk with a simple frame that caused the death of many. Many would toss their luggage when they recognized the flimsy boat skin was unstable against the waves and tide. You could feel and see the terror in their eyes as they recounted their stories. There was one refugee we met that caused us to pause and consider what it takes to run from evil. Achmed (not his real name) is an unsung hero in our minds and hearts. This large man was a member of the Iraqi Special Forces. You could tell that he can handle himself and was very skilled in warfare. But he also ran once the truth of ISIS became clear. He could fight personally but knew the odds were staked in the favor of the evil leaders. What he sought was peace from the chaos. He didn’t see it there and wondered where he would find it. It came from an unlikely place. That peace came from Jesus Christ! His smile and attitude speaks volumes about the power of the Holy Spirit in the life of a new believer. Christmas is this weekend and when you look at the story of Jesus in the book of Luke we discover Joseph, Mary and Jesus had to run from the evil ruler Herod. They also were refugees racing to Egypt. Give the gift of a prayer for the hundreds of thousands who are displaced on this Christmas weekend. Resisting the enemy is no easy task. It can cost you plenty! Link your heart with those needing peace. May your Christmas be blessed! Cathy and Danny Sartin Copyright © Danny Sartin and Deeper Still Missions. All Rights Reserved. Life Nuggets are written for those who support Deeper Still Missions and its goal of missionary retention. 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.
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God's Window Graskop, South Africa Cathy is standing at a beautiful spot in the Drakensberg Mountains of Mpumalanga. The local people call this spot God's Window. It provides a panoramic vista of the Limpopo valley. You find yourself looking East toward Bushbuckridge and the Kruger National Park. This stunning view can take your breath away. It feels like you can see forever from this perch on the mountain side. Africans imagine this location as God's window into the world and the souls of men. Not everyone who reaches such a lofty position sees the same thing. On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first man to reach space and orbit the earth in Vostok 1. His flight took only 108 minutes to circle our planet. Gagarin was reported to say that he had not seen God above the sky. The statement implied that this proves that God does not exist. The origin of the statement is disputed. But it was mentioned by the Soviet Leader Nikita Khrushchev at the Plenom of the Central Committee. He said, Gagain flew into space and didn't see any God there! Psalm 19 tells us that God speaks to us through nature and the magnificent wonders of our sky. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. (ESV) Do your eyes see and perceive His presence? Look around you. He is there. Do you hear and understand His love for you? Cathy sees God everywhere in nature. His creativity is so awesome. She marvels at the unique beauty He reveals when you take the time to look. Each of us need to take the time to see from God's Window. His window can see forever! Cathy and Danny Sartin Copyright © Danny Sartin and Deeper Still Missions. All Rights Reserved. Life Nuggets are written for those who support Deeper Still Missions and its goal of missionary retention. 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. The Great Escape Evading the Enemy We walked the dark path between the Manager's house and our cottage at Amathunzi. The inky darkness shielded everything and made the short walk a little precarious. A small porch light in the distance marked our path to our room . A few steps into the dirt path we were greeted with several snorts. Uncertainty caused us to shine our flashlight in the direction of the sound. There stood a Bontebok. It is a beautiful antelope with rich dark brown markings and spiral horns. Our light hit his face and he immediately cantered away. I was amazed at its speed in the darkness. It simply seemed to vanish. It left an unsettled feeling as he disappeared into the dark so quickly. Maybe he could reappear just as fast! The next morning I went looking for the splendid animal in the sunlight. His dark brown coat had a purple gloss and clearly defined markings. He was darker on the sides with white buttocks and lower limbs. His unbroken white facial blaze and black horns carved a beautiful head and shape. This antelope was stunning and majestic. I walked closely and he began to stomp and snort as he had done the night before. I lifted my camera to take a picture and he exploded into a cantor and raced away. His unusual cantor made it appear effortless. It was as if he pranced in a tireless gate that accelerated with each jump. The Bontebok had such speed that I wondered how prey could catch him and kill him for a meal. It would require stealth, speed and cunning. I thought of the Leopard we had watched during his hunt for food. Crouched low to the ground it crept along and stopped motionless on several occasions. The prey had no idea he was there. He waited as the slow grazing brought him near and he pounced. We tend to have a false sense of safety concerning our enemy. Spiritually our enemy prowls around seeking someone that he might devour. What we fail to recognize is that we are his target. We think we can get away and avoid him if he comes near. Sometimes the spooking event is just a trap to capture us on the run. Evading the entanglement of sin requires careful observation, honest assessments and speed at the right moment. We must run just like the Bontebok! But timing is crucial! Are you aware of the pitfalls in your daily life, thinking and feelings? Are you so consumed with satisfying your appetites that you don't notice the movement around you? We are told in God's Word to flee from sin. I see the Bontbok as one example of successful evasion from the perils of sin. He is attentive, forceful and has a twitch that is blinding. Cathy and Danny Sartin Copyright © Danny Sartin and Deeper Still Missions. All Rights Reserved. Life Nuggets are written for those who support Deeper Still Missions and its goal of missionary retention. 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. The Smile of Love Cathy and I met this young man in 2012. His parents had died from Aids in the remote area near Khaphunga, Swaziland. He had buried his father and mother himself. Then he turned his attention to his younger brother and sister. How do I take care of them? He had no money, no way of getting funds and little knowledge about how to take care of them. He was found by one of the grandmothers serving orphans in the remote area of the country. He was feeding his brother and sister dirt because he could make it warm and it seemed to fill the belly. The three children had been taken in by an extremely poor family to help them survive the trauma they had experienced. The mother of the family was connected with Numsa Lukhele and her ministry to assist children who had been struck by the Aids epidemic. Numsa had gotten permission from several chiefs to plant fields of corn for orphans around these remote mountains. She recruited thirty grandmothers who lived in those areas to find and serve these destitute children. She raised funds for seed corn and vegetables to assist the children. They would cultivate, plant, nurture and harvest their own fields to provide food year around. They do it collectively. I was deeply touched by the hearts of these children and their workers. The difficult circumstances they labor under is amazing. It took me a long time to get this young man to smile. There was a hollow look in his eyes that finally washed away when he felt comfortable with the big white man and woman. We can be the hands of Christ helping others who cannot help themselves. Christ said, if you do unto the least of these you have done it unto me. Cathy and Danny Sartin Deeper Still Missions Copyright © Danny Sartin and Deeper Still Missions. All Rights Reserved. Life Nuggets are written for those who support Deeper Still Missions and its goal of missionary retention. 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. The Wonder of Him! Jesus is born! This morning we all wake up to the sensation and sparkle of Christmas. This picture of the horse head nebula from the Hubble Telescope transports our hearts to the throne of God. The eyes of our hearts look at our family and we are reminded of the true priorities of life. We see the children who wake up in a wonderland of wishes and gifts. The first moments of a Christmas morning seem to sparkle in a special way. Christmas is flooded with memories of moments in our own childhood. It is crowded with the faces of those who we have deeply loved during our lifetime. You see, Christmas is a two sided coin. On one side is the joy and warmth of love. On the other side is the deep pain of those who are no longer among us. Those who we deeply cherish but can no longer touch except in our memories. I wonder how God the Father felt on that first Christmas morning? I am sure he was overjoyed and excited as the angels sang. But I wonder how the other side of the coin felt? His son was a gift to all of mankind. Unfortunately, not all of mankind recognizes or understands who he is. Today many try to sanitize our society from any memory of the true reason for this season. We pray that God opens the eyes of your heart on this special day of the year. We know that our priorities will once again be rearranged. Our values will be re-positioned and Christ will sit on the throne in our hearts. We are thankful for so many who have lifted us to His throne! You have sent us to faraway places and connected with the hearts of so many servants for Christ. Thank you for having a vision that goes deeper still in the hearts, minds and souls of those serving the child king today. We are genuinely humbled by our relationship with you! Have a deeply blessed Christmas! Cathy and Danny Copyright © Danny Sartin and Deeper Still Missions. All Rights Reserved. Life Nuggets are written for those who support Deeper Still Missions and its goal of missionary retention. 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. Life on the field! Roarke's Drift, South Africa The picture at the left is the Zulu memorial at the battle of Roarke’s Drift in Zwazulu-Natal province of South Africa. This battle was remembered In the movie Zulu in the 1960’s. This monument depicts a life sized leopard, representing the reigning monarch of the Zulu nation, protectively guarding the shields of five hundred warriors who fell at the site. The tree growing in the middle of the engraving is the Mphata tree. Traditionally it was planted on the graves of the royal Zulu family. Limbs from It were used to bring home the spirit of a person who had died far from home. One of the most amazing elements to this battle was the desperate situation that 130 British soldiers experienced. They were attacked by over 4,000 Zulu warriors during a twelve hour battle. Amazingly the British repulsed the continual charges of this massive army during that time. When I stood at this spot I was reminded of the wrestling match that continually goes on in our hearts and minds. Paul says that we wrestle not with flesh and blood but with princes and principalities of this world. It is a desperate match that could result in us losing our spiritual eyes. Come along side other believers and help them fight the battle that rages against the church. The only way we can stand is together. We need each other to repulse the continual attacks from the spiritual enemy. Cathy and Danny Sartin Deeper Still Missions Copyright © Danny Sartin and Deeper Still Missions. All Rights Reserved. Life Nuggets are written for those who support Deeper Still Missions and its goal of missionary retention. 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. Rachel, tradition has roots that go deep into the hearts, minds and behavior of people around the world. Going from one culture to another can be perplexing and confusing. Africa has been an eye opening experience over the last several years. Cultural gaps in thinking seem to span a large abyss. Pictured to the left is a traditional Sangoma (witch doctor) that shoulders a significant amount of influence in the villages and communities of Africa. They tell the future, prepare Mhuti (herbal medicines) and cast spells. Traditional Africans go to them for guidance, healing, burials and the naming of children. It seems like such practices would be relegated to the past but you would be amazed at how deep these cultural roots go. Behavior in Africa is profoundly influenced by their comments and practices. A quasi Christian church here in Africa is called the Zion Christian Church or ZCC. Most demographic assessments designate them as Christian. They are by far the largest on the continent. You see them everywhere. You can identify them by the prominent tin star they wear with their clothes. Each star has a ZCC engraved on it. It reminds me of the old timey Western movies and TV shows of the 50’s and 60’s. You could recognize the sheriff by the tin star. The Bantu languages from the Congo. . . South to the Zulu nation of South Africa has provided a platform for the homogenization of the Bible into deeply rooted tribal customs. Thus the Sangoma controls a significant portion of tribal thinking and tradition. The leaders in an African village area are the Chief, the Sangoma and finally the pastor. As a team they ensure the roots of traditional thinking remain intact. What customs have rooted themselves in your hearts and minds? Are those customs founded in the Word of God or in the tradition of people? When you read the Bible are your thoughts directed by convictions sternly planted in preconceived ideas? Or are you open to God speaking clearly in a direction that goes against your understanding? Peter experienced that feeling when Jesus said I will die and rise from the dead after three days. Peter was convinced it couldn’t be true because he was convinced Jesus would be the King. I understand how he could arrive at his conclusion. Read God’s Word today with a fresh window open to your mind and heart. Don’t allow tradition to infect your hearing. Cathy and Danny Sartin Deeper Still Missions Copyright © Danny Sartin and Deeper Still Missions. All Rights Reserved. Life Nuggets are written for those who support Deeper Still Missions and its goal of missionary retention. 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. Cathy and I spent two months at the Amathunzi Game Reserve outside Robertson, South Africa. It was a time of focus for us that yielded something we didn’t expect. Encircling the game farm were dozens of Afrikaans farmers with fields of grapes. It was isolating and we found ourselves asking God, why here? It seemed so remote and away from people. Cathy loved the quiet and the solitary time with God the Father. I was accustomed to more activity and relationships. I would look around at the beautiful mountains and endless fields of vineyards and certainly see the beauty. What we didn’t understand was the privilege we were given to meet and learn about vineyards. I had never been around wine farmers and had no clue what their life was like. One of the farmers visited us at the farm and over lunch I began to ask him questions. I was amazed as he described the cutting of branches and pruning required for the healthy growth and production of the vines. He cupped his hand and described the weeping branch cut from the vine. He described it like the human body. The veins drip as you lift it away. We call it the weeping vine. I myself was fascinated with the every description of vineyard care as fresh pictures were injecting into my Biblical thinking. Jesus walked from the upper room on the night of the last supper with his final eleven disciples. They walked by the Temple on their way to the garden of Gethsemane. Possibly, Jesus stopped and pointed to the decorations on the Temple and said, I am the true vine. Josephus tells us of the decorations on the outside of the Temple built by Herod the Great. Israel was the vine and the decorations were golden vines with clusters the size of a man. It was a stunning sight. As the farmer talked new pictures came into my mind about that evening. Jesus was clearly showing that he is the true vine for the future. If we abide in him then we will produce fruit, more fruit or much fruit. But if we do not remain in Him we will become useless like a branch that has been pruned from the vine. They burn those branches because they are not useful like wood from a tree. They can’t even make a peg to hang something. If you remain then your fruit will be evident to others. If the vine-dresser cleans your branch then it will multiply the fruit for the future. Cathy and Danny Sartin Deeper Still Missions Copyright © Danny Sartin and Deeper Still Missions. All Rights Reserved. Life Nuggets are written for those who support Deeper Still Missions and its goal of missionary retention. 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. Cathy and I were at the home of Numsa Luhkele in Khaphunga, Swaziland meeting and discussing their ministry to orphans in several mountain villages near them. We discussed the difficulties of helping over one thousand orphans who are raising younger brothers and sisters without parents who have died from Aids.
Numsa has spearheaded a ministry that uses gogos (grandmothers in Zulu) to mentor children in this extremely difficult environment. They teach them to plant corn, cook, grow vegetables and provide for themselves. At the same time they introduce Jesus Christ to these broken and lonely children. Pictured in the Life Nugget logo is one of those gogos who arrived at Numsas home to work the garden for the orphans. We were interested to see this elderly lady walk up with no shoes and wearing a blanket because it was cold. She came to serve those who were less fortunate than herself. The problem overwhelms my heart as I realize so many children have been left alone by the killer HIV/Aids. The cultural traditions prevent an orphanage from being built and established for the kids. Instead the families in the tribe are required to step in and help one another. Her investments in the lives of others are carefully chosen and provided with great love and interest. Her bare feet in the cold dust took my heart to the book of Ephesians 5:15. Paul says we are to be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise. (NIV) Being careful means to step exactly, with care, accurately and precisely. We are to walk circumspectly and make the most of every opportunity. Paul says don’t be foolish but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do you submit to help others who have little to nothing? Or are you eyes captivated by the next purchase of clothing, furniture or electronics? Consider and observe the investments you make for the Kingdom of God. There are many good choices for us to serve. But some are better choices while fewer still are the best choices. Christ tells Martha, Mary has chosen the better thing and it will not be taken from her. Cathy and Danny Sartin Deeper Still Missions Copyright © Danny Sartin and Deeper Still Missions. Life Nuggets are written for those who support Deeper Still Missions and its goal of missionary retention. 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. Copyright © 2015 Deeper Still Missions, All rights reserved. Our time in Africa has revealed many special stories of God and His grace. It has also stretched our understanding of God’s work. Riding in a car with two young ministry staff we asked the generic question we have all heard. How did you come to Christ? The answer went outside our box of understanding we had solidified over many decades. Comfort began to talk about his family and the deep devotion they had for the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) that is so pervasive on the dark continent. It is a mixture of ancestral worship and Christianity. His aunt passed away and her body was placed in the house until authorities could come and get the deceased. Unfortunately, it was to take several days for some unforeseen reason. Two days into the family vigil to sit with the body of his aunt. . . a miracle occurred. She sat up and came back to life. She asked for food and began to talk about her experience. She told the family about a man who she had been with for the last two days. She described the gate of darkness and the gate of light. She talked about people she heard and saw. She talked of the moaning at the gate of darkness and the joy at the gate of light. She challenged family members to set aside their bickering and learn about Jesus Christ. She asked her nephew to take some money in her purse and deliver it to the church around the corner. It was a two hours span that seemed like a dream. She talked of her experiences and challenged the family to move away from the ZCC and accept Jesus Christ. After those hours she stated that she was tired and wanted to lay down. According to Comfort she then finally slipped into eternity. Christ had reached out to their family personally. I am in the ministry because I can do nothing else, he said. I must follow the living Christ and serve Him while I am on earth. Some African cemeteries reflect the sacrifice and ancestral values taught by the Sangomas. The picture above is a cemetery in Leroro, Mpumalanga. Cathy and I drove here after hearing this story and reflected on all that we had heard. We never cease to be amazed at things God might do. Listening to Him requires respectful silence, total attention and an appropriate response. Comfort’s response was to fall on his knees and accept Jesus as the Son of God, the Messiah. Can you imagine what you will do when you stand in front of Him? We love that song by Casting Crowns and hope it’s melody will sing in your heart today. Cathy and Danny Sartin Deeper Still Missions Copyright © Danny Sartin and Deeper Still Missions. All Rights Reserved. Life Nuggets are written for those who support Deeper Still Missions and its goal of missionary retention. 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 email in its entirety to others without making any changes or deletions. |
Danny SartinFour decade veteran of youth ministry in churches, Youth For Christ and now is the Founder and Executive Director of Deeper Still Missions. Danny and his wife Cathy spend most of their time mentoring missionaries in Africa, Europe, Central America and North America. Future opportunities include South America and the Asia Pacific area. Archives
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