Grill, BBQ, or Braai??

Back in good old North Carolina, on a Friday or Saturday afternoon, and holidays like 4th of July and Memorial Day, we would fire up the gas grill and cook cheeseburgers, ribs, and steaks.  If you live in the North East and I guess out west (correct me if I'm wrong westerners) you would say you were having a barbecue.  Well in Namibia it is neither, we call it a Braai.

Braai is an Afrikaans word that means to grill or roast over open coals.  Open coals brings me to the next point, we do not have gas grills here, we have wood, and we have char coal, but the coal here is not like back home, it is partially burned wood.  We don't have lighter fluid either, we have these white sticks that you light with a match and it burns super hot for about 15 minutes, long enough to get your wood or coal going.  Then about an hour later you begin to cook.  Yes, and hour later. 

There is not a lot of places to go and things to do in most parts of Namibia, and that includes where we live.  We do not have shopping malls anywhere near our town, no movie theatres or parks to take the kids.  So people get together to Braai, build the fire, sit around and talk while we wait for the coals to get good and hot, then share a good meal together.  It is actually really nice.  Our kids love fires, and love Namibian meat, as it is always fresh and straight from the farm to our door.

I have attached a picture of our Braai from tonight.  Great pork skewers with a German glaze base, some onions, and a little sheep fat to give it some flavor while cooking!  And after eating a great meal, we say the food was "Baie Lekker", which means Really great!

Just a little Afrikaans for you tonight.

Lekker Slaap! (Sleep Well)

Believe or Know?

     It is quite amazing to talk to little kids about God, Jesus and the Bible and their thoughts about different things, and by asking some probing questions you can get some outrageous answers. But what is even more amazing is listening to a six year old and a five year old talk amongst themselves about these same subjects.


     This is exactly what happened today. I was outside doing some yard work and I overheard Cameron and Hannah talking about God and Jesus, and then they came across the topic of Hell. I missed the segue to Hell, but none the less that part caught my attention. Hannah asked the question "Does anyone go to Hell or does everyone go to Heaven?" I asked her "How does anyone deserve to go to Heaven?" She answered "People that know about God go to Heaven." I asked are you sure about that, and then Cameron chimed in and said "Only the people that BELIEVE in Jesus and BELIEVE that He died for their sins go to Heaven." Atta boy Cam! The three of us discussed it a little more and it brings me to the title of this blog.

     Cameron, being only six, gets it. Praise the Lord! This concept is one of the most important things I have been trying to get the young people, and adults to understand about God and salvation here in our ministry. Anyone can KNOW the facts about the Gospel, God, Jesus, the Bible, and salvation, but not all BELIEVE the facts of the gospel with their heart, mind and soul. Is it enough to know the facts as Hannah said? I am not picking on my five year old, but it was a great opportunity to nail it home that it is about believing.

Luke 4:33-34

33 In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, 34 “Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

Romans 1:32

32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

Titus 1:16

16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

1 John 2:4

4 The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
    
     Even the demons knew who Jesus was, and had a knowledge of God and even the scriptures to a degree. But again, knowledge is not the key. We also see where Paul says those that say they know God's decrees, they continue to practice the very things they know God detests. And John likewise affirms the same in 1 John 2:4. And Titus 1:16 sums it all up, those that claim to know God, do not always live by what they say they know.

     That brings us back to Cameron's comment on believing.

Luke 8:12

2 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

John 17:20-21

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

     Jesus ministry centered around believing that He was the true Son of God. In the parable of the seeds, we see that the devil comes to take away the word from the HEART, so that they will not BELIEVE and be saved. I capitalized heart and believe as it is the point of this post. Knowing isn't everything, but believing with the heart is where it's at. Jesus' prayer to God was for those who did, do and will believe in Jesus. Do you know about Jesus Christ today, or do you believe in Jesus Christ today with your heart?

     Amazing how us adults can be enlightened by a conversation between a five and six year old!