You Can Make a Difference!

“Who will rise up for Me against the wicked? Who will take a stand for Me against evil doers?” Psalm 94:16

Some people watch things happen. Some make things happen. Others don’t have a clue what happened!

Christians are called to action! We are called to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength, and we are to love our neighbour as ourselves. After relating the story of the Good Samaritan the Lord Jesus commanded us to go and do likewise. We are commanded to rescue those being led away to death, to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. To go into the highways and byways to proclaim the Gospel and to win souls for Christ. We are commanded to make disciples of all nations, teaching obedience to all things that the Lord has commanded. To content for the Faith that was once for all entrusted to the Saints.

“So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land that I should not destroy it…” Ezekiel 22:30

The Lord Jesus taught that we should always pray and never give up. In the parable of the persistent widow, he taught that even an unjust judge will do what is right in response to persistent prayer and pressure. God hears our prayers. Public officials respond to pressure. Most politicians do not tend to see the light, until they feel the heat.

“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Ephesians 5:11

Operation Nehemiah
In the Bible, in the book of Nehemiah, we see principles for grass-roots action:

INFORMATION

“My people perish for lack of knowledge.” Hosea 4:6

We must be informed. It is when people are informed that they can be inspired to prayer and action. The Christian Action magazine, www.christianaction.org.za website, the e-updates, social media, and Salt and Light radio programme seek to provide the information, insights and spiritual ammunition that you need to be effective, in the fight for the right to life of pre-born babies, the war against pornography and the battle for the family.

INVOLVEMENT

“Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and raise up the age old foundations; you will be called Repairer of broken walls, Restorer of streets with dwellings.” Isaiah 58:12

Nehemiah researched amongst the rubble and developed a practical plan to motivate and mobilise the community to rebuild their portion of the wall. Yet, while each group of families had their own part of the wall to work on, they were united in a common goal. They “worked with all their hearts” together, to achieve the main goal to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. When Nehemiah sounded the trumpet, all rallied to that portion of the wall that was under immediate attack. “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!” Nehemiah 4:19

The trumpets which we use in Operation Nehemiah include the e-updates e-mailing list, the Christian Action Magazine, the Christian Action website, our Salt and Light radio programme and social media, including sms list, Facebook and Twitter. Do be sure that you are subscribed and on the mailing lists linked in with the Christian Action Network. Visit the Christian Action website regularly to stay in touch with upcoming events and projects. If you are in the Cape Peninsula you can stay tuned to Radio Tygerberg , (104FM, Tuesday evenings, 9pm or listen on the web: www.104fm.co.za), for up-to-date report backs and information.

Information is Cheap
Raw information, which makes up the bulk of newspapers today, does not cost very much and, in fact, is used to start fires, or to line cat litter boxes and is thrown out only after a few days after it is published.

Understanding is Valuable
Wisdom and discernment, which helps us to grasp the essence of an issue, are of great value. Penetrating articles and any insightful analysis, or relevant newsletters, should be cut out and filed for future reference or action.

Participation is Precious
That which helps us get involved in making a difference is any important project is most precious. Whatever can help us be more effective in fulfilling the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ is of eternal importance. Christian Action not only provides valuable insights and Biblical perspectives on the tough issues of the day, but invites your active participation in applying the Lordship of Christ to all areas of life. The goal of ACA is not only to inform, and to inspire, but to involve. You are encouraged to educate and enlist others in this Biblical movement, to motivate and mobilise your family and friends to be salt and light in society.

INTERCESSION

“Then Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” Luke 18:1. We are either praying, or we have given up. If we have give up it is probably because we neglected to pray. We need to be informed, we need to be involved, and we need to beinterceding. Prayer is our foundation for action.

A Call to Action
If you are not yet part of a Christian Action group, contact us and see if we can put you in touch with a suitable group nearby. If there is no other action group in your area, you should consider starting one. It’s not quite as difficult as you may fear. Our Lord said that where two or three are gathered in His Name, there He is in their midst. Our Mission began with just three people in a Bible study and prayer fellowship. Contact Taryn : ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) or phone 021-689-4481), to receive a Christian Action Starter Pack. This contains everything you need to get started. Whether you plan to integrate this prayer, strategy and action into your established prayer fellowship, home Bible study group, youth group, classroom, congregation, or family, or to invite some friends to start a specific Christian Action group, Reformation Society, or Transformation Team, we can help you with the practical steps needed. “See the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.”Nehemiah 2:17

Answers to Prayer
Since 1991, Africa Christian Action has been mobilising and equipping Christians to make a positive difference in our society. ACA organised the first anti-pornography and pro-life demonstrations in South Africa. We published the first South African book against pornography: Finding Freedom from the Pornography Plague. Our Operation Clean Sweep was successful in persuading over 9,000 stores to no longer stock pornography, and in persuading Republican Press to close down the largest volume pornography magazine in the country – Scope.

Fight for Life
ACA has organised Life Chain’s every year, since 1992, and National Women’s Day outreaches every year, since 1995. In 1995 ACA produced Fight For Life – A Prolife Handbook for Southern Africa. This was the first pro-life book to be published in South Africa.

Since 1998, ACA has initiated and co-ordinated Sanctity Life Sundays and the National Day of Repentance.

Action Resources
We have published: South Africa – Renaissance or Reformation? Make a Difference – A Christian Action Handbook for Southern Africa; The Pink Agenda – Sexual Revolution and the Ruin of the Family; Biblical Principles for Africa; Reforming our Families and The Power of Prayer Handbook. These and many other resources, audio visual materials, DVDs and pro-life, pro-family bumper stickers, precious feet, lapel pins, and much more are available from Christian Action.“You are the salt of the earth… you are the light of the world… in the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see you good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.”Matthew 5:13-16

Victories Won
We have seen many encouraging answers to prayer throughout the first 20 years of Christian Action. The campaign to close down Scope, to convince Telkom to cancel the 087-Dial-a-porn, the campaigns to persuade major chain stores to stop stocking offensive anti-family publications, the marches to parliament against the secular state, to oppose attempts to outlaw home schooling and Christian school curriculums, and to prevent the closing down of community Christian radio stations. These were just some of the national issues. There were many hundreds of local battles to get pornography out of a local store, to close down a local brothel, to persuade various municipalities to initiate action to clean up the community, and many positive campaigns to establish Christian Action groups, launch Christian schools, provide home schooling curriculums, organise evangelistic outreaches, pro-life side walk counselling, crisis pregnancy centres, homes for unwed mothers, and much, much more.

Thank You
To everyone who has been a part of Christian Action in the last 20 years, by intercession, involvement or investment, Thank You! We are most grateful for your time, talents and treasure. May God abundantly bless and reward each one for what you have done to be salt and light, preserving what is good, exposing what is evil and working to stand in the gap and rebuild the moral, Biblical, pro-life and family walls of our communities.

A Macedonian Call
If you have never been involved in this kind of ministry before, or used to be, but got distracted, or discouraged – please join us in prayer and action to fight for the right to life of pre-born babies, and for Biblical righteousness and justice in society.

A Call to Action
Contact us for a Christian Action Starter Pack, order a copy of Make a Difference: aChristian Handbook for Southern Africa, and Biblical Principles for Africa. What better way could there be to celebrate Christian Actions 20 th anniversary than by starting a prayer, strategy and Action Group that will seek to love God and your neighbour – in a positive and practical way. Please join the Christian Action Network. Together we can make a difference!

Dr. Peter Hammond

Africa Christian Action
PO Box 23632
Claremont
7735 Cape Town
South Africa
Tel: 021-689 4481 
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: http://www.christianaction.org.za/
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