By: Aleisha Marina Pienaar Here is a bit of a long post. It can be controversial, but this is our heart. What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? Romans 6:15-16 In the Amazon Jungle, sin is sin. Holiness is holiness. There is no in-between.
We live in a world where passive Christianity has become acceptable; expected, even. How often do we talk about "grey areas" and "...depending on the situation?" When confronted with sin, we justify it. While that may work in western society, when you hit the raging spiritual battle in places like the Amazon that will simply not do. What does this say about western society, then? Has the battle already been won? Has Satan got us exactly where he wants us? When a missionary enters a tribe for the first time, he or she is tested. A good friend of ours, on a recent trip, was invited to work in the gardens in a tribal community. The people watched him and when they saw his faithfulness, the chief allowed him to speak the gospel, resulting in half the tribe dedicating their lives to Jesus. How amazing is that? However, I also know of a missionary who recently went to one of these tribes, and thought it might be nice to enjoy a beer in the local bar with some tribesmen. The next day he was kicked out, because in the eyes of the chief and the rest of the tribe, he wasn't practicing what he was preaching. Just for having a drink or two. This inherently is not sinful, but the tribespeople see a bar as a place of drunkenness, and according to the Bible, drunkenness is sin (Galatians 5:16-21). Hence, a bar is a place of sin in their eyes. See, jungle politics work differently. Especially with potential communication barriers due to language, tribes watch how people act, look at their lifestyle, and then make judgments based on the figurative fruit that a person produces (Galatians 5:22-26). When we go in, we cannot afford to even slip up. By God's grace, we will not slip up. However, we need to make that decision now already. We need to make that our lifestyle NOW. We cannot live two lives, a live of passive Christianity in New Zealand, and a life of active Christianity in Peru. In 1 Kings 18:21, Elijah asks Israel “How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:24 that, “No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." When we allow some sin, some guilty pleasure into our life, we are receiving our reward right then and there. We receive recognition, more friends, more wealth. When we live righteously, we are storing up our treasures in Heaven. These treasures are not material. These treasures are the lives that Jesus can save because of the example we set. One example that think sums this up very well (there are MANY more!), and an issue that I have been frustrated with recently, is the use of strong language. I cannot tell you how many times I wince when I walk through church, and other Christian gatherings, and I hear filthy words rolling from the tongues of the congregation. I hear people who follow Jesus take His name in vain. Each time it hurts. I've had Christian friends apologise to me for swearing in front of me, because they "know I don't like it." There is no conviction, no change, no consideration of what these words mean. I've argued with a young man once about this very issue. His reason for using harsh language was because it was a way for him to "express himself." He was on the worship team in the church I was attending at the time. The same mouth that helped lead people into a time of song-worship for our Heavenly Father, would after the service be rattling away with words that chipped away at my heart. There is no excuse for dirty language. Think about it. When these words escape our mouth, they are often words spoken in anger, disgust, frustration. Doesn't God call us to be slow to speak, slow to be angry, and quick to listen? (James 1:19). Are we not called to live in purity, that encourage and edify the people around us with the words we speak? (Ephesians 4:29). In the jungle, this double standard is not allowed. Why, in our world of privilege and freedom, should a double standard be acceptable? Has the battle been won? We are not called to be passive. We are called to live actively in seeking Christ and becoming more like Him. Christianity is not restrictive. God isn't trying to keep us away from joy and pleasure. No, Jesus came so that we can experience true joy and fellowship with people around us. We get to shine, because Jesus shines through us! So where are you at the moment? The battle is raging, but we have the Creator on our side. So if you are struggling with a double-life, lay it before Jesus. His yoke is easy and light.
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By: Aleisha Marina Pienaar Today it is forty days until we leave for the Amazon jungle. "Forty" is a very significant number! It rained for forty days while Noah and his family were in the ark at the time of the Great Flood. Jesus spent forty days in the desert fasting, and overcoming the devil's temptations, before His ministry officially began. Moses spent forty days on the mountain when God was giving him the commandments, no food and no water. Also, the Israelites that left Egypt spent forty years in the desert before they entered the Promised Land. Basically, "forty" usually means a journey.
It's exciting to think that Emil and I will be stepping foot in the place that our hearts have longed for forty days from today. These forty days have certainly started with its challenges, but we are confident that God will continue to provide for and sustain us. And hey, we are loving every moment because we get to rest in His big and loving arms! God is so amazing. This is just a short message from us today. The next forty days will be great, exciting, scary, exhausting, confusing, empowering, busy, boring, everything and all of the above. We look forward to seeing what our Lord Jesus has in store for us! Continue to keep us in your prayers! We love you all. By: Aleisha Marina Pienaar It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way, but that by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. Philippians 1:20-21 Over the last few weeks, Emil and I have heard it said to us over and over again that we are very brave to be going to the Amazon Jungle. People are very aware of the dangers of the Jungle, and let me tell you, Emil and I are just as aware. Honestly, I'm so so so scared. I have no idea what to expect, and I am worried that I won't have the courage to make it through the three weeks we are there. I don't feel very brave. When I read what Paul and Timothy write in Philippians, I don't know how they managed to be so calm, and to trust Jesus so much. Making statements about how if they die, their death will glorify Christ, confounds me! I haven't reached that place of assurance just yet. But, can I share something a bit deeper with you? I'm not as afraid of the wild jungle as I am afraid of myself. I have two flaws that I know not everyone picks up on. 1. I have a very quick temper. 2. I am very impulsive. I try to keep these two things under control by being extra nice and patient to everyone around me, and by vigorously planning my days so that there is no room for silly decisions. Now, Emil and I are going to a foreign country. There is high tension about the Amazon Jungle. Not everyone agrees with our mission. The spiritual darkness is heavy over there. The lifestyle is rough. The weather is hot and muggy. There is no way to plan step-by-step how our mission will go from place to place in the jungle because time is understood differently there. The people speak a foreign language. Communication is going to take a lot of effort. Not to mention jet lag... I have no idea how Emil and I will react to all these displacing and discomforting factors. I'm very concerned that I will let my temper get the best of me, and that I will make decisions that are dangerous, and potentially life-threatening. I am worried that I will treat Emil disrespectfully. I have many potential scenarios bouncing around in my head every day. And then I look at Paul and Timothy, and their trust in Jesus. So a little further on in Philippians, they write: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 I am trying very hard to take their advice, and to know that God is in control. I am sure he will protect us from all enemy attacks, both internal and external.
So there is a little insight into my very human brain! I hope you will be encouraged to know that I am afraid, but I am trying to trust Jesus to keep us safe. One thing we are incredibly grateful for is your prayers. We thank our Lord Jesus Christ every day for your support and friendship. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we draw closer to this mission, and for the time we are over there. On a side note, if you would like to receive our newsletters, please contact us through the "Get in Touch" tab on this website. We will happily add you to our mailing list if you would like updates in paper form. Also, we have a few simple fridge magnets that we have designed with a verse on it that we would love to send to you, free of charge, so that every time you see it, you can be reminded to pray for us. We pray for all of you as well, for our readers and followers, and our friends and family who encourage and love us every single day. You are a blessing, and we cannot thank you enough. God bless! |
Emil & Aleisha PienaarWe are Missionaries who travel to the Amazon Jungle. Our home base is Dunedin, New Zealand. Our heart is to reach the unreached. Archives
October 2018
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