10 February 2008, 10 AM
Apostle Andre Pelser

Romans 12:1- 11 

I can't keep up with all the paper work always. I let it pile-up, and then I sort it out after a while. There is too much. If I have to do that everyday, that is all I'll do. Paperwork. It piles up a little bit, then I work through it, file it or something. But I have learned to work with the tip of the iceberg. All my correspondence on e-mail is done. I keep up with that, but I can't always keep up with all the paperwork. In 1970 when they said that computers are going to take over our lives, they said that we are going to work less and play more. Because computers can help us do the work quicker. They also said that there will be no more paper. Computers has made us work harder. We do more, we work longer hours and we have double the paperwork than ever before. Because you still have to sign contracts on paper, you can't sign it on the computer. It is incredible, hey, man's wisdom! Be diligent, don't be slothful. Don't let food lie around in the house, you will gather ants, then you will have to fight the ants. Ants do come and they are in every house, but if you let plates stand around for a while, you'll have more to deal with. Don't be slothful in your business. Be diligent in your business. Don't be slothful in your prayer life and Bible reading. Don't disregard it for 6 months and think  that you will be spiritual. You won't.

Be fervent in spirit. It means to be full of zest, zealous, full of fire, and enthusiasm. When you ask someone how they are, 'Ja, I'm okay.' Is that a fervent spirit? No. Kick him, get him going. If you can't do something wholeheartedly then don't do it. When parents tell their kids to tidy their room, and the kids reply :" Ja ma." You know what, you are going to be like in that in your work. You are going to be like that in your own marriage, if you don't change. It is true. You are not suddenly going to change because you got married. Marriage is not a magic wand, but it is more work. Because now you have to provide for two. The responsibility that comes with it is huge. But it is wonderful. It makes life worth it. Two is better than one, and if you care for her like Christ cares for the church, He gave Himself. I did three jobs when I got married. Morning job, afternoon job and evening job. I got just enough money to pay for the rent. The morning job was teaching, I was a teacher at school. Afternoon job was voice overs for the radio and the TV. Evening job was theater. I worked until 12 at night and went to work again at 8 the next morning. We got just enough in through the three jobs to pay for the flat. Besides the three jobs, I was assistant pastor in a church. I still have a pamphlet of us there in the first church we started, with a picture of Nola and I on the front. We used to hand out pamphlets like this every Sunday to the people with the sermon notes. This pamphlet's sermon notes was about "Godly Success", 4th of March, 1988. The pamphlet read: 3 John 2- God desires that you do well. In this world there is a lot of successful people through self development, but success without God is destructive. I believe the Lord prospers the whole person, makes you Christlike.

Point 1, (I use to preach in points those days, now my sermons are just pointed), I have a Biblical success image, not just a worldly success image.  When a man gets right with God he is supremely happy and excited about life regardless of circumstances. That is also what I am going to preach on today.

Point 2. Godly success is continually becoming the person God wants you to be. That is my definition of success. Success to me is not reaching a point, but becoming. The ABC of godly success is A. Be aggressive for the Gospel's sake. Not for yourself and for your own sake. B. Believe you can do what God requires you to do,not what others expect you to do. C. Be clothed with Christ. Be clothed with humility- have the right attitude.

Point 3. The secret of Paul's success, Philippians 3:12-14. Forget the failures of your past, set goals with God and not by yourself. Write them down. Be enthusiastic. Why? Because you need it. "I don't know why everybody always come to me." You should be happy that they ignore most people. Ask old people what they miss most is being needed. Not the house, but to be able to do something for someone. We were created to be like that. You can only be enthusiastic when you become usable. Be enthusiastic so that you can will to win, to be determined, to reach the goals that you have set with God. Be enthusiastic and discipline your life so you can have a fixed purpose. Most people go to seminars to find out what they are on earth for. "Discover your purpose." "Discover your purpose driven life." I am not a fan of those things, because you know who you are and you know what you are like. You know what you can do. What else do you need to know? Do it. Keys don't wonder what they are. I can't hear a key say "I wonder what I am on earth for? I wonder what I am doing in this pocket? Why does he push me into this hole everyday?" God created you to be you, to be yourself. That is your purpose. Your purpose is not doing something, your purpose is be you. Then you will do well.

Paul's secret of success is that he knew his priorities. He says that he has put everything aside for the knowledge of Christ, the high calling of God to win the prize of the high calling. He had a winning attitude. He says that he will not give up until he has the prize. He had faith. His faith turned his problems into challenges.

So that was a sermon in the first church we started. Our church was still small then and I thought by myself that we can't live off of that salary. The income was very little, we had to pay the hall and some others things to. That is how God called me. Seven o'clock that morning I phoned my friend and told him that I am not part of that deal anymore. I am full time in the ministry as of now, i said. You see, full time ministry is not a leap, it is the next step. I was faithful in the previous churches where I was. I can give you all the history of 12 years serving in other churches, and now God says go full time now. It is just the next step. It was a step of faith. Nola woke up and I said: "Okay, it was us he spoke about and I am not going to do that anymore, we are going full time in the ministry. We are now full time. Welcome to the full time ministry." You know what she prays: " Father, when my husband worked for the bank, I never worried about his salary. So I am never going to worry about how we are going to live because he is now working for You. And may I have lots of flowers." I thought, and, add somethings to the list. I asked her why she prayed for flowers, and she said it is because she likes flowers. But she grew up in Namaqualand with all the flowers. And you know what, we always have fresh flowers in our house. Because I buy it for her. God is using me to fulfill that prayer. Sometimes other people also gives her flowers, but I remember that prayer. So when I walk past flowers I buy it. I even walked into a flower shop when she was in Scotland! That is dedication to buy your wife flowers when she is away in a trip.

It is much better to buy her flowers now than to put flowers on her grave one day. That is useless. The grave diggers take it away when you leave, or leave it and then three weeks later is is all wilted. I speak to our African people in Ghana, they hold big funerals. Here in Stellenbosch I went to a funeral. Do you know how much flowers they bring this lady that has just died? The church can't contain it. They say how wonderful she is and they give money and presents, for four or five hours they praise the dead person. I got up, put my sermon away, th