In this part of The Beatitudes series, Drikus explored the deep connection between showing mercy and receiving it. Mercy isn't just about pity or a moment of kindness—it's a lifestyle of compassion, forgiveness, and grace. It’s recognizing our own need for mercy and allowing that recognition to shape how we treat others.

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy" – Matthew 5:7

Empathy is what transforms mercy from apassive feeling into an active response. When we truly see through someone else’s eyes and feel what they feel, we’re no longer just spectators—we become participants in their story. That kind of understanding moves us to act, to help, to forgive. It turns us into people who don't just notice pain, but step into it—bringing compassion, influence, and real change.To find out more about GodFirst East Rand - Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this part of The Beatitudes series, Mesuli unpacked what it means to deeply hunger and thirst for righteousness—not just a casual desire, but a deep, soul-level longing for God's way of doing things.The promise is profound: those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be satisfied. God doesn’t ignore the cries of those who earnestly seek Him.

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If you have been with us the last two weeks, we are in the Beatitudes, which is a Latin word which means blessing. These are 8 blessings of Jesus and they describe 8 behaviours that we are encouraged to take on in order to come under God’s blessings. After looking at Blessed are the poor and spirit and blessed are those who mourn, this week we have reached the third beatitude. Andrew spoke more about "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."

The problem we have is that meekness is not a word we use in modern English. And if it is, it’s not something people often aspire to. You don’t hear people say, ‘I wish I were a bit meeker’. Or what a meek husband you have! How wonderful!

Other translations such as the NLT, CEV, CSB, GNB translate it as ‘humble’. And some as ‘lowly’ or ‘gentle’. The problem we have is that there isn’t a great word in English to carry the meaning of the word used in the original language, Greek. It means something more like ‘incredible strength under great control’.

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Andrew continued our series on the Beatitudes, focusing on the second one: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Last week, we learned that the word beatitude comes from the Latin word for blessing, and we explored what it means to be “poor in spirit.”

This week, we see that mourning—though painful—is a pathway to blessing. Why? Because mourning allows us to release our pain. Holding onto pain can block us from receiving comfort, but when we mourn, we make space for God’s healing presence to meet us.

Where does this comfort come from?

• From the peace of God, which “surpasses understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

• From the community of believers, who share our sorrow (Romans 12:15).

• From the hope of eternity, where God “will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 21:4).

• And for those who mourn over sin, from the assurance of forgiveness, promised in 1 John 1:9.

In all these ways, God meets us in our mourning—not to leave us in sorrow, but to bring us comfort.To find out more about GodFirst East Rand - Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Andrew kick-started our new series: “The Beatitudes – How to Live Under God's Blessings.”
Each week, we’re unpacking one beatitude—Jesus’ powerful keys to a blessed life.

This week: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)

Being poor in spirit means recognising our spiritual need—knowing we don’t have what it takes on our own. It's not about putting ourselves down, but about being honest before God about our weakness, emptiness, and need for Him.

When we humbly bring our weakness to God, we make space for His strength. When we admit our lack, we position ourselves to receive the full resources of His kingdom—His wisdom, power, peace, and presence. His solution is always better than anything we could come up with!

This is the first key to living under God's blessing:
👉 Acknowledging our need opens the door to His abundance.To find out more about GodFirst East Rand - Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We had the privilege of hosting Sello Simelane from GodFirst Parks!
He shared a powerful message titled "Blessed Life", unpacking the deep truths of Psalm 32.
Sello reminded us that true blessing isn’t about perfect performance, but about receiving God’s forgiveness, walking in honesty, and living in His grace.

👉 “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.” — Psalm 32:1

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Drikus continued our Matthew series with a deep dive into one simple but profound word: "Repent."

Jesus steps into the scene — out of the shadows after 28 years — and begins His public ministry with a radical call:
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matt. 4:17)

It’s more than a message. It’s a declaration that:
🌟 God is with us
🌟 There is hope
🌟 Light has broken into the darkness
🌟 There is no more separation between man and God

This is THE GOOD NEWS!

To find out more about GodFirst East Rand - Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Last week we heard about John’s call to repentance and all of Judea rushing into the desert to publicly confess their sins before the prophet dressed like Elijah. This week we see that Jesus re-enters the scene to, puzzingly, do the same – to get baptised! But what does Jesus need to do that for?

To find out more about GodFirst East Rand - Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠